Osteochondrosis rarely develops in the thoracic spine - the intervertebral discs in it are smaller and thinner than in the cervical or lumbar spine.The thoracic region is less mobile, the main load falls on the ribs and sternum.
In contrast to 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 develops over time.According to the severity of the manifestation, pathology is divided into 4 stages.
Preclinical
Minimal disturbances appear in the spine.There may be a slight pain syndrome, the back muscles become tense.There is a possibility of thoracalgia - chest pain, but this is rare.
Discogenic radiculitis
There is a change in the structure of the intervertebral disc.Moderate pain may appear in the affected part of the spine.The patient is able to work.However, the level of muscle endurance decreases.
Vascular-radicular
At this stage, the fibrous ring is completely destroyed.Disc herniation forms and the process of deformation of the fibrous ring continues, leading to its rupture.Then the nucleus pulposus descends into the space under the ligament.Disc herniation forms.The process affects the tissues located near the discs, the function of blood vessels, muscles, nerves and ligaments is disrupted.This disease becomes chronic.
Changing the shape of the bone structure
The vertebrae harden, their surface becomes ribbed and uneven.The muscles begin to contract spontaneously, which leads to limited mobility of the entire spine or certain vertebrae.The nerves extending from the spinal cord become pinched.This causes a decrease in impulses from the brain to the body's tissues and organs.
Overall spinal mobility is maintained, but individual vertebrae become fragile and easily collapse.If the disease is not treated, the disease will enter the fourth stage.
Regeneration of intervertebral disc tissue and its replacement with scar tissue
Damaged intervertebral discs cannot perform their function properly, which leads to convergence of adjacent vertebral bodies.This causes a disorder of the intervertebral joints called spondyloarthrosis.In this case, twisting or shifting of the spine relative to its neighboring bones may occur.
The body activates its compensatory mechanisms.To lighten the load on damaged discs, the spine flattens and increases in width.So the area increases.And the fibrous ring tissue that has collapsed can be replaced with bone.
Sometimes this reduces the pain, but as the spine grows, the spinal opening becomes narrower - nerves are pinched.
Symptoms of disease
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are often caused by the following factors:
- patient age;
- damage to the spine;
- stage of disease development;
- The patient's condition is remission or exacerbation of the disease.
Symptoms may also include:
- radiculopathy – painful damage to the nerve endings of the spinal cord;
- stomach syndrome;
- cardiac syndrome, changes in the heart muscle - characterized by severe pain and not susceptible 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;
- decreased sensitivity to temperature fluctuations and touch;
- spinal motor dysfunction.
The patient's body temperature does not increase.It serves as a sign that allows one to differentiate pathology.
The degree of the disease
back pain
This is a sharp pain throughout the body.This occurs when lifting heavy objects and other physical activity - the pain is similar to an electric shock.
From a morphological point of view, unexpected rupture of the intervertebral disc capsule occurs when the load is too high.Such traumatic injuries cause irritation of the nerves - pain occurs.
His muscles were tense and it was obvious.Lumbar lordosis is smoothed.In this way, the load is redistributed, and the intervertebral discs are increasingly compressed, causing swelling, which increases the pain.
When the pathology is concentrated in the neck area, cervicgia appears - it manifests itself as pain when turning the head and palpating the neck muscles.During exacerbations, cervicocranialgia is often observed, which manifests itself in the fact that a person experiences severe headaches in the back of the head.You may experience tinnitus, dizziness, a feeling of spots in your eyes, and your teeth may hurt.
Dizzy
Appears due to narrowing of the spinal canal cavity.The intervertebral discs bulge and press on blood vessels.The brain fails to get the required blood volume.You may experience severe headaches, numbness in your arms, and shoulder pain.
Breathing becomes difficult, causing not enough oxygen to reach the brain.This causes sharp 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 may form - a dangerous defect.Often at this stage of the disease it is necessary to carry out surgical intervention.
Treatment of third degree osteochondrosis relies on root compression.It is possible to use the same techniques as in the second level.However, if the pain does not go away within fifteen days and symptoms of prolapse (spinal prolapse) appear, then surgery is needed.
Growths on the spine
As a rule, at this stage of the disease, the manifestations of a hernia disappear, the symptoms of the disease are less pronounced, however, it is noticeable that the spine is unstable, the vertebrae can slip or twist towards each other.
At this time, growth of the vertebral bodies may occur - these are called osteophytes.This growth causes compression of the spinal nerves, causing blockage of the spinal canal, which is called secondary spinal stenosis.As a result, compression of the spinal cord is possible, leading to ischemia.
This degree of disease also includes the consequences of previous hernia removal surgery.They can manifest themselves as nervous disorders, paresis and inflammation.
Dorsago and dorsalgia
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis directly depend on the area of spinal damage.The most common spinal syndromes are dorsago and dorsalgia.
Dorsago manifests itself in the form of sharp and sudden pain that occurs in the chest area.This often happens if someone sits for a long time without changing their posture.Pain can occur if a person's position is physiologically uncomfortable.In addition, this may occur during prolonged monotonous work.
Dorsago is also called “thoracic lumbago.”If this happens, the back and chest muscles become so tense that it becomes difficult to breathe.
Sometimes the pain radiates along the ribs to the sternum area and radiates to the shoulder blade area.Sometimes the patient may feel like a myocardial infarction.However, when performing an electrocardiogram, deviations from the norm were not detected.If you take nitroglycerin or other heart medications, there will be no results.
Avoid staying in one position for a long time.Sedentary work is one of the main causes of osteochondrosis.
Dorsalgia is mild pain that appears over a long period of time, sometimes lasting weeks.Inflamed areas of the spine provide “mild” pain.This makes it uncomfortable, so the person usually comes to the doctor.
Dorsalgia can be expressed as follows:
- the pain becomes worse when a person takes a deep breath or coughs;
- muscles become too tense;
- reduced motor activity in the neck or lower back;
- muscle spasms occur;
- the pain increases at night and when a person exercises.
Dorsalgia can be upper or lower.In the first, the main painful manifestations are concentrated in the upper chest area, in the neck.In the second case, the pain mainly occurs in the sacrum and waist area.
Dorsalgia symptoms are very similar to the first manifestations of pneumonia.This is important to remember so that the disease can be diagnosed on time.If the diagnosis is made incorrectly and treatment is prescribed, the patient's condition will only get worse.
When a woman breastfeeds a child, she may experience such manifestations of osteochondrosis.It is important to treat the disease in this situation only in consultation with a doctor, taking into account all the nuances.
It is important to consider all the risks of using certain medications so as not to harm the health of the baby and your own.
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, because the symptoms are often similar to those of other pathologies.They are worth considering in more detail and analyzing the situation as a whole:
- there may be pain resembling heart pain that develops during angina pectoris and heart attacks;coronary dilatation drugs, for example nitroglycerin, have no effect;and the EKG showed no abnormalities;
- pain may occur similar to that experienced by women with the development of breast disease;such pain can continue for a long time;examination did not reveal any problems with the mammary glands;
- the iliac area and stomach may be painful, the symptoms are not the same as those that occur with gastritis and colitis;pain may occur under the right rib, similar to the characteristics of 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 know what causes disruption of the food digestion process, whether the cause is thoracic osteochondrosis;
- The process of urination and sexual function can be disturbed because the innervation of the genitourinary system is disturbed;
- as thoracic osteochondrosis worsens, long-term, weeks-long pain in the sternum, very similar to mammary gland disease, can be observed;A visit to a mammologist allows you to identify the cause of the pain.
These symptoms are associated with the manifestation of pain in the back, as well as intercostal neuralgia.The onset of atypical symptoms is usually seen at night.In the morning, as a rule, nothing is whiter.The pain increases throughout the day when the right conditions are created that trigger the pain.