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Thoracic osteochondrosis - manifestation and methods of treatment

Osteochondrosis of the cervical and lumbar spine is a common phenomenon. But thoracic osteochondrosis is much less common. There are many intervertebral discs in the thoracic region, and they are quite thin. Sudden movements and excessive loads can lead to unpleasant consequences. But there are ways to treat pathology.

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - what is it and how is it treated

the doctor demonstrates thoracic osteochondrosis on the mock-up

Doctors consider thoracic degenerative disc disease a "chameleon disease" due to the difficulty of diagnosis. In fact, we are talking about damage to the intervertebral discs. The pathology is based on high physical activity and metabolic processes. Here is a list of conditions that provoke the disease:

  1. Scoliosis.
  2. Bad habits.
  3. Sedentary lifestyle.
  4. Genetic factors.
  5. Spine injury.
  6. Excessive physical activity.
  7. Mental stress.

Note that low mobility and excessive exercise are equally harmful. In everyday life, observe the measure. Exercise under the supervision of an experienced coach. This also includes spinal injuries - most often, patients receive them in the gym or in hazardous industries.

Manifestations of chest osteochondrosis

Many are interested in the question of how it manifests itself and how to treat chest osteochondrosis. First you need to deal with the first point. Here's what's going oninside your body:

  • intervertebral discs lose their shock-absorbing properties;
  • the fibrous ring cracks;
  • spinal nerves are impaired;
  • inflammation begins;
  • pain syndrome arises;
  • ligaments and joints are destroyed.

The main characteristics of the disease

erect posture and scoliosis with thoracic osteochondrosis

Pathology is explained by the very structure of the human body. A large number of thin discs are localized in the thoracic region - they are most often subject to destruction. Because of the costal protection, the vertebrae are inactive, so doctors recommend exercising. Here are some more interesting facts:

  1. The curvature of the spine may be the cornerstone of osteochondrosis.
  2. The greatest stress in curvature (kyphosis) lies on the anterior spine.
  3. Discs may fall out late in the development of the disease.
  4. Growth of osteophytes often occurs.
  5. The spinal cord is not always negatively affected.

Signs of pathology

Osteochondrosis of the chest is accompanied by a certain set of symptoms. The severity of these signs varies widely. The symptoms are:

  • pain in the area of the shoulder blades (felt when bending and raising the arms);
  • chest pain (worse with exertion, sharp bends, bends and cooling, as well as at night);
  • discomfort while walking (manifested in the ribs);
  • increased pain syndrome during inhalation-exhalation;
  • a feeling of tightness in the chest.
chest pain with osteochondrosis

With exacerbations, additional symptoms may appear. These include burning and itching of the legs, numbness in certain areas of the body, brittle nails and peeling of the skin. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract also occur. Some patients complain of pain in the esophagus and pharynx. All these signs indicate that you urgently need to visit your doctor.

Among the complications stands out dorsago - "chest lumbago", a sharp pain that has arisen in the chest. Most often, dorsago is the result of monotonous work. A type of dorsago is dorsalgia, a mild painful syndrome that lasts about two to three weeks. The patient feels short of breath. The unpleasant sensations are worse at night, when walking, bending over and breathing deeply.

We approach treatment competently

What approach to the treatment of pathology can be called competent? You will not be able to completely get rid of the destructive processes, so you need to focus on preventing further deformation of the vertebral structures. Therapists set themselves several tasks:

  1. Prevention of the development of pathology.
  2. Restoration of the affected bone structures.
  3. Neutralization of negative processes affecting the nervous system.
  4. Improving the biomechanics of the spine.

Conservative therapy

In the initial stages, the disease can be cured with medication. The progress of the pathology slows down, the pain is stopped. We list the most effective groups of drugs:

  • NSAIDs;
  • diuretics;
  • glucocorticosteroids;
  • chondroprotectors;
  • metabolic stimulants.

Drug-free treatment

Doctors recommend a comprehensive approach to solving the problem. Acute pain can be relieved with non-drug therapy. Usually 2-3 sessions are enough for the patient to feel relief. The following techniques are used:

  1. Acupressure massage (relaxes muscles, relieves tension).
  2. Acupuncture (muscle strength and mobility is restored, numbness is treated).
  3. Manual therapy (normalizes blood circulation, reduces disk load, reduces intervertebral gaps).
  4. Moxtotherapy (normalizes metabolism, activates recovery processes).
  5. Hirudotherapy (helps to get rid of blood congestion, prevents inflammation, strengthens the nutrition of the ligaments and muscles).

Many patients seek help from Tibetan medicine centers. Practice shows that competent non-drug treatment saves the spine in 97-99 percent of cases. Conservative remedies quickly put patients on their feet, but this approach is accompanied by unpleasant side effects. Such therapy should be addressed only as a last resort.