Spinal degenerative dystrophic disease is a payment method for humans to walk upright. It is well known that other mammals do not suffer from rickets because their spine is located on the horizontal position of the earth's surface. The vertical load during walking will cause the gradual destruction of the cartilage tissue of the intervertebral disc and cause the vertebrae to shift to dangerous positions.
In the thoracic cavity, this process occurs less frequently than in the bones and cervix, but this does not reduce the risk of this disease. This article will discuss in detail the symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis in the chest area, as well as the main points related to the prevention of the disease.
Features of sternal osteochondrosis
The thoracic spine is characterized by low mobility, which reduces the possibility of degeneration in this area. However, orthopedic physicians and traumatologists regularly record cases of this disease in different age groups.
In recent decades, the incidence of osteochondrosis in civilized countries has steadily increased. Doctors believe that the main reasons leading to this trend are inactive lifestyles, poor eating habits and the general environmental background on earth.
Women suffer from sternal osteochondrosis 2-3 times more frequently than men. This is due to the particularity of female anatomy and physiology. Other influencing factors are: childbirth, heel walking, women's muscle and ligament equipment is generally weak.
In both men and women, osteochondrosis in the chest area can cause painful symptoms and reduce the range of motion. The pathological progress is full of compression of nerve endings, which inevitably affects the state of internal organs. Late cases of the disease are usually accompanied by vascular and cardiac dysfunction and difficulty breathing.
Anatomically, 12 thoracic vertebrae are connected with ribs and sternum to form a strong and non-moving frame structure, thereby protecting internal organs from mechanical stress. In the initial stage, the disease hardly causes serious symptoms, but in the later stages, the pathological manifestations are so diverse that sometimes this prevents accurate diagnosis. No wonder osteochondrosis is often referred to as "chameleon disease. "
Stage of disease
Doctors classify sternal osteochondrosis by developmental stage:
Phase 1.The intervertebral disc loses its elastic properties and decreases in size, but it has not yet left the anatomical position.
Phase 2.The height of the intervertebral disc drops further, and the spine itself loses stability. The annulus forms a crack, the disc shifts and exerts pressure on nerve endings, blood vessels and muscles. The second stage is characterized by severe back pain and neurological symptoms.
Phase 3.The degradation process may lead to the development of protrusion and rupture of the annulus fibrosis. In this case, a herniated disc will be diagnosed. The intervertebral disc loses its cushioning properties and stops performing its proper anatomical function. The vertebrae themselves also suffer-they converge, collapse and form osteophytes-dangerous bone growth.
In addition to hard tissues, it also affects muscles, ligaments and tendons. Muscles are blocked and spasms occur in them. The body tries to fix the affected area as much as possible to relieve pain-this can cause muscle congestion and muscle atrophy.
Symptoms of sternal osteochondrosis
As mentioned earlier, during the onset stage, sternal osteochondrosis is weak or not manifested at all. With the development of pathology, there will be periodic pain between the shoulder blades: after physical exercise or long-term rest, the symptoms will increase. Usually, the pain will bother the patient after waking up in the morning and will subside within an hour. Sometimes the pain moves along the intercostal nerves and spreads to the chest when coughing, sneezing or running.
Typical logo
In 2-3 stages, the most typical symptom of degenerative disc disease in the thoracic spine area is persistent pain in the area between the shoulder and cap. Chest pain is also typical: it feels like an attack of angina caused by coronary heart disease or heart failure.
The similarity between symptoms and heart disease is a fairly common cause of misdiagnosis. However, distinguishing the pain during spinal degeneration from the heart symptoms is very simple: Nitroglycerin and similar drugs can prevent the onset of angina pectoris, accompanied by osteochondrosis, and will not relieve the patient's condition in the least.
Other characteristic symptoms of sternal osteochondrosis:
- The muscles of the trunk are stiff (back pain) when breathing deeply-as if the body is compressed by a hoop;
- Dorsago-severe chest pain (so-called "chest pain");
- Chicken skin bump and numbness on the hands (in the case of radiation syndrome);
- Chest and back cramps;
- Raising his arms, turning his torso and breathing deeply, it hurts deeply.
The stage of the disease directly affects the intensity of the symptoms. For patients in the treatment plan, it is important not to use drugs and unconventional methods (pain relievers, antispasmodics, various ointments, dressings and heating pads) to eliminate pain, but to go to the clinic and ask the doctor to find out the cause of the pains reason. Self-treatment of osteochondrosis is rarely effective, and in some cases it even worsens the course of the disease.
Rare symptoms
Chondrosis in the pleural area is often disguised as other symptoms, causing its symptoms. This complicates the diagnosis and is often the cause of insufficient treatment.
The atypical manifestations of this disease are very diverse:
- Ischemia, heart attack, signs of heart attack (for differential diagnosis, ECG or other tests should be performed);
- Pain similar to gastritis, colitis, stomach or intestinal ulcer, hepatitis-in order to rule out these diseases, a gastroenterologist will make a diagnosis;
- Paroxysmal belt pain corresponds to renal colic or other diseases of the urinary system.
Urinary system diseases and reproductive system diseases are also possible. Women suffer from low sex drive, painful and heavy menstruation (menorrhagia), and sometimes even infertility. Men suffer from erectile dysfunction. Doctors do not always try to find the real cause of these pathologies, so the treatment of reproductive diseases does not bring positive motivation.
Sometimes, osteochondrosis occurs in the chest area, and pressure surges, toothaches and headaches, sleep disorders, and tinnitus can be observed. Do not rule out psychological and emotional disorders-irritability, depression, tears, anxiety.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
Conducted external inspections, palpation and motion test ranges to detect diseases. It is important to understand in detail the duration of symptoms, the nature of symptoms, and the accompanying manifestations of the disease from the patient.
stipulates the following process:
- X-ray of the spine;
- MRI, CT and ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity (if necessary);
- Blood and urine tests;
- Myelography;
- ECG (exclude heart disease).
After diagnosis, develop a treatment plan. There is no single agreement for the treatment of osteochondrosis: the health program depends on the patient's condition, age, physical condition and the condition of the immune system.
The main goal of treatment is to minimize the consequences of cartilage tissue degeneration and prevent complications. Except for particularly severe clinical conditions, treatment is usually outpatient treatment. Usually conservative treatment is implemented.
Drugs
Prescribe medications only for severe pain syndromes and inflammatory processes. It is best to use the drug in the form of an external ointment, a less prescribed tablet, intramuscular or epidural injection.
Most topical medication types:
- Analgesics;
- Anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Muscle relaxants and antispasmodics;
- Vitamin complex;
- Steroids.
Experienced therapists will never provide purely drug-based treatment. Once the pain and inflammation subsided, stop the medication.
Physiotherapy, exercise therapy, massage
These methods play a major role in the treatment of thoracic degenerative diseases. These techniques eliminate pain, strengthen ligaments and muscles, restore and stimulate blood circulation and metabolic processes.
Popular physiotherapy methods:
- Magnetic therapy;
- Electroacoustic and electroacoustic;
- Laser exposure;
- Amplipulse treatment;
- Ultrasound therapy;
- Paraffin wax application;
- Kinesio recording;
- Mud therapy;
- Balneotherapy;
- Hypothermia;
- Sham therapy, treatment with bee venom.
The main advantage of physical therapy is its safety. Almost any prescription for concomitant diseases can be prescribed at any age. An independent field of physiotherapy is reflexology (acupuncture). This method is effective, but requires professional help.
Physiotherapy is a necessary stage for the treatment of sternal osteochondrosis. Gymnastics can enhance muscle strength, restore the normal anatomical position of the vertebral structure, reduce the pressure on the nerve endings, and prevent the occurrence of herniated discs and hernias.
Long-term exercise complexes should be performed regularly-only in this case will they have a significant therapeutic effect. Ideally, the meeting should be conducted under the guidance of the lecturer, because any incorrect movement may cause injury and cause pain.
Massage (manual and hardware effects) and exercise therapy have the same treatment tasks: relieve pain, improve blood flow, and strengthen muscles. In addition to impacting through the hands of experts, they also practiced using massagers, applicators and orthopedic equipment.
radical cure
In modern medical institutions, under special circumstances (usually there is a danger of pinching the spinal cord or dangerous protrusions and hernias), breast osteochondrosis surgery can be used. Spine surgery is always an additional risk, so interventions are rarely performed and only experienced surgeons can perform it.
Prevention
Preventing disease is much easier than long-term (sometimes lifelong) treatment. Unfortunately, modern medicine cannot reverse the degenerative process; it can only minimize pathological consequences and eliminate acute symptoms.
Therefore, osteochondrosis should be prevented from childhood. The development of the disease is hindered by the following factors: correct posture, balanced nutrition, correct physical activity and alternate rest, and sleeping in a comfortable bed. Timely diagnosis of diseases and strict implementation of doctors’ recommendations will play a positive role.