Thoracic osteochondrosis is represented by a dystrophic degenerative change in the intervertebral discs. This pathology affects the discs of the thoracic spine, which includes 12 vertebrae. This area has a strong muscular corset and is considered the least mobile, so osteochondrosis is very rare in it.
The development of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is due to the tightness of the spine in this area of the spine. Spinal cord compression is a very dangerous condition that can cause the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to start treatment of the disease in time.
Causes
The cause of thoracic, cervical osteochondrosis is as follows:
- dystrophic changes in tissues.
- violation of the metabolic process.
- scoliosis;
- irrational loads on disks.
- malnutrition;
- to be in an awkward position for a long time (when working at a table, when driving a car).
Pain characteristic of a pathological condition
The pathology has symptoms similar to other diseases. For this reason, it is often referred to as "chameleon disease". The pain in osteochondrosis of this spine is almost the same as the following diseases:
- renal colic;
- peptic ulcer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, a thorough diagnosis is necessary to differentiate thoracic osteochondrosis.
The main symptoms are the presence of pain, discomfort. They cover areas such as:
- back;
- heart;
- side;
- bosom;
- upper abdomen.
During inhalation, exhalation, as well as during movement, there is an increase in pain in thoracic osteochondrosis. The patient may feel numbness in the left arm, the area between the shoulders.
There are also radiating pains in the shoulder. These painful sensations are similar to intercostal neuralgia. The pain caused by thoracic osteochondrosis worsens at night.
For this reason, patients often confuse such conditions as a symptom of a heart attack, angina. The pain in thoracic osteochondrosis from an angina attack is distinguished by the inability to stop nitroglycerin, the absence of pathological signs on the ECG that indicate disease of the cardiovascular system.
The pathology causes symptoms similar to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, patients often start self-medication with cardiac drugs, which do not bring any relief.
The symptoms of pathology in the intervertebral discs depend on the mechanism caused by the pathological process, the localization of the disease. Compression of the roots of the spine has a significant effect. Sometimes, compression of the spinal cord with its characteristic pain sensations acts as a complication of this pathology.
Symptoms of a pathology that develops in the neck, chest
The cervical region consists of 7 vertebrae and the thoracic region of 12. With the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical region, the patient manifests a variety of symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies:
- myocardial infarction;
- violation of cerebral circulation.
- damage to teeth;
- phytovascular dystonia?
- angina.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical region is manifested by pain in:
- back
- neck
- teeth?
- head;
- Upper Limbs;
- stomach
- shoulder girdle;
- bosom;
- areas of the heart.
In addition to pain, osteochondrosis of the cervical region is manifested by:
- numbness of the neck, abdomen, chest.
- ringing in the ears;
- reduction of working capacity;
- "Goose" in front of the eyes.
- Sleep disorder;
- power disturbance (in men).
- dizziness;
- irritable?
- jumps in blood pressure.
Symptoms that occur when compressing the root structures
Cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis with radical syndrome is manifested by severe pain, which has a different character depending on the affected part.
It often manifests itself in the form of root disease, which occurs mainly with a disc herniation. The patient feels symptoms of rhizopathy after physical exercise. Their slow growth is noted for several weeks.
When there is a link between thoracic osteochondrosis and disc herniation, the patient will have severe pain in the following areas:
- shoulder joint;
- belly;
- raw;
- Cage of ribs;
- shoulders.
The symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of the hernia (lateral, middle). If there is a lateral hernia complication, unilateral pain in the area of the hernia, local loss of sensation will occur. Coughing increases the pain as well as the movement of the spine.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a medial hernia, the patient will be bothered by prolonged pain that can last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is compression of the spinal cord.
If thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord, the patient will experience:
- pelvic organ disorder.
- local pain in the belt.
- weakness in the legs;
- pain in the intercostal space, in the abdomen, in the groin.
- numbness.
Radical syndrome with localization of pathology in the chest area
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, patients suffer from radical syndrome. It manifests itself with painful sensations that increase with movement, appear intensely and are reflected in other organs.
The root syndrome in this area has several manifestations:
- numbness of the epithelium of the armpits, shoulders, hands, dryness in the pharynx (with the defeat of the 1st part).
- pain in the armpits, shoulders, sternum, dry neck, slight descent of the scapula, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 sections).
- paraesthesia, muscle tension in the area of the shoulders, ribs, epigastric region. There are also pains in the heart, in the stomach (7-8 sections).
- pain in the belt, hallucinations from the ribs to the navel. Muscle tone also increases, colic occurs in the stomach, intestines (9-10 sections).
- hallucination from the navel to the groin. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, in the stomach (11-12 sections).
Radical syndrome with localization of pathology in the neck
With cervical spine root syndrome, the following symptoms occur:
- hallucination in the crown, in the neck (with the defeat of the 1st part).
- hallucinations in the crown, in the back of the head + reduced muscle tone of the chin, which is manifested in their relaxation (part 2).
- linguistic hallucinations, speech defects (section 3).
- pain in the heart, liver (section 4).
- weakness, pain in the shoulder joint, arm (section 5).
- the pain reaches the thumb in the hand. There is weakness when you raise your hand. The cause is a decrease in biceps tone (section 6).
- weakness in the neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, forearm, arm, second and third fingers (section 7).
- the pain reaches the little finger (section 8).
Characteristics of symptoms in women
The symptoms of the disease depend to a large extent on the sensitivity of the patient, his individual characteristics. The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are more pronounced in women than in men.
This is because a woman's body is an order of magnitude more sensitive than a man's body.
The parts of the female spine are much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid onset of symptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Let's see how thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself in women.
The vertebral symptoms of the disease are:
- pain when raising your arms.
- chest pain?
- Feeling of tightness in the chest.
- pain located between the shoulders.
- accompanying a deep breath with intense pain.
- accompaniment of turns, inclinations with a feeling of pain.
Each of these symptoms is associated with an inflammatory process inside the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of intervertebral hernias, other signs of the disease that are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders are also included in the above signs of the disease:
- itching, cold, burning in the lower extremities.
- skin numbness, a "goose" feeling;
- brittleness of the nails;
- heart pain?
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
- exfoliation of the epithelium.
The signs in women look like diseases of the mammary glands. For this reason, this disease requires additional diagnostic methods.
In men, thoracic osteochondrosis occurs less frequently than in women. This is due to the anatomical features, which consist in the strength of the elements of the spine. In men, the symptoms are complemented only by a power disturbance.