Thoracic osteochondrosis is represented by dystrophic degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs. This pathology affects the thoracic spinal discs, which include 12 vertebrae. This area has a strong muscular corset and is considered the least mobile, so osteochondrosis is very rare.
The development of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal in this area of the spine. Compression of the spinal cord is a very dangerous condition that can provoke the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to start treatment of the disease in a timely manner.
Reason
Causes of thoracic, cervical osteochondrosis are located in:
- dystrophic changes in the tissues;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- scoliosis;
- irrational load on the disk;
- malnutrition;
- being in an uncomfortable position for a long time (while working at a desk, driving a car).
Pain characteristics of a pathological condition
Pathology has symptoms similar to other diseases. For this reason, it is often referred to as "chameleon disease". Pain in spinal osteochondrosis is almost the same as the following diseases:
- renal colic;
- peptic ulcer;
- cardiovascular disease;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, to differentiate thoracic osteochondrosis, a thorough diagnosis is required.
The main symptom is the presence of pain, discomfort. They cover areas such as:
- return;
- heart;
- side;
- chest;
- upper stomach.
When inhaling, exhaling, as well as when moving, there is an increase in pain in thoracic osteochondrosis. The patient may feel numbness in the left arm, the area between the shoulder blades.
There is also pain that radiates to the shoulder blades. This pain sensation is similar to intercostal neuralgia. The pain caused by thoracic osteochondrosis is worse at night.
For this reason, patients often mistake such a condition for a symptom of a heart attack, angina pectoris. Pain in thoracic osteochondrosis from attacks of angina pectoris is distinguished by the inability to stop with nitroglycerin, the absence of pathological signs on the ECG indicating diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Pathology causes symptoms similar to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, patients often start self-medication with heart medications, which do not provide relief.
Symptoms of pathology in the intervertebral discs depend on the mechanism caused by the pathological process, the localization of the disease. Compression of the spinal roots has a significant effect. Sometimes, compression of the spinal cord with its characteristic painful sensations acts as a complication of this pathology.
Symptoms of pathology develop in the neck, chest
The cervical region consists of 7 vertebrae, and the thoracic region consists of 12. With the development of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region, the patient manifests various symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies:
- myocardial infarction;
- violation of cerebral circulation;
- tooth decay;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- angina.
Osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region is manifested by pain in the:
- return
- neck
- tooth;
- head;
- upper limbs;
- stomach
- shoulder girdle;
- chest;
- heart area.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region manifests itself in:
- numbness of the neck, stomach, chest;
- ringing in the ears;
- decreased working capacity;
- "Missing" in plain sight;
- sleep disturbances;
- potency disorders (in men);
- dizzy;
- irritability;
- spike in blood pressure.
Symptoms that occur during compression of the radicular structures
Cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome manifests itself in severe pain, which has a different character depending on the segment affected.
Often manifests itself in the form of radiculopathy, which occurs mainly in herniated disks. Patients experience symptoms of radiculopathy after physical activity. Their slow growth is noted for several weeks.
When there is a connection between thoracic osteochondrosis and hernia, disc protrusion, the patient will feel marked pain in the following areas:
- shoulder joint;
- stomach;
- shoulder;
- rib;
- shoulder blade.
Symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of the hernia (lateral, moderate). If there is a lateral hernia complication, unilateral pain in the hernia area, there will be loss of local sensation. Coughing increases pain and spinal movement.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a median hernia, the patient will be bothered by prolonged pain that can last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is spinal cord compression.
If thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by spinal cord compression, the patient will experience:
- disorders of the pelvic organs;
- local, corset pain;
- weakness in the legs;
- pain in the intercostal spaces, abdomen, groin;
- numb.
Radicular syndrome with pathological localization in the chest area
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, the patient suffers from the radicular syndrome. It manifests itself in painful sensations that increase with movement, appear sharply and are reflected in other organs.
Radicular syndrome in this area has various manifestations:
- numbness of the axillary epithelium, shoulder blades, hands, dryness in the pharynx (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- pain in the armpits, shoulder blades, sternum, dry throat, slight decrease in the scapula, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- paresthesias, muscle tension in the area of \u200b\u200bthe shoulder blades, ribs, epigastric region. There is also pain in the heart, abdomen (7-8 segments);
- corset pain, paresthesias from the ribs to the navel. Muscle tone also increases, colic appears in the stomach, intestines (9-10 segments);
- paresthesias from the navel to the groin. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, stomach (11-12 segments).
Radicular syndrome with pathological localization in the neck
With radicular syndrome of the cervical spine, the following symptoms appear:
- paresthesias of the crown, nape (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- paresthesia of the crown, back of the head + decreased muscle tone of the chin, manifested in their sagging (segment 2);
- language paresthesias, speech defects (segment 3);
- pain in the heart, liver (segment 4);
- weakness, pain in the shoulder joints, arms (segment 5);
- the pain reaches the thumb in the hand. There is weakness when raising the arm. The cause is a decrease in the tone of the biceps (segment 6);
- weakness in the neck, shoulders, shoulder blades, forearms, arms, second and third fingers (segment 7);
- pain reaches the little finger (segment 8).
Features of symptoms in women
Symptoms of the disease largely depend on the sensitivity of the patient, his individual characteristics. Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men.
This is due to the fact that women's bodies are an order of magnitude more sensitive than men's.
The female spine is much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid manifestation of symptoms of the degenerative-dystrophic process. Let's see how thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself in women.
Symptoms of spinal disease are:
- pain when raising the hand;
- chest pain;
- a feeling of tightness in the chest;
- localized pain between the shoulder blades;
- accompanying deep breaths with severe pain;
- accompaniment turns, tilted with a sense of soreness.
Each of these symptoms is associated with an inflammatory process within the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of an intervertebral hernia, other signs of the disease that are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders also combine with the above signs of the disease:
- itching, cold, burning in the lower extremities;
- numbness of the skin, a feeling of "goosebumps";
- nail fragility;
- grief;
- disturbances in the work of the digestive tract;
- epithelial sloughing.
Symptoms in women resemble diseases of the mammary glands. For this reason, the disease in question requires additional diagnostic methods.
In men, thoracic osteochondrosis occurs less frequently than in women. This is due to the anatomical features, which comprise the strength of the spinal elements. In men, the symptoms are complemented only by impaired potency.