In the modern world, it is not only humanity that is developing.Unfortunately, diseases that affect humans are also in constant motion and development.
Two decades ago, symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine were rare, often in elderly people.Now the age category of patients has expanded significantly and includes women, men and children of different ages.
The rarity of the manifestations of this disease is based on the immobility of the thoracic part of the spine, except for various injuries and damages.
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the bone and cartilage tissue of the spine undergo serious changes that lead to a violation of their integrity.
If you do not contact a specialist in time, irreversible changes can be stopped only by surgical intervention.
In the chain of development of the disease, the skeletal system of the spine is followed by cartilage formations, ligaments and muscles of the spine.
When osteochondrosis is diagnosed at a juvenile age, premature aging of the musculoskeletal system begins.
According to symptoms and treatment, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine has 4 degrees of development, which depends on the patient's well-being:
- Grade I.Symptoms are completely mild or absent.Outbreaks happen.
- II degree.Intervertebral discs lose elasticity and height.There is a loss of stability in the spine.The first pains appear.
- III degree.At this stage, the hernia is detected by severe pain.
- IV degree.The bone tissue of the spine is destroyed due to the complete deprivation of the intervertebral discs of their main functions.
Symptoms and signs
Symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depend on gender, the degree of development of the disease and the mobility of the patient.Most of the symptoms appear with certain degrees of stress and fatigue, as well as lying in the same position.
How does thoracic osteochondrosis affect:
- Chest pain that is particularly severe during periods of prolonged inactivity.
- There is a feeling of pressure in the middle of the back.Deep inhalations and exhalations are also difficult.
- Thus, the pain that is provoked when any related movement is included in the physical activity.Hand movements, bending, turning.
- Long-term back pain.
- Neurological diseases of certain parts of the body that manifest themselves in harmony.
- Increased sensitivity of some areas of the skin (so-called goosebumps).
- Unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities.
- Due to vascular damage in thoracic osteochondrosis, local symptoms appear in the form of peeling.Changes also affect the nails.
- Reproductive disorders and decreased libido may occur.
Symptoms may also differ by gender.Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are slightly different from men.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- Local pain syndrome in the affected disc area.
- False symptoms of diseases of internal organs arising along the innervation of the extracted nerve.
- Compression symptoms.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in men appear earlier than in women.The rest of the clinical picture is very similar.
Most of the differences appear only in the severity of symptoms, because men lead a more active lifestyle.
Also, in women, thoracic osteochondrosis is less pronounced and occurs later due to the protective effect of female sex hormones.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms and sensations during the development of heart diseases can be similar, therefore, when making a diagnosis, an examination of the heart's functioning is also carried out.
Treatment
The chronic course of the disease, which can develop an operation at any time, makes the symptoms very pronounced.The patient has severe pain in the back and difficulty breathing.
Before treating thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to understand the degree of exacerbation and disease.Typically, the causes of such conditions are special factors:
- Stressful situations.
- Very hard work.
- Extended exposure to low temperature environments.
- Weightlifting or active sports.
Treatment is primarily based on an etiological approach.That is, the factor causing the acute phase is excluded.In severe cases of the disease, a limited daily regimen is recommended.Here are some principles of the approach:
- Low mobility mode.
- A diet rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber is prescribed.
- Drug treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis.
- Local therapy, including massages (according to indications), use of external forms of anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Exercise therapy.Only in cases where the doctor allows.
- Physiotherapy.
Medicines
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is based on the classical principles of treatment of compressed nerve fibers.The first step is to eliminate symptoms that are causing significant distress to the patient.
The choice of drugs is determined individually, taking into account contraindications and side effects.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy is considered primary and basic.Its effect is visible from the first day of therapy.
How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis:
- NSAIDs.Medicines are taken orally or brought up.They have a number of positive features.First, improve the patient's quality of life, restore the ability to move normally.
Unfortunately, this group of drugs also has a number of negative indications.Contraindications include gastrointestinal diseases.Absolute prohibition applies in the presence of an ulcer or acute gastritis.If the kidney and liver function is impaired, the drugs require dosage adjustment.
NSAIDS are often combined with muscle relaxants.
- Muscle relaxants are a group of drugs that significantly alleviate the patient's condition.When an inflammatory process occurs at the level of the tendon, a strong muscle spasm of the fibers occurs in the inflamed area.Long-term spasm also provokes severe pain in the segment area.Muscle relaxants relieve this spasm and thereby relieve pain.
It is not recommended to take these drugs if the patient wants to drive a car or other equipment.
- Vitamin complexes.It is used to relieve inflammation in nerve fibers and stabilize nerve membranes.More than others, B vitamins and nicotinic acid are used.
- Chondroprotective drugs.Combination of chondroitin with different doses of glucosamine.
This group of drugs normalizes metabolic processes in the joint tissue and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect with glucose.The course of treatment with chondroprotectors is long-term and repeated intermittently.
Side effects are mainly observed in the gastrointestinal tract.It's swollen and gutted.
To treat thoracic osteochondrosis, special drugs in the form of injections are used.Management principles are changing.The main method is the application of electrophoresis in the physiotherapy room.It also comes in cream and ointment form.
Drug treatment for thoracic osteochondrosis is based on the principles of relaxing the inflammatory process and releasing the pinched nerve.
It is important to note that in the absence of other corrective treatment courses, even anti-inflammatory treatment courses will not be able to relieve the patient without suffering for a long time.
If the attending physician recommends massage procedures, then they should be performed.
Massage
Before treating osteochondrosis of the Thoracic spine with massage, a functional diagnosis is made, and the first stage of treatment is receiving anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants.
This set of measures aims to reduce spasm and inflammation in the area of the affected segment.Only after achieving certain results in the first stage, one can talk about the benefits of massage.
How to treat osteochondrosis of the thoracic region with massage?
Massage procedures can additionally relieve muscle spasticity and improve blood supply to the injured area.
- Acursure.A procedure where the hands of a specialist on specific points, thereby relieving the inflammatory process.It is important to know that pain is not allowed during Acursuresure.Acute pain syndrome is an absolute contraindication to this type of massage.
- Massage the affected segment.It has excellent effects by improving blood supply to the entire area.At the same time, soft tissues begin to actively renew themselves, which has a beneficial effect on therapy.
- Classic massage.Due to the symptoms of the acute phase, osteochondrosis in the thoracic region cannot be treated with classical massage.Any vibration or displacement can cause severe pain.Classical massage can be performed only after complete removal of restrictions on motor activity and inflammatory process.
- Plastic massage.It is indicated for all stages of the disease, it gives excellent results.After 5 sessions, it is recommended to switch to the next type of massage.
Getting rid of thoracic osteochondrosis is a complex task, the combination of conservative treatment and massage is considered one of the most effective non-surgical therapies.
Physical education
Thoracic osteochondrosis I - II disease II - II disease is treated with physical therapy, which has a beneficial effect on the layers of muscles in the affected segment, strengthens ligaments and eliminates the further development of protrusions.
If the stage of the disease is characterized by severe pain, first conservative treatment, massages are carried out, and only after that - exercise therapy.
What is exercise therapy?It is a complex of therapeutic and preventive procedures that improve the blood supply and stability of the affected segment.
There are a number of exercises that work well:
- As you come back with a deep breath, raise your arms as you bend back.The back arch is followed by a slow arc.
- From a seated position, lean back with your hands behind your head, using the back of a chair as support.
- Standing on 4 limbs, fixing the highest and lowest positions, bending over and leaning back.
- The position is a stretch on your stomach.An effortful upper bend is performed by trying to lift the torso off the floor.
- Work boat.
Their effectiveness depends on how hard the patient does each exercise.
All exercises are repeated 5 to 7 times.Before starting classes, warm up to avoid sprains and injuries.
Tension
What to do if pathology is detected at the initial stage?
In the early stages of the disease, traction is considered an excellent solution.Through this procedure, the muscle spasm is removed and the displaced vertebrae are returned to their places.Deformation of the spine is eliminated.
What type of traction is there:
- Dry traction.This procedure is easier than others.If the disease is detected at an early stage, then a horizontal bar is perfect.If strong displacements and stretching spasms are observed, then special beds and exercise equipment are used.These tools dose the load and duration correctly.
- Wet traction.It is carried out in warm water, which improves blood circulation in the affected segment and, if done correctly, eliminates sudden movements.
With thoracic osteochondrosis, during treatment with classical regimens, symptoms may return several times a year.For prevention, traction and exercise therapy, therapy that eliminates the risk of protrusion and strong displacements are used.
Reviews of physiotherapeutic procedures in the stages of remission and after long-term treatment are mostly positive.The recommendations and implementation of these procedures are absolutely justified!
Surgery
What to do if the chosen methods do not work?
Due to the wrong approach to therapy, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine progresses according to symptoms after treatment and makes the patient's life unbearable.It also happens to be late to a doctor.
Unfortunately, when the integrity of the intervertebral disc is compromised and a hernia is diagnosed, surgical intervention is recommended to prevent life-threatening consequences.
After the operation, special elastic products are prescribed, and the patient's mobility is limited until full recovery.
Opinion
Therapy for osteochondrosis in all its stages and with any approach, how much does osteochondrosis affect itself, how much tissue is affected, and most importantly, what is the prognosis of certain procedures?Based on these diagnostic aspects, therapeutic measures are initiated.