The appearance of such a dangerous disease as osteochondrosis contributes to the development of inflammatory processes in the cartilage and bone tissue of the spine.
The causes of such pathology can be a large number of factors. If not treated properly, this type of inflammation can lead to disability.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine - what is it?
Chest osteochondrosis is a lesion of cartilage and bone tissue, which leads to degenerative changes in the spine. Lack of proper and timely treatment very often leads to complete or partial destruction of the intervertebral discs.
This type of disease is very often accompanied by a large number of other types of diseases. The peculiarity of osteochondrosis of the chest is that the affected area is hidden by the bone tissue of the breast, which complicates the accurate diagnosis of the disease and the risk of damage to nearby organs.
Note!The structure of the human thoracic area is slightly different from the lumbar area, because it contains a larger number of intervertebral discs. However, they are much thinner than the others. Because of that, the destruction and damage of the spine in the area of the chest is much harder to heal, and the disease progresses much faster.
Causes of disease
The occurrence of osteochondrosis of the chest is a phenomenon that occurs much less frequently than the defeat of the cervical and lumbar spine.
The following reasons may contribute to the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the thoracic region:
- Disorders of any origin on intervertebral discs.
- Herniated intervertebral.
- Inflammatory foci in cartilage tissues.
- Violation of blood circulation levels in the tissues in the area of the spine.
- Excessive physical stress on the spine.
- Insufficient intake of useful minerals in the body.
- Passive lifestyle.
- Rachiocampsis.
- Injuries and bruises.
- Strength sports exercises.
- Frequent hypothermia.
- Frequent stressful situations and difficult working conditions.
The disease can develop due to an inherited predisposition to the onset of symptoms.
Symptoms and signs
The development of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region has the following symptoms:
- Occurrence of rib pain.
- Discomfort during breathing.
- Sharp pain when bending and raising the arms.
- Occurrence of withdrawal pain between the shoulder blades, even in the supine position.
- Occurrence of swelling in numbness in the scapular area.
- Increased body temperature and cold.
- Burning sensation in the lower extremities.
- Violation of the normal functioning of the vascular system of the thoracic region.
At the initial stages of development, the following signs of the onset of the disease can be observed:
- Frequent headaches.
- Nausea.
- Increased body temperature.
- Painful sensations in the chest when waking up in the morning.
- Dizziness.
- Weakness.
- Painful sensations with sharp inhaling and exhaling.
Note!Very often the disease can be confused with inflammatory processes of internal organs, because the symptoms of development very often coincide. A special examination is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Action required during deterioration
If the course of the disease is left without proper attention, exacerbations can occur during which a person may experience severe symptoms of pain and a lack of normal body functioning.
During exacerbations, the following actions are recommended:
- Observe bed rest.
- Adhere to a proper diet, which should contain a large number of foods that saturate the body with all the vitamins and minerals.
- Contacting a medical facility and taking all medications.
- Use of means for external treatment.
- If necessary, perform physiotherapy exercises.
- With the appointment of a doctor, passing the method of exposure to physiotherapy
At the time of exacerbation of the disease it is necessary to completely exclude various types of physical activity and stressful situations.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
For treatment, the patient needs to undergo a special examination, which includes the delivery of the necessary tests and the passage of an X-ray and tomographic procedure.
Only after receiving all the necessary answers to the test, the doctor prescribes treatment consisting of medication, massage and physiotherapy exercises.
Drug treatment
Treatment of the disease with drugs consists of the following directions - it is the removal of pain, cessation of osteochondrosis, removal of the inflammatory process.
To reduce pain, painkillers and antispasmodics are prescribed.
The use of glucosamine and chondroitin is prescribed for the restoration of damaged tissues. In addition, the patient should increase the intake of necessary vitamins in the body, if food products are not enough, special vitamin complexes are recommended.
Good to know!To retain the required fluid in the intervertebral discs, a special agent must be used. To alleviate the inflammatory process, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended, which the doctor selects individually for each case.
Physiotherapy
The use of physiotherapy exercises is prescribed only after the removal of pain symptoms, the inflammatory process is reduced. Performing therapeutic exercises is performed under the strict supervision of specialists in order to prevent the occurrence of complications.
The exercise is aimed at eliminating muscle cramps and increasing blood flow instead of damage, which reduces the inflammatory process and the damaged cells begin to regenerate on their own.
Massage
The use of massage for osteochondrosis is prescribed depending on the stage of development of the disease. For acute symptoms, light rubbing and rubbing is allowed, without the use of violent methods.
After removing the symptoms of pain, a drainage massage is applied, which improves blood circulation and starts the natural process of cell repair.
Note!For massage, it is recommended to use special gels or essential oils that reduce inflammation and improve a person's well-being. It is not recommended to perform the massage on your own, you need to contact a specialist.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy of osteochondrosis has the following features of effect on the focus of the lesion:
- The specialist warms up the tense muscle tissue.
- Slow stretching of the muscle tissue is performed, due to which the spasm is alleviated.
- The patient is given acupressure massages that remove inflammation and improve blood circulation.
- Special movements are performed that restore the work of the damaged area of the spine.
Note!After such sessions, the patient notices a reduction in pain and an improvement in the condition of the whole body.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
To avoid the development of the disease, experts recommend following the following rules of prevention:
- To prevent hypothermia of the body, a hot bath is recommended in case of such a situation.
- Perform standard physical exercises that increase the flexibility and plasticity of the spine.
- Avoid long stays in uncomfortable positions, lead an active lifestyle.
- Regularly replenish your body's supply of vitamins and minerals.
- Avoid prolonged physical exertion on the spine.
- Avoid lifting weights.
- Avoid stumbling, pay attention to posture.
By following simple rules, a person can avoid unpleasant symptoms and long-term treatment.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic region is a rather complex type of inflammatory process that requires complex therapy.
Good to know!This type of disease cannot be cured on its own, so when the first symptoms appear, you must contact a medical facility for diagnosis. Based on the answers, the doctor will individually select the necessary method to eliminate the problem.