Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a condition that is diagnosed quite often. Statistics show that it accounts for about 40% of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In the initial stages, a person for a long time may not be aware of his pathology.
Over time develops severe painful sensations localized in the thoracic spine. If you do not start full treatment in a timely manner, there is a possibility of serious complications. The greatest danger is respiratory distress.
Classification
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a fairly common disease in elderly patients. If full therapy is not started in a timely manner, there is a possibility of serious complications.
Before starting treatment, the physician must carefully classify the nature of the pathology. It can be:
- Dorsago: the painful sensations arise from impulses that from time to time appear in the chest. Usually, this discomfort begins after a long stay in one position. A person has difficulty breathing, while practically he cannot perform any actions with his head. If he can move, the pain pierces the entire spine.
- Back pain is a condition in which prolonged periods of pain occur. On average, they can last up to those weeks. This condition usually occurs due to severe damage to the intervertebral discs. During an exacerbation, you should lead an inactive lifestyle and refuse any activity. The pain increases significantly during the night.
Causes of pathology
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can occur in any person at any age.
However, the following groups of people are most at risk:
- Lead an inactive lifestyle. If you don't play sports, the metabolic processes are disrupted. Due to them, the human spine begins to accumulate deposits, which begin to squeeze the nerve endings. Discomfort increases significantly with the degree of degenerative destruction.
- Overweight: Every extra kilogram brings an additional load on the spine. The higher your weight, the heavier your chest spine becomes.
- Smoking: because of cigarettes, blood circulation in the body is disturbed, as a result of which the tissues of the spine do not receive enough useful elements.
- Leading an overly active lifestyle. Especially often the thoracic spine suffers from frequent heavy lifting.
- Various posture disorders. A curved spine is unable to properly distribute the load, which causes pain in the thoracic region.
Manifestations
The initial stage of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is characterized by an extremely long period. For a long time, a person may not notice any painful sensations. This is where the danger of pathology lies, since only in the first stage is it actively treatable.
In most cases, the development of osteochondrosis can be recognized by the following manifestations:
- Tightness of the back muscle corset;
- Dull and aching pain localized between the shoulder blades;
- Sensation of increased pressure in the chest area;
- Pain that occurs when palpating the spinous processes;
- Pain that can radiate to other parts of the body.
A person with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine often has limited mobility in the morning. A crunch in some parts of the breastbone may also occur.
Often a person is faced with numbness in the limbs, his posture begins to deteriorate rapidly - this is due to excessive tension in the muscle tissue. In addition, there may be a sharp pain localized in the intercostal spaces.
To date, mainstream medicine has not been able to find effective means to restore damaged intervertebral discs, which is why it is imperative to consult a chiropractor. Responsibly approach the choice of a specialist, as any wrong movement can cause serious complications.
Treatment methods
Before starting treatment for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, it is necessary to undergo an extensive diagnosis. With its help, it is possible to accurately determine the localization of the degenerative process, thanks to which it is possible to provide more effective and high-quality treatment. Keep in mind that only your doctor can prescribe medication. There is a huge number of different drugs that differ in their principle of action.
First of all, you will be prescribed pain medication - steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They stop the production of arousal mediators, thanks to which a person begins to feel much better.
Please note that the patient must be under constant supervision of the attending physician during treatment.
To obtain the maximum effect from the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, therapy should be performed in combination. You shouldn't limit yourself solely to drugs. Treatment should be filled with physical therapy and sports activities.
Medication
Drug therapy is of the utmost importance in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. With the help of various drugs, it is possible to stop painful sensations as soon as possible.
It is also recommended to stay in bed while recovering. Be sure to consult a qualified healthcare professional who can prescribe you a safe and highly effective treatment regimen.
In general, the treatment of breast osteochondrosis includes the use of the following drugs:
- Analgesics: allow you to quickly stop the acute pain syndrome. It also prevents the development of failures in the respiratory system, which often causes complications;
- Anti-spasm drugs;
- Vitamin preparations based on vitamins of group B. Normalize metabolic processes, prevent degenerative changes.
Effective exercise
Special physical exercises can cope with manifestations of osteochondrosis of the chest. They need to be done regularly - this is the only way to get meaningful results from the approaches.
Keep in mind that before starting such treatment, you should definitely consult an experienced specialist. It will tell you which complexes are best for you. Breathing exercises with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region also have a positive effect on a person's well-being.
The following exercises should be performed:
- Plank: Lie on the floor, crawl towards the wall. Throw your legs on the wall so that they are parallel to it. Sew in a similar position for 1. 5 minutes to start. Each subsequent time, the number of approaches can be increased.
- Hang regularly on a horizontal bar. This will help you regulate the spaces between your intervertebral discs, making you feel much better.
- Lie on your back with your legs as close to your chest as possible and hold this position for a few seconds. This posture can relieve tension in the spinal muscles, thereby relieving pain.
For more effective treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, it is imperative to engage in physical education. It is best to go to the physical therapy clinic, where you will do everything under the supervision of your doctor. Be very careful when playing sports. Any wrong movement can easily lead to injury.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a unique method of affecting a person's back, in which the thoracic region completely gets rid of painful sensations. With the correct and regular approach, you will be able to completely get rid of painful sensations, tension.
In addition, manual therapy contributes to the complete restoration of blood circulation. Active components begin to spread rapidly through the tissues, after which the person feels much better.
Massage
Massage is a method of influence in which the doctor activates the metabolic processes with his hands. It can be performed both at home and in the hospital.
The massage movements obtain the following results:
- Eliminates the increase in muscle tone;
- Strengthens the intervertebral discs;
- Accelerates the onset of full recovery;
- Promotes the improvement of metabolic processes.
Physiotherapy procedures
Various physiotherapeutic procedures will help to cope with the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the chest.
They not only combat painful sensations, but also contribute to the normalization of internal processes. The following procedures are the most popular at the moment:
- Plasma injections. Part of the blood is taken from a person, from which the plasma is separated. It is injected in its pure form directly into the tissues of the spine, thanks to which it is possible to get rid of painful sensations.
- Cupping massage is a type of vacuum effect on the body, which is able to relieve pain and increase muscle tone in a short time.
- Magnetotherapy: exposure of the spine to a magnetic field. The procedure allows you to stop the degenerative process and improve metabolic processes. Plus, it relieves swelling and inflammation.
- Alitherapy is an innovative treatment that uses bees. The insect has to bite the person directly in the affected area. This starts the metabolic processes, accelerates the removal of toxins and toxins.
- Mud healing. This helps to nourish the spine with beneficial substances that prevent the development of degenerative changes in the human body.
- Spinal block - the use of special injections that relieve pain. Keep in mind that such drugs should be used as a course.
What can be confused with osteochondrosis of the chest?
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a disease, the manifestations of which can be easily confused with a number of other diseases. Your symptoms may look like:
- Angina pectoris and heart attack. However, the patient's cardiogram is normal, and the use of drugs to normalize blood pressure does not bring any results;
- Renal colic, appendicitis or cholecystitis;
- Diseases of the mammary glands;
- Ulcer, gastritis and colitis;
- Inflammation of the lungs.
Prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a dangerous disease due to which the quality of life of any person is significantly reduced. If you begin to adhere to preventive measures in a timely manner, the likelihood of complications will significantly decrease.
Many doctors strongly recommend following these tips:
- If you work at the computer for a long time, get up from the table every hour and do a light warm-up. It will help normalize blood circulation and prevent stagnation.
- Always keep your back warm. For this, give up cold showers and short dresses. Always keep it warm.
- Regularly drink vitamin complexes that restore the structure of damaged tissues.
- Get in a horizontal position for at least 30 minutes in the middle of the day. This will help the spine align, making it easier to manage stress.
- Exercise regularly. Muscle tone has a beneficial effect on the condition of the back.