Osteochondrosis rarely develops in the thoracic spine - the intervertebral discs in it are smaller and thinner in size than in the cervical or lumbar spine.The chest region is less mobile, the main load falls on the ribs and sternum.
Unlike cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis differ only in the location of the pain.The nature of the pain and its duration are similar.With prolapse in the thoracic region, the spinal cord is not affected.Read about this and more below.
Stages of pathology
Osteochondrosis usually progresses over time.According to the severity of the manifestation, the pathology is divided into 4 stages.
preclinical
Minimal disturbances appear in the spine.A slight pain syndrome can be observed, the back muscles become tense.It is possible to develop thoracalgia - chest pain, but this is a rare occurrence.
Discogenic radiculitis
There is a change in the structure of the intervertebral discs.Moderate pain may occur in the affected part of the spine.The patient is able to work.But his muscle endurance levels are declining.
Vascular-radicular
At this stage, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed.A disc herniation is formed and the process of deformation of the fibrous ring continues, which leads to its rupture.Then the nucleus pulposus prolapses into the space under the ligaments.A herniated disc forms.The process affects the tissues located near the disc, the functioning of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and ligaments is interrupted.The disease becomes chronic.
Changing the shape of the bone structure
The vertebra hardens, its surface becomes ribbed and uneven.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, which leads to limited mobility of the entire spine or a specific vertebra.The nerves that extend from the spinal cord are compressed.This leads to a deterioration of the impulses from the brain to the tissues and organs of the body.
The mobility of the spine as a whole is preserved, but the individual vertebrae become fragile and can easily collapse.If the disease is not treated, it moves to the fourth stage.
Regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue and replacement with scar tissue
A damaged intervertebral disc is unable to perform its functions well, which leads to the convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies.This leads to disorders in the intervertebral joints, called spondyloarthrosis.In this case, twisting or displacement of the vertebrae in relation to neighboring ones can occur.
The body turns on its compensation mechanisms.To relieve the load on a damaged disc, the vertebra flattens and increases in width.Thus its surface increases.And the tissue of the annulus fibrosus, which has collapsed, can be replaced with bone.
Sometimes this reduces the pain, however, as the vertebrae grow, they make the openings of the spine even narrower - the nerve is pressed.
Symptoms of the disease
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are often caused by the following factors:
- age of the patient;
- spinal cord injury;
- stage of disease development;
- The patient's condition is remission or worsening of the disease.
Symptoms may also include:
- radiculopathy - painful damage to the nerve endings of the spinal cord;
- abdominal syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome, changes in the heart muscle - characterized by severe pain and not sensitive to the effects of nitroglycerin;
- pulmonary syndrome: congestion and hypoxia occur in the lungs;
- paresthesia - a feeling of "goosebumps" throughout the body;
- pain in the area of the compressed nerve;
- reduced sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- disorders of the motor function of the spine.
The patient's body temperature does not rise.This serves as a sign that allows the differentiation of pathology.
Disease rates
Lumbago
This is a sharp pain that goes through the body.Occurs when lifting heavy objects and other physical activities - the pain is similar to an electric shock.
From a morphological point of view, sudden rupture of the capsule of the intervertebral disc occurs when the load is too high.Such a traumatic injury leads to nerve irritation - pain occurs.
The muscles are tense and this is clearly expressed.Lumbar lordosis softens.In this way, the load is redistributed and the intervertebral disc compresses even more, which leads to swelling, which increases the pain.
When the pathology is concentrated in the neck area, cervicalgia appears - it manifests itself as pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During an exacerbation, cervicocranial pain is often observed, which manifests itself in the fact that a person has a severe headache in the back of the head.You may experience tinnitus, dizziness, a sensation of spots in your eyes and your teeth may hurt.
Dizziness
They appear as a result of the narrowing of the spinal canal cavity.The intervertebral disc swells and compresses the blood vessels.The brain fails to receive the required volume of blood.You may experience a severe headache, numbness in the arms and shoulder pain.
Breathing becomes difficult, causing insufficient oxygen to reach the brain.This leads to stabbing pain in the heart area.
Intervertebral hernia
At this stage of development, the picture looks quite serious - the spinal canal and intervertebral cavities are very narrowed.As a result, a hernia can form - a dangerous defect.Often at this stage of the disease it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the third degree depends on root compression.It is possible to use the same techniques as for the second degree.However, when the pain does not go away within fifteen days and symptoms of prolapse (prolapse of a vertebra) are present, surgery is required.
Increase in beads
As a rule, at this stage of the disease, the manifestations of the hernia disappear, the symptoms of the disease are less pronounced, however, it is observed that the spine is unstable, the vertebrae can slip or twist in relation to each other.
At this time, the growth of vertebral bodies can occur - this is called osteophyte.Growth leads to compression of spinal nerves, blockage of the spinal canal occurs, called secondary spinal stenosis.As a result, compression of the spinal cord is possible, which leads to ischemia.
This degree of disease also includes the consequences of previous operations to remove a hernia.They can manifest as damaged innervation, paresis and inflammation.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the area of spinal cord injury.The most common vertebral syndromes are dorsago and dorsalgia.
Dorsago manifests itself in the form of sudden and sharp pain that appears in the chest area.This often happens if a person sits for a long time without changing their posture.Pain can occur when a person's position is physiologically uncomfortable.In addition, it is possible during long-term monotonous work.
Dorsago is also called "chest lumbago".When this happens, the muscles in your back and chest become so tense that it becomes difficult to breathe.
Sometimes the pain goes along the ribs in the sternum area and radiates to the scapula area.Sometimes the patient may feel as if it is a myocardial infarction.However, when an electrocardiogram is performed, deviations from the norm are not detected.If you take nitroglycerin or another heart medicine, it will not work.
Avoid staying in one position for a long time.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Dorsalgia is a mild pain that is present for a long time, sometimes up to weeks.The inflamed area of the spine gives a "mild" pain.This is unpleasant, so the person usually comes to the doctor.
Dorsalgia can be expressed as follows:
- the pain worsens when a person takes a deep breath or coughs;
- muscles become overworked;
- motor activity in the neck or lower back decreases;
- muscle spasms occur;
- the pain intensifies at night and when a person exercises.
Dorsalgia can be upper or lower.With the first, the main painful manifestations are concentrated in the upper chest area, in the neck.In the second case, the pain is mainly in the sacrum and the lumbar region.
The symptoms of Dorsalgia are very similar to the first manifestations of pneumonia.This is important to remember to diagnose the disease in time.If the diagnosis is made incorrectly and the treatment is prescribed, the patient's condition will only worsen.
When a woman breastfeeds a child, she may experience such manifestations of osteochondrosis.It is necessary to treat the disease in this situation only by consulting a doctor, taking into account all the nuances.
It is important to weigh all the risks of using certain medications in order not to harm the health of the baby and your health.
Atypical symptoms
In some cases, the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine are completely atypical.A person may not even be aware of the disease, as the symptoms are often similar to those of other pathologies.They are worth examining in more detail and analyzing the situation as a whole:
- pain may appear that mimics cardiac pain that develops during angina and heart attack;coronary dilation drugs, for example, nitroglycerin, have no effect;and the ECG shows no abnormalities;
- pain can occur similar to that experienced by women with the development of breast diseases;such pains can continue for a long time;the examination does not reveal any problems in the mammary glands;
- the iliac region and abdomen may be painful, the symptoms are not similar to those that appear with gastritis and colitis;pain under the right rib may be observed, similar to that which characterizes hepatitis or cholecystitis;Digestion is usually disturbed - this is also a characteristic symptom of osteochondrosis, which arises due to disturbances in the innervation of internal organs;it is necessary to understand what caused disturbances in the process of digestion of food, if the cause is really thoracic osteochondrosis;
- The process of urination and sexual function can be interrupted, because the innervation in the genitourinary system is distorted;
- when thoracic osteochondrosis worsens, long, weeks-long pains in the sternum can be observed, very similar to those present in diseases of the mammary gland;A visit to a mammologist allows you to identify the cause of the pain.
These symptoms are accompanied by manifestations of pain in the back, as well as intercostal neuralgia.The onset of atypical symptoms is usually observed in the evening.In the morning, as a rule, there is no more white.The pain increases throughout the day if suitable conditions are created that provoke pain.