Osteochondrosis refers to degenerative diseases of the spine, which include
dystrophy, deformation and gradual erasing of the vertebrates.This can lead to pain, a number of unpleasant consequences, and in advanced cases - even to disability.It is important to pay attention to your health and consult a doctor in a timely manner when suspicious symptoms appear.
The cervical and thoracic spine are affected less frequently than the lumbar spine, but the occurrence of osteochondrosis in these areas can be fraught with serious consequences.Due to the proximity of the cervical spine to the head, a violation of the blood supply to the brain sometimes develops, which entails many complications.In addition, the changes can lead to damage to the nerve roots, causing the patient to feel severe pain and numbness.
Reasons for appearance
Osteochondrosis occurs in a very large number of people, especially today, when citizens massively lack adequate physical activity, proper nutrition and posture.The reasons that can provoke the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic region include:
- age -related changes;
- genetic predisposition;
- sedentary lifestyle, physical inactivity;
- posture disorders;
- serious excess weight;
- injuries;
- overload;
- flat feet and other imperfections of the musculoskeletal system;
- stress and bad habits;
- Smoping back and prolonged stay on the cold.
Recently, osteochondrosis has increasingly begun to be observed in young people, which is associated primarily with an unhealthy lifestyle.
Symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis
Like most chronic diseases, osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic region is quite insidious and does not appear immediately.In the early stages, the patient may not notice anything but periodic discomfort in the spine, but the progression of the disease leads to aggravation of symptoms:
- pain in the head or neck, which sometimes falls to the shoulder girdle and upper limbs and, depending on the course of the disease, can be acute and painful or aching, dull, manifesting itself in periods;
- dizziness, visual impairment and hearing, coordination of movements;
- numbness, burning or tingling in the upper extremities;
- asthenia, fatigue, loss of normal working capacity;
- intercostal neuralgia, pain in the heart area, pressure changes.
Most of the negative symptoms are caused by the fact that the deforming areas of the spine squeeze the blood vessels and nerve roots, as a result, their normal functioning is disturbed.Subsequently, such complications can lead to serious malfunctions in the body and even disability, if you do not start timely treatment.
Diagnostics and treatment
The doctor begins to suspect osteochondrosis in the patient on the basis of his complaints and the collected anamnesis.In order to confirm or refute the diagnosis, the specialist prescribes diagnostic measures, the main of which is the radiography of the spine in a direct and lateral projection.To obtain more detailed information, CT and MRI are carried out: they help to track complications in time.
With osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, the treatment is prescribed comprehensive.As a rule, it includes several main directions:
- Drug therapy is primarily painkillers and anti -inflammatory, which allow reducing pain;In addition to them, muscle spasms, chondroprotectors for strengthening cartilaginous tissue and B vitamins are often prescribed to remove the state of nervous tissue;
- physiotherapy includes massage and other procedures (ultrasound, magnetic therapy, etc.) aimed at improving the condition of the spine and removing mobility restrictions;
- physical therapy allows you to activate blood flow, strengthen muscles, thereby removing excess stress on the spine, tone the body and correct posture;it also helps relieve pressure on the nerve roots.
A spine stretching procedure is periodically used to return it to its original shape.