Osteochondrosis is commonly referred to as dystrophic changes in the bones and connective tissue of the spine. The spine is not able to cope with normal loads - and this is primarily expressed in the appearance of pain, at first vaguely expressed, but over time, more and more.
The main symptoms of the disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a disease that usually occurs in adulthood and does not fully manifest 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 well protected.
The nucleus of the spinal disc in this disease becomes thinner and dries, the fibrous tissue around it begins to decay, the cartilaginous tissue undergoes negative changes. The spine is not able to cope with normal loads - and this is primarily expressed in the appearance of pain, at first vaguely expressed, but over time, 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 part. The disease is considered very common - every third adult suffers from it.
What are the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis? First of all, when pain occurs, which include:
- interscapular and intercostal neuralgic strokes;
- pain in the left side of the chest;
- pain in the hands, which is aggravated by lifting and reaching the fingertips;
- pain when bending;
In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis can be expressed by stiffness - not only in the chest, but also in different parts of the body. Sometimes osteochondrosis leads to speech disorders and sometimes even causes flaking of the skin, brittle nails, itchy skin and indigestion.
Chest osteochondrosis pain can manifest in a variety of ways. Sometimes these are mild stabbing or dull pains that manifest in the late afternoon and disappear after physical activity - for example, short walks. This is usually the initial stage of thoracic osteochondrosis, when the intervertebral discs are not yet deeply involved.
In the later stages of the disease, the symptoms of pain often manifest themselves in the form of lumbago. The pain is pronounced, acute, interferes with normal breathing, and unnecessary movements only make the situation worse. Often, back pain begins after a long period of inactivity - for example, a few hours of working at a computer in a static position.
The special "cunning" of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is that the disease can be cleverly disguised in a dozen other diseases. Osteochondrosis of the chest is very easy to confuse with the symptoms of pneumonia, angina, ischemia, heart attack. Sometimes the disease looks more like renal or hepatic colic, and speech impairment and numbness in various parts of the body are even confused with signs of stroke.
Moreover, the mistake is not only made by the patients themselves, but also by experienced doctors - which makes it very difficult to diagnose the disease. Thoracic osteochondrosis is especially difficult to recognize in the early stages - which is why it is often diagnosed when the disease has already become pronounced and has become chronic.
Meanwhile, timely diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis is fundamentally important. This allows you to start treatment immediately and delay the development of the disease, significantly stopping the symptoms of pain that accompany the disease.
How dangerous is osteochondrosis of the thoracic region?
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine does not pose a direct threat to the patient's life. However, being neglected can lead to significant complications:
- occurrence of chronic intercostal neuralgia;
- thoracic region hernia;
- spinal cord compression in the damaged part of the spine.
Initiated osteochondrosis of the spine is expressed in scoliosis, sometimes the disease spreads to the cervical vertebrae and causes voice loss.
In addition, severe weakening of the spine in the thoracic region can lead to deformation of the internal organs of the peritoneum. In turn, this will probably include all types of disorders of the digestive tract - stomach, pancreas, liver, kidneys, bile ducts.
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 its early stages.
How is the disease treated?
What methods are used in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis? First of all, a thorough diagnosis is made, which includes an examination of the patient by a specialist and examinations on modern equipment. This allows you to accurately diagnose and make sure we are talking about osteochondrosis and not some other disease.
After the diagnosis, the doctor can use the following methods of therapy:
- painkillers;
- physiotherapy, laser therapy, acupuncture and reflexology;
- manual therapy and therapeutic massage;
- special course in medical gymnastics.
Almost all of these methods are not aimed at eliminating osteochondrosis as such, but at alleviating inflammation and reducing the intensity of pain. It is the removal of pain that is the main goal of treating osteochondrosis of the chest. At the same time, manual therapy and exercise therapy can "straighten" the spine, increasing the distance between the vertebrae and preventing compression. However, the patient is required to perform therapeutic exercises regularly - otherwise it will not give any results.
In some, especially severe cases, surgical treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis may be used. In such a situation, the affected vertebrae are replaced with prostheses - practice shows that the operation is effective for about 50% of patients.
In thoracic osteochondrosis, regular trips to spas are recommended. In sanatorium conditions, the patient receives a full-fledged complex therapy that combines medication, physiotherapy and gymnastic methods - and for a long time feels a significant improvement in his condition.
Folk remedies
In the acute course of the disease, treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis in inpatient conditions is recommended. But if the symptoms are mild, it is not necessary to go to the hospital. In this case, home care is essential. Not only is it possible, but it is also necessary to treat osteochondrosis with folk remedies - sometimes they do not show less effectiveness than official medical procedures.
Home treatment aims at the same goal - the rapid removal of pain and inflammation, alleviating the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, in the treatment of osteochondrosis folk remedies are used decoctions, ointments, compresses and infusions of herbs and plants that have sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.
What medicines are recommended to cook instead of tea and drink for osteochondrosis? These are chamomile, calendula, sage, birch leaves, strawberries and ripe viburnum. In addition, these fees can be mixed with each other - a fragrant hot drink of two or three different plants gives a noticeable effect.
Decoctions are cooked in the same way as tea - a tablespoon of herbs is poured into a glass of hot water, soaked and consumed inside two to three times a day. Simultaneously with taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory herbs, it is recommended to drink soothing infusions of lemon balm, lavender, valerian - stress, inevitable during the disease, can further worsen 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 cramps, improves blood flow between inflamed spinal discs and removes inflammation.
Compresses, ointments and rubs are not recommended for use during acute pain. However, they can be used during the lull of the disease. For example, rubbing mustard with camphor is popular - 50 grams of mustard and camphor are diluted with 100 milliliters of alcohol and 100 grams of raw egg white, stirred until smooth. The ointment is applied to the back for two weeks at night - the treated area must be covered with a woolen cloth from above.
What to do with the deterioration?
What is considered a worsening of the disease? This expression refers to strong painful sensations. If the patient has felt noticeable discomfort, known back pain and dull pain in the chest area, which radiate to the peritoneum, lower back and arms, then it is time to pay maximum attention to your disease.
During the exacerbation it is recommended:
- avoid hypothermia and stress;
- as little as possible to be in immobile poses, in which the load on the spine is maintained;
- put economical coatings and ointments on the affected area that do not have too sharp an effect;
- gently massage the affected areas yourself - but avoid strong pressure;
- as long as you can continue with physiotherapy exercises - but only if it does not lead to increased pain.
In case of acute complications, bed rest is also recommended. In case of unbearable pain, even hospitalization can be performed. 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 worsening osteochondrosis is lack of physical activity. Inflamed intervertebral discs need maximum rest - then they will be able to quickly cope with the deterioration.