Osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine is a common phenomenon. But chest osteochondrosis is much less common. There are many intervertebral discs in the chest region and they are quite thin. Sudden movements and excessive loads can have unpleasant consequences. But there are ways to treat the pathology.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - what it is and how to treat it
Doctors consider chest degenerative disc disease to be a "chameleon disease" because of the difficulty of diagnosis. In fact, we are talking about damage to the intervertebral discs. The pathology is based on high physical activity and metabolic processes. Here is a list of conditions that cause the disease:
- Scoliosis.
- Bad habits.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Genetic factors.
- Spine injury.
- Excessive physical activity.
- Mental stress.
Note that both low mobility and excessive exercise are detrimental. Observe the measure in everyday life. Exercise under the supervision of an experienced coach. This includes spinal injuries - most commonly in patients in the gym or in hazardous industries.
Manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis
Many people are interested in how it manifests and how to treat chest osteochondrosis. You need to address the first point first. Here's what happensin your body:
- intervertebral discs lose their shock-absorbing properties;
- the fibrous ring ruptures;
- spinal nerves are damaged;
- inflammation begins;
- pain syndrome occurs;
- ligaments and joints are destroyed.
The main features of the disease
The pathology is explained by the structure of the human body. There are a large number of thin plates in the chest region - these are most often destroyed. Due to rib protection, the vertebrae are inactive, so doctors recommend exercise. Here are some more interesting facts:
- The curvature of the spine can be the cornerstone of osteochondrosis.
- In curvature (kyphosis), the greatest strain is on the anterior spine.
- In the late stages of the disease, the plates may fall out.
- An increase in osteophytes often occurs.
- The spinal cord is not always negatively affected.
Signs of pathology
Osteochondrosis of the chest is accompanied by certain symptoms. The severity of these signs varies greatly. Symptoms include:
- pain in the shoulder blades (felt when bending and lifting the arms);
- chest pain (with worse exertion, sharp bends, bends and cooling, and at night);
- discomfort while walking (manifested in the ribs);
- increased pain on inhalation-exhalation syndrome;
- tightness in the chest.
Additional symptoms may occur with exacerbation. These include burning and itching of the legs, numbness in certain areas of the body, peeling of brittle nails and skin. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract also occur. Some patients complain of esophageal and pharyngeal pain. All of these signs indicate that you need to see a doctor urgently.
Of the complications, dorsago stands out - "chest lumbago", a sharp pain that has occurred in the chest. Most often, dorsago is the result of monotonous work. Dorsago is a type of dorsalgia, a mild painful syndrome that lasts for about two to three weeks. The patient feels short of breath. Uncomfortable feelings are worse at night when we walk, bend down and take deep breaths.
We approach the treatment competently
What approach to the treatment of pathology can be called competent? You will not be able to completely get rid of the destructive processes, so you need to focus on preventing further deformation of the vertebral structures. Therapists have set themselves several tasks:
- Prevention of pathology.
- Restoration of affected bone structures.
- Neutralization of negative processes affecting the nervous system.
- Development of spinal biomechanics.
Conservative therapy
In the initial stage, the disease can be treated with medication. The progression of the pathology slows down and the pain stops. We list the most effective groups of drugs:
- NSAIDs;
- diuretics;
- glucocorticosteroids;
- chondroprotectors;
- metabolic stimulants.
Drug-free treatment
Doctors recommend a comprehensive approach to solving the problem. Acute pain can be relieved with non-drug therapy. Usually 2-3 times are enough for the patient to feel relief. The following techniques are used:
- Acupressure massage (relaxes muscles, relieves tension).
- Acupuncture (restores muscle strength and mobility, treats numbness).
- Manual therapy (normalizes blood circulation, reduces plate load, reduces intervertebral gaps).
- Moxtotherapy (normalizes metabolism, activates recovery processes).
- Hirudotherapy (helps get rid of blood clots, prevents inflammation, strengthens the nutrition of the ligaments and muscles).
Many patients seek help from Tibetan medical centers. Practice shows that competent, non-drug treatment saves the spine in 97 to 99 percent of cases. Conservative therapies quickly recover patients, but this approach has unpleasant side effects. Such therapy should only be used as a last resort.