Osteochondrosis is commonly called dystrophic changes in the bones and connective tissues of the spine. The spine is unable to withstand normal loads - and this is expressed mainly in the appearance of pain, initially not clearly expressed, but over time, increasing.
The main symptoms of this disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a disease that usually appears in adulthood and does not fully manifest itself for a long time. This is due to the fact that the thoracic spine naturally supports and corrects the ribs - therefore, the intervertebral disc is provided with good protection.
The core of the spinal disc in this disease becomes thinner and drier, the fibrous tissue around it begins to collapse, the cartilage tissue undergoes negative changes. The spine is unable to withstand normal loads - and this is expressed mainly in the appearance of pain, initially not clearly expressed, but over time, increasing. However, with significant loads - an inactive lifestyle, inactive work, constant stress, poor posture and back injuries - sooner or later osteochondrosis affects the thoracic area. The disease is considered very common - every third adult suffers from it.
What are the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis? First of all, in the event of pain, which includes:
- interscapular and intercostal neuralgic shots;
- pain in the left side of the chest;
- pain in the arm, aggravated by raising it and reaching to the fingertips;
- pain when bending;
In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis can be expressed in numbness - not only in the chest, but also in various parts of the body. Sometimes osteochondrosis leads to speech disorders, and sometimes also causes flaky skin, brittle nails, itchy skin and digestive disorders.
Pain in chest osteochondrosis can manifest in different ways. Sometimes this is a mild stabbing pain or a dull ache that manifests itself in the late afternoon and disappears after doing physical activity - for example, a short walk. Typically, this is how the early stages of thoracic osteochondrosis take place, when the intervertebral disc has not been deeply affected.
In the final stages of disease development, pain symptoms often manifest themselves in the form of lumbago. The pain is pronounced, acute, interferes with normal breathing, and unnecessary movements only exacerbate the condition. Often, back pain begins after a long period of inactivity - for example, several hours of working at a computer in a static position.
The special "cunning" of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is that the disease can skillfully disguise as a dozen other diseases. Chest osteochondrosis is very easily confused with symptoms of pneumonia, angina, ischemia, heart attack. Sometimes the disease is more like renal or hepatic colic, and speech disorders and numbness in different parts of the body are even confused with signs of stroke.
Moreover, the mistake is made not only by the patient himself, but also by an experienced doctor - which greatly complicates the diagnosis of the disease. It is very difficult to recognize chest osteochondrosis at an early stage - which is why it is often diagnosed when the disease has become obvious and has passed into a chronic stage.
Meanwhile, timely diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis is fundamentally important. This allows you to immediately begin treatment and delay the progression of the disease, significantly stopping the painful symptoms that accompany the disease.
How dangerous is osteochondrosis in the thoracic region?
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine does not directly pose a danger to the patient’s life. However, in neglected conditions, it can lead to significant complications:
- appearance of chronic intercostal neuralgia;
- hernia of the thoracic region;
- spinal cord compression in the damaged area of the spine.
Launched spinal osteochondrosis is expressed in scoliosis, sometimes the disease moves to the cervical vertebrae and causes loss of voice.
In addition, strong weakness of the spine in the thoracic region can cause deformation of the internal organs of the peritoneum. On the other hand, this may involve all kinds of disorders of the digestive tract - stomach, pancreas, liver, kidneys, bile ducts.
Thoracic osteochondrosis requires careful treatment, which will help slow the progression of the disease for a long time, prevent complications - and completely neutralize the symptoms of the disease at an early stage.
How is the disease treated?
What methods are used in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis? First of all, a thorough diagnosis is carried out, which includes both examination of the patient by a specialist and examination using modern equipment. This allows you to accurately diagnose and ensure that we are talking about osteochondrosis, and not another disease.
After making a diagnosis, the doctor can use the following methods of therapy:
- medications intended to relieve pain symptoms;
- physiotherapy, laser therapy, acupuncture and reflexology;
- manual therapy and therapeutic massage;
- special courses of medical gymnastics.
Almost all of these methods are not intended to eliminate such osteochondrosis, but to relieve inflammation and reduce the severity of pain. It is the elimination of pain that is the main goal of the treatment of chest osteochondrosis. At the same time, manual therapy and exercise therapy can "straighten" the spine, increase the distance between the vertebrae and prevent compression. However, patients are required to do therapeutic exercises on a regular basis - otherwise it will not yield any results.
In some cases, especially severe ones, surgical treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis may be used. In such cases, the affected vertebra is replaced with a prosthesis - practice shows that the operation is effective for about 50% of patients.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, regular trips to health resorts are recommended. In a sanatorium setting, the patient receives a fully complex therapy that combines medication, physiotherapy and gymnastic methods - and for a long time feels a significant improvement in his condition.
Restoration of the people
In the acute course of the disease, it is recommended to treat thoracic osteochondrosis at rest. But if the symptoms are mild, there is no need to go to the hospital. In this case, care at home is important. It is not only possible, but also necessary to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies-sometimes they show no less effectiveness than official medical procedures.
Home treatment is aimed at the same goal - rapid removal of pain and inflammation, reducing the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, in the treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies, decoctions, ointments, compresses and infusions of herbs and plants that have sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects are used.
What drug preparations are recommended to be brewed instead of tea and drink with osteochondrosis? These are chamomile, calendula, sage, birch leaves, strawberry leaves and ripe viburnum. In addition, these charges can be mixed with each other - fragrant hot drinks from two or three different herbs give a significant effect.
The decoction is brewed in the same way as tea - a tablespoon of medicinal plants is poured into a glass of hot water, infused and eaten in two to three times a day. At the same time as taking painkillers and anti -inflammatory herbs, it is recommended to drink a soothing infusion of motherwort, lavender, valerian - stress, unavoidable during the course of the disease, can exacerbate symptoms.
In addition to medicinal decoctions, baths with medicinal additives are used - for example, extracts of celandine, banana, and pine needles have a calming and warming effect. Such a bath relieves muscle spasms, increases blood flow between inflamed spinal discs, and eliminates inflammation.
Compresses, ointments and swabs are not recommended for use during acute pain. However, they can be used while relieving the disease. For example, rubbing with mustard -camphor ointment is popular - 50 grams of mustard and camphor diluted with 100 milliliters of alcohol and 100 grams of raw egg whites, stir until smooth. The ointment is applied on the back for two weeks at night - the treated area must be covered with a woolen cloth on top.
What to do with aggravation?
What is considered an exacerbation of the disease? The term refers to the sensation of severe pain. If the patient feels significant discomfort, common back pain and dull pain in the chest, radiating to the peritoneum, lower back and arms, then it is time to pay maximum attention to your illness.
During exacerbations, it is recommended:
- avoid hypothermia and stress;
- as little as possible to be in a stationary pose, where the load on the spine is maintained;
- apply a compress and sparing ointment on the affected area that does not have an overly harsh effect;
- gently massage the affected area yourself - but avoid strong pressure;
- to your best ability to continue physiotherapy training - but only if this does not lead to an increase in pain.
In acute complications, bed rest is also recommended. In case of unbearable pain, hospitalization can also be done. But in most cases, exacerbations of thoracic osteochondrosis can be stopped at home, especially if you combine a frugal regimen with taking medications prescribed by a specialist.
The main condition for the exacerbation of osteochondrosis is a lack of physical activity. An inflamed intervertebral disc requires maximum rest - then it will be able to cope with deterioration quickly.