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 area is less mobile and the main load falls on the ribs and sternum.
Unlike cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis vary only in the location of pain.The pain is similar in nature and duration.In chest prolapse, the spinal cord is not affected.Read about this and more below.
Stages of pathology
Osteochondrosis usually progresses over time. Depending on the severity of the manifestations, the pathology is divided into 4 stages.
Preclinical
Minimal disturbances appear in the spine. A mild pain syndrome may occur and the back muscles become tense.Chest pain is possible but rare.
Discogenic radiculitis
The structure of the intervertebral disc changes.There may be moderate pain in the affected part of the spine.The patient is able to work. But his muscle endurance levels are decreasing.
Vascular-radicular
At this stage, the annulus fibrosus is completely destroyed.A herniated disc develops and the annulus fibrosus continues to deform, causing it to rupture.The nucleus pulposus then prolapses into the space beneath the ligament.A disc herniation forms. This process affects the tissue near the disc, and the function of blood vessels, muscles, nerves, and ligaments can be disrupted.The disease becomes chronic.
Change the shape of bone structure
The vertebrae harden and their surfaces become ribbed and bumpy.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, resulting in limited movement of the entire spine or specific vertebrae.The nerves extending from the spinal cord become pinched.This results in weakened impulses from the brain to the body's tissues and organs.
Overall mobility of the spine is preserved, but individual vertebrae become weak and can easily collapse.If left untreated, the disease will enter stage four.
Intervertebral disc tissue regeneration and scar tissue replacement
A damaged disc cannot perform its function properly, causing adjacent vertebrae to converge.This can lead to a disease of the intervertebral joints called spondyloarthropathy.In this condition, twisting or shifting of the vertebrae relative to adjacent vertebrae may occur.
The body activates its compensatory mechanisms.To relieve the load on damaged discs, the vertebrae flatten and widen.So its area increases. And the collapsed annulus fibrosus tissue can be replaced with bone.
Sometimes this reduces the pain, however, as the vertebrae grow, they make the spinal opening narrower - and the nerves become pinched.
disease symptoms
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are often caused by:
- patient’s age;
- spinal injuries;
- stage of disease development;
- Whether the patient's condition is in remission or worsening.
Symptoms may also include:
- Radiculopathy – painful damage to the nerve endings of the spinal cord;
- abdominal syndrome;
- Cardiac syndrome, changes in myocardium - characterized by severe pain and refractory to nitroglycerin;
- Pulmonary syndrome: congestion and hypoxia in the lungs;
- Paresthesia - a feeling of "goosebumps" all over the body;
- Pain in the area of a pinched nerve;
- reduced sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- Spinal movement dysfunction.
The patient's temperature does not rise.This is a sign that allows you to differentiate between pathologies.
disease extent
low back pain
It was a sharp pain that shot through the body.It occurs when lifting heavy objects and performing other physical activities - the pain is similar to an electric shock.
From a morphological perspective, unexpected rupture of the disc capsule occurs when the load is too high.This trauma can irritate the nerves - causing pain.
The muscles are tense and this is clearly expressed. The lumbar lordosis becomes smooth.So the load is redistributed, and the intervertebral disc is compressed even more, which leads to swelling, which increases pain.
Neck pain occurs when the lesions are concentrated in the neck area - manifested by pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During exacerbations, cervicocranial pain is often observed, which manifests itself as a severe headache in the back of the head.You may experience tinnitus, dizziness, a feeling of spots in your eyes, and your teeth may hurt.
Dizziness
Appear as a result of narrowing of the cavity of the spinal canal. The intervertebral disc bulges and compresses the blood vessels. The brain fails to obtain the required volume of blood. You may experience a severe headache, numbness in your arms, and sore shoulders.
Breathing becomes difficult, causing insufficient oxygen to reach the brain. This can cause tingling in the heart area.
intervertebral hernia
At this stage of development, the picture looks quite serious - the spinal canal and intervertebral cavities are greatly narrowed. As a result, a hernia may form - a dangerous defect. Often at this stage of the disease it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.
Treatment of third-degree osteochondrosis depends on root compression.The same techniques as in the second degree can be used.However, when the pain does not go away within fifteen days and symptoms of vertebral prolapse (vertebral prolapse) occur, surgery is required.
growths on vertebrae
Usually, at this stage of the disease, the signs of the hernia disappear and the symptoms of the disease are less noticeable, however, it is worth noting that the spine is unstable and the vertebrae can slide or twist relative to each other.
At this time, the vertebral body may grow - this is called osteophytes.These growths cause compression of the spinal nerves and blockage of the spinal canal, which is called secondary spinal stenosis.As a result, the spinal cord may become compressed, leading to ischemia.
This degree of disease also includes the consequences of previous surgery to remove the hernia.They can manifest as impaired innervation, paralysis, and inflammation.
Back pain and back pain
The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis depend directly on the area of the spine that is damaged.The most common spinal syndromes are back pain and back pain.
Dorsago presents with sudden, severe pain in the chest.This often happens if a person sits for a long time without changing their posture.Pain occurs when a person's position is physiologically uncomfortable.In addition, it is possible in long-term monotonous jobs.
Dorsago is also known as "thoracic and low back pain."When this happens, the muscles in your back and chest can become very tight, causing difficulty breathing.
Sometimes the pain travels along the ribs to the sternal area and radiates to the shoulder blade area.Sometimes it may feel like a myocardial infarction.However, when performing an electrocardiogram, no deviations from normal values are detected.If you take nitroglycerin or other heart medications, it won't have any effect.
Avoid staying in one position for long periods of time.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Back pain is a mild pain that lasts for a long time, sometimes for weeks.There is "mild" pain in the inflamed area of the spine.This is very uncomfortable, so the person usually goes to see a doctor.
Back pain can be expressed in the following ways:
- The pain becomes worse when a person takes deep breaths or coughs;
- Muscles become overly tense;
- Decreased movement of the neck or lower back;
- muscle spasms occur;
- The pain is worse at night and during exercise.
Back pain can be on the upper or lower side.In the first case, the main manifestation of pain is concentrated in the upper chest area, that is, in the neck.In the second case, the pain is mainly concentrated in the sacrum and lumbar region.
The symptoms of back pain are very similar to the first signs of pneumonia.It is important to remember this in order to diagnose the disease promptly.If the diagnosis is incorrect and treatment is given, the patient's condition will only worsen.
This manifestation of osteochondrosis may occur in a woman while she is breastfeeding.In this case, the disease can be treated only after consulting a doctor and taking into account all the nuances.
It is important to weigh all the risks of using certain medications to avoid harming your baby's health and your own.
atypical symptoms
In some cases, the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are completely atypical.A person may not even be aware of the disease because the symptoms are often similar to other conditions.They deserve to be considered in more detail and analyze the situation as a whole:
- Pain may be similar to heart pain experienced during angina and heart attack; coronary artery dilation medications, such as nitroglycerin, are not effective; no abnormalities are seen on the electrocardiogram;
- The pain may be similar to that experienced by women with breast disease; the pain may last for a long time; examination does not reveal any problems with the breasts;
- There may be pain in the iliac area and abdomen, and its symptoms are different from those of gastritis and colitis; pain may occur under the right ribs, similar to the characteristics of hepatitis or cholecystitis;
- As the innervation of the genitourinary system is distorted, the process of urination and sexual function may be disturbed;
- When thoracic osteochondrosis worsens, prolonged, weeks-long pain in the sternum, very similar to those present in diseases of the mammary gland, may be observed; a visit to a breast doctor can allow you to determine the cause of the pain.
These symptoms are associated with back pain and manifestations of intercostal neuralgia.Atypical symptoms usually appear at night.Generally speaking, it doesn't get whiter in the morning.Pain can worsen throughout the day if the right conditions are created to cause it.