Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a condition that is often diagnosed. Statistics show that it accounts for about 40% of all musculoskeletal disorders. At the initial stage, a person may not be aware of their pathology for a long period of time.
Over time, he develops severe painful sensations that are localized in the thoracic spine. If you do not start full treatment in a timely manner, there is a possibility of serious complications. The greatest danger is the breathing disorder.
Classification
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a disease that is common in the elderly. If you do not start timely therapy in time, there is a possibility of serious complications.
Before starting treatment, the doctor must accurately classify the type of pathology. It can be:
- Dorsago - painful sensations are caused by impulses that appear in the chest from time to time. Usually this discomfort begins after a long period of stay in one position. A person has difficulty breathing while practically unable to perform any actions with their head. If he manages to move, the pain penetrates the entire spine.
- Dorsalgia is a pathology in which persistent attacks of pain occur. On average, they can last up to these weeks. This condition usually occurs due to severe damage to the intervertebral discs. During an exacerbation, you should lead an inactive lifestyle and refuse any activity. The pain increases significantly at night.
Causes of the pathology
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine can occur in absolutely anyone at any age.
However, the following groups of people are exposed to an increased risk:
- Lead an inactive lifestyle. If you do not do sports, the metabolic processes will be disrupted. Because of this, the human spine begins to accumulate debris that begins to compress the nerve endings. The symptoms increase significantly with the degree of degenerative destruction.
- Overweight - every additional kilogram puts additional strain on the spine. The higher your weight, the heavier your thoracic spine becomes.
- Smoker - Due to cigarettes, the blood circulation in the body is disturbed. Because of this, the tissues of the spine do not receive enough useful elements.
- Lead an overly active lifestyle. The thoracic spine is particularly susceptible to frequent heavy lifting.
- Various posture disorders. A curved spine cannot properly distribute the load, causing the chest region to suffer.
manifestations
The initial stage of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is characterized by an extremely long period. For a long time, a person may not notice painful sensations. Here lies the danger of pathology, as it can only be actively treated in the first stage.
In most cases, the development of osteochondrosis can be recognized by the following manifestations:
- tightness of the back muscle corset;
- Dull pain between the shoulder blades;
- feeling of increased pressure in the chest area;
- pain that occurs when palpating the spinous processes;
- Pain that can radiate to other parts of the body.
A person with osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine often has limited mobility in the morning. A crunch can also occur in certain parts of the sternum.
Often a person is faced with numbness in the limbs, their posture quickly begins to deteriorate - this is due to excessive tension in the muscle tissue. In addition, cutting sharp pains may appear, localized in the intercostal spaces.
So far, official medicine has not been able to find any effective means of restoring damaged intervertebral discs. For this reason, it is imperative to consult a chiropractor. Approach the choice of a specialist responsibly, since any wrong movement can cause serious complications.
Treatment methods
Before starting treatment for osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, an advanced diagnosis must be made. With its help, it is possible to accurately determine the localization of the degenerative process, which will make it possible to provide more effective and higher quality treatment. Please note that only your doctor can prescribe medication. There are a number of different drugs that differ in their mode of action.
First of all, you will be prescribed pain medication - steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. They stop the production of arousal mediators, which makes a person feel much better.
Please note that the patient must be under constant supervision of the attending physician during treatment.
In order to achieve the maximum effect of the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the therapy should be carried out in combination. You shouldn't limit yourself to just medication. Treatment should be filled with physical therapy and sports activities.
Medicines
Drug therapy is of the greatest importance in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. With the help of various drugs, it is possible to stop painful sensations as soon as possible.
It is also recommended that you adhere to bed rest during recovery. Be sure to contact a qualified health care provider who can prescribe a safe and highly effective treatment regimen.
In general, treatment for breast osteochondrosis involves the use of the following drugs:
- analgesics - allow you to quickly stop the acute pain syndrome. It also prevents the development of disorders in the respiratory system, which often lead to complications.
- antispasm drugs;
- Vitamin preparations based on B vitamins. They normalize metabolic processes and prevent degenerative changes.
Effective exercise
Special physical exercises are able to cope with the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the chest. They need to be carried out regularly - this is the only way to achieve significant results with the approaches.
Remember that before starting any such treatment, it is imperative that you contact an experienced specialist. He will tell you which complexes are best for you. Breathing exercises with osteochondrosis of the chest region also have a positive effect on a person's well-being.
The following exercises should be performed:
- Plank - lie on the floor, crawl to the wall. Throw your legs against the wall so that they are parallel to it. Sew in a similar position for 1. 5 minutes to begin. The number of approaches can be increased each time.
- Hang yourself regularly on a horizontal bar. This way you can adjust the spaces between your intervertebral discs and feel much better.
- Lie with your legs as close to your chest as possible and hold them in this position for a few seconds. This posture can reduce tension in the back muscles and thereby relieve pain.
For more successful treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest region, it is essential to do sports. It is best to go to the clinic for exercise therapy, where you will do everything under the supervision of your doctor. Be extremely careful when exercising. Any wrong movement can easily lead to injury.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a unique method of manipulating a person's back in which the chest region completely eliminates painful sensations. With the right and regular approach, you will be able to completely get rid of painful sensations and tension.
In addition, manual therapy contributes to the complete restoration of blood circulation. The active components quickly begin to spread in the tissues, after which the person feels much better.
massages
Massage is an influence method in which a doctor activates metabolic processes with his hands. It can be done both at home and in the hospital.
Massage movements achieve the following results:
- Eliminate increased muscle tone;
- Strengthen the intervertebral discs;
- Speeds up the start of the full recovery.
- Promotes the improvement of metabolic processes.
Physiotherapy procedure
Various physiotherapeutic procedures will help cope with the manifestations of osteochondrosis of the breast.
They not only fight painful sensations, but also help normalize internal processes. The following procedures are currently the most popular:
- plasma injections. Some of the blood is taken from a person, from whom the plasma is separated. In its pure form, it is injected directly into the tissues of the spine, which makes it possible to get rid of painful sensations.
- Cupping massage is a kind of vacuum effect on the body, which can relieve pain and increased muscle tone in a short time.
- Magnetotherapy - exposure of the spine to a magnetic field. The procedure allows you to stop the degenerative process and improve metabolic processes. In addition, it relieves swelling and inflammation.
- Alitherapy is an innovative treatment that uses bees. The insect needs to bite the person directly in the affected area. This starts metabolic processes, accelerates the removal of toxins and toxins.
- Mud healing. This helps nourish the spine with useful substances that will prevent the development of degenerative changes in the human body.
- spinal blockade - the use of special injections that relieve pain. Remember that such drugs should be used as a course.
What can be confused with osteochondrosis of the breast?
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a disease whose manifestations can easily be confused with a number of other diseases. The symptoms can be as follows:
- Angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. However, the patient's cardiogram is normal, and the use of drugs to normalize blood pressure does not give any result.
- renal colic, appendicitis or cholecystitis;
- diseases of the mammary glands;
- ulcer, gastritis and colitis;
- inflammation of the lungs.
Prevention of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine
Breast osteochondrosis is a dangerous disease, due to which a person's quality of life is seriously affected. If you take preventive measures in a timely manner, the likelihood of complications will significantly reduce.
Many doctors strongly recommend that you follow these tips:
- If you work long hours at the computer, get up from the table every hour and warm yourself up slightly. It helps normalize blood circulation and prevent stagnation.
- Always keep your back warm. Avoid cold showers and short clothing. Always keep it warm.
- Regularly drink vitamin complexes that restore the structure of damaged tissues.
- Take a horizontal position for at least 30 minutes in the middle of the day. This helps align the spine and makes it easier to deal with stress.
- Exercise regularly. The muscle tone has a beneficial effect on the condition of the back.