Osteochondrosis is commonly called dystrophic changes in the bone and connective tissue of the spine. The spine is unable to cope with normal loads - and this is mainly expressed in the appearance of pain, initially not clearly expressed, but over time, increasing more and more.
The main symptoms of the 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 fixes the ribs, so the intervertebral discs are provided with good protection.
The nucleus of the spinal disc in this disease thins and dries up, the fibrous tissue around it begins to collapse, the cartilage tissue undergoes negative changes. The spine is unable to cope with normal loads - and this is mainly expressed in the appearance of pain, initially not clearly expressed, but over time, increasing more and more. However, with significant loads - sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, constant stress, poor posture and back injuries - sooner or later osteochondrosis affects the thoracic region. The disease is considered very common: one in three adults suffer from it.
What are the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis? First of all, in the occurrence of pain, which includes:
- interscapular and intercostal neuralgic shoots;
- pain in the left side of the chest;
- pain in the arms, aggravated by lifting them up and reaching the fingertips;
- pain when bending over;
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, itching, and digestive upset.
Pain in chest osteochondrosis can manifest itself in several ways. Sometimes these are mild stabbing or dull aches that manifest in the late afternoon and disappear after physical activity, such as a short walk. This is usually how the initial stage of thoracic osteochondrosis proceeds, when the intervertebral discs are not yet deeply affected.
In the later stages of the development of the disease, pain symptoms often manifest themselves in the form of low back pain. The pain is pronounced, sharp, interferes with normal breathing, and unnecessary movements only aggravate the situation. Back pain often begins after a long period of inactivity, such as several hours of computer work in a static position.
The special "trick" of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is that the disease can cleverly disguise itself as a dozen other ailments. Chest osteochondrosis is very easy to confuse with symptoms of pneumonia, angina, ischemia, heart attack. Sometimes the disease is more like renal or hepatic colic, and speech disturbance and a feeling of numbness in different parts of the body are even confused with the signs of a stroke.
In addition, the mistake is made not only by the patients themselves, but also by experienced doctors, which greatly complicates the diagnosis of the disease. It is especially difficult to recognize thoracic osteochondrosis in the early stages, which is why it is often diagnosed when the disease has already been pronounced and has progressed to the chronic stage.
Meanwhile, timely diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis is of paramount importance. This allows you to immediately begin treatment and delay the development of the disease, significantly stopping the pain symptoms accompanying the disease.
How dangerous is osteochondrosis of the thoracic region?
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine does not directly pose a danger to the patient's life. However, in a neglected state, it can lead to significant complications:
- the appearance of chronic intercostal neuralgia;
- hernia of the thoracic region;
- compression of the spinal cord in the damaged area of the spine.
Launched osteochondrosis of the spine is expressed in scoliosis, sometimes the disease passes to the cervical vertebrae and causes loss of the voice.
In addition, a sharp weakening of the spine in the thoracic region can lead to deformation of the internal organs of the peritoneum. In turn, this is likely to lead to all kinds of digestive tract disorders: stomach, pancreas, liver, kidney, biliary tract.
Thoracic osteochondrosis needs careful treatment, which will help slow the development of the disease for a long time, prevent complications and completely neutralize the symptoms of the disease in the early stages.
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 an examination of the patient by a specialist and examinations using modern equipment. This allows you to accurately diagnose and make sure that we are talking about osteochondrosis and not another disease.
After making a diagnosis, the doctor can use the following methods for therapy:
- medicines to relieve pain symptoms;
- physiotherapy, laser therapy, acupuncture and reflexology;
- manual therapy and therapeutic massage;
- a special course of medical gymnastics.
Almost all of these methods are aimed not at eliminating osteochondrosis as such, but at relieving inflammation and reducing the severity of pain. The main goal of treating osteochondrosis of the chest is the elimination of pain. At the same time, manual therapy and physical therapy can "straighten" the spine, increasing the distance between the vertebrae and preventing compression. However, the patient is required to regularly perform therapeutic exercises, otherwise it will not give any results.
In some particularly severe cases, surgical treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis can be used. In such a situation, the affected vertebrae are replaced with a prosthesis - practice shows that the operation is effective for about 50% of patients.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, regular trips to health clubs are recommended. In sanatorium conditions, the patient receives full-fledged complex therapy combining drugs, physiotherapy and gymnastic methods, and for a long time he feels a significant improvement in his condition.
Folk remedies
In the acute course of the disease, it is recommended to treat thoracic osteochondrosis in stationary conditions. But if the symptoms are mild, there is no need to go to the hospital. In this case, home care is of paramount importance. 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 aims at the same goal - the rapid removal of pain and inflammation, relieving the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, in the treatment of osteochondrosis with folk remedies, decoctions, ointments, compresses and infusions of herbs and plants are used that have a sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
What medicinal preparations are recommended to prepare instead of tea and drink with osteochondrosis? These are chamomile, calendula, sage, birch leaves, strawberry leaves and ripe viburnum. In addition, these taxes can be mixed with each other - a fragrant hot drink of two or three different herbs gives a noticeable effect.
Decoctions are prepared in the same way as tea: a spoonful of a medicinal plant is poured into a glass of hot water, infused and consumed inside two or three times a day. At the same time as taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory herbs, it is recommended to drink soothing infusions of motherwort, lavender, valerian - stress, inevitable during the course of the disease, can further aggravate the symptoms.
In addition to medicinal decoctions, baths with medicinal additives are used, for example, extracts of celandine, plantain and pine needles have a calming and warming effect. Such a bath relieves muscle spasms, improves blood flow between the inflamed discs of the spine and removes inflammation.
Wraps, ointments, and rubs are not recommended for use during acute pain. However, they can be used during a break in the disease. For example, rubbing with mustard and camphor ointment is popular: 50 grams of mustard and camphor are diluted with 100 milliliters of alcohol and 100 grams of raw egg white, mixed until smooth. The ointment is applied to the back for two weeks at night - the treated area should be covered with a woolen cloth on top.
What to do with an exacerbation?
What is considered an exacerbation of the disease? This term refers to severe pain sensations. If the patient has experienced significant discomfort, familiar back pain and dull aches in the chest area, radiating to the peritoneum, lower back and arms, then it is time to pay close attention to your illness.
During an exacerbation, it is recommended:
- avoid hypothermia and stress;
- as little as possible to be in motionless poses, in which the load on the spine is maintained;
- apply compresses and ointments to the affected area that do not have too harsh effect;
- gently massage the affected areas alone, but avoid strong pressure;
- to the best of your ability to continue physical therapy exercises, but only if this does not lead to increased pain.
In acute complications, bed rest is also recommended. In case of unbearable pain, hospitalization can also be made. But in most cases, exacerbations of thoracic osteochondrosis can be stopped at home, especially if you combine a sparing regimen with taking medications prescribed by a specialist.
The main condition for the exacerbation of osteochondrosis is the lack of physical activity. Inflamed intervertebral discs require maximum rest, so it will be possible to quickly cope with exacerbation.