Osteochondrosis of the spine is characterized by deformation of the intervertebral discs, which affects the condition of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. Similar degenerative changes appear in the thoracic spine and are manifested by certain symptoms.
Characteristics of the disease
According to medical statistics, more than 30% of the world's population suffers from osteochondrosis. And every year, patients get younger. But compared to cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, thoracic osteochondrosis is much less common.This fact is explained by the structure of this department:
- it has a natural curvature, thanks to which part of the load associated with walking upright is removed;
- the other part falls on the ribs and the sternum, which play the role of physiological framework;
- it is the longest section of the spine (12 vertebrae), but the spinal canal is the narrowest;
- the thoracic vertebrae are small, but equipped with long spinous processes;
- it is inactive.
If a deformation of the intervertebral disc appears in the thoracic region, it gradually disappears. But it manifests itself painfully.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis
How clearly the disease manifests itself depends on its stage, lifestyle and age of the patient.It is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pain. It is felt in the upper back, between the shoulder blades and surrounds the intercostal neuralgia spaces. It gets worse with coughing, deep breathing, and turning the body. Since there are many nerve fibers in the chest, chest pain (dorsago) appears, as if it were a heart attack.
- Radiculitis. Added to the pain is a loss of sensitivity. Typically, the limbs, upper abdomen, and area below the collarbone become numb.
- Paresthesia. You feel like goosebumps are crawling all over your body.
- Cardiac syndrome. Severe heart pain persists and does not go away after taking the medication.
- Pulmonary syndrome. Manifested by suffocation and congestion of the lungs.
- Abdominal syndrome. Characterized by persistent pain in the digestive organs.
- Muscle tension. This happens reflexively in the upper back and chest.
In men and women, the clinical picture is approximately the same. But signs of thoracic osteochondrosis in women usually appear at the onset of menopause. Before that, the spine is protected by estrogen.
In men, complications of the disease can affect potency.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis are much more worrying at night than during the day. They intensify with hypothermia, movement and stress. It is believed that women suffer much more severely from spinal pain.
Location of the pain syndrome
The diagnosis of the disease is complicated by the symptomatic similarity with other conditions: myocardial infarction, angina and gastrointestinal disorders. This phenomenon occurs because the innervation of the nerves is disrupted and the pain radiates to different parts of the body:
- With thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms with a feeling of pain in the heart appear when the first to sixth thoracic nerves are affected. In women, the mammary glands may become painful.
- If thoracic nerves 6 to 9 are affected, pain occurs in the stomach. The sensations are the same as with colitis and gastritis. There may be a feeling of a foreign body in the esophagus.
- In the small intestine, kidneys and genitals, if pathological processes affect the 11th and 12th discs.
To make an accurate diagnosis, an orthopedic surgeon prescribes an examination for the patient.
It is necessary to undergo X-ray, CT or magnetic resonance imaging, ECG and mammography for women.
The results will help determine the stage of the disease and treatment options.
Disease stages
Depending on the ongoing pathological processes, there are 4 stages of development of thoracic osteochondrosis:
| Scene | Changes | Symptoms |
| First of all | Dehydration of the discs, which leads to loss of elasticity. Their height decreases, but their width increases - the intervertebral disc gradually flattens. | The pain appears directly in the damaged ring. It can be pulling or tugging. |
| Second | The annulus fibrosus begins to disintegrate. Nerve roots are compressed, causing pain. | There is pain when moving. When holding a pose for a long time, discomfort appears. |
| Third | The annulus fibrosus ruptures, causing a herniated disc to form. Scoliosis or pathological kyphosis develops. | There is pain when moving. When holding a pose for a long time, discomfort appears. |
| Fourth | The vertebrae rub against each other, causing the intervertebral joints to move. The tissues surrounding the vertebrae become inflamed. Cartilage tissue is replaced by bone tissue, which reduces motor functions. Fibrosis appears. | There is pain when moving. When holding a pose for a long time, discomfort appears. |
Stages of exacerbation and remission can be observed. The latter is often observed at stage 4.
Degrees of disease
This is a more modern classification of symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, used by specialists.
| Degrees | Changes and symptoms |
| First of all | Rupture of the intervertebral disc caused by sudden movement or overexertion. Sharp pain, similar to the passage of an electric current along the spine. Muscle fatigue. |
| Second | Characterized by spinal instability. Pain when moving. Projection. |
| Third | The pain becomes constant. Loss of sensation. Change of approach. Severe headaches. Difficulty breathing. Tachycardia. |
| Fourth | The spine is unstable: the vertebrae slip and twist. Osteophytes grow, pinch the spinal nerves and put pressure on the spinal cord. |
Thoracic osteochondrosis can cause serious and difficult-to-cure diseases.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
Symptoms in women practically do not differ from the clinical picture in men. The main difference in this case is that in the female half of humanity osteochondrosis develops at a later age. The female body has a peculiarity: estrogens effectively protect the intervertebral discs from destruction, which is why signs of osteochondrosis in women most often begin to appear during menopause or with hormonal imbalance. In addition, as already noted, the signs of thoracic osteochondrosis may be similar to the symptoms of dangerous diseases of the mammary glands.
Therefore, women should undergo a test such as a mammogram to clarify the diagnosis.
Thoracic osteochondrosis in women can manifest itself in different ways. The clinical picture will depend on age, the stage of the pathology, as well as the affected vertebra and its extent. One of the signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine in women is burning and itching between the shoulder blades.The main symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are:
- Dorsago ("thoracic lumbago", "stabbing pain") is a sudden, sharp pain in the chest (between the shoulder blades), most often occurring after a long stay in the same uncomfortable position. With lumbago in the chest, the muscles contract sharply and strongly - the person feels that it has become difficult for him to breathe. Pain during dorsago may intensify if you rotate your upper body.
- Thoracalgia is mild chronic pain in the sternum. Thoracalgia can manifest itself not only in osteochondrosis, but also in diseases of the internal organs located in this area (lungs, heart, stomach). The main difference between such pain in osteochondrosis is its superficiality and segmental manifestation along the intercostal spaces. Thoracalgia with osteochondrosis intensifies from movements and deep breathing and disappears with rest.
The following manifestations may indicate that osteochondrosis is progressing:
- numbness, goosebumps in certain areas of the skin;
- burning, itching sensation between the shoulder blades;
- feeling of cold in the legs;
- pain in the pharynx and esophagus;
- dysfunctions of the stomach and intestines.
Treatment of pathology in women
It is practically impossible to completely get rid of already progressing thoracic osteochondrosis, but it is quite possible to slow down or even stop the formation of a pathological degenerative-dystrophic process in the tissues of the movement segments of thespine using the means and methods of modern medicine. . The optimal therapeutic effect can be achieved only with an integrated approach to the treatment of this pathology using medications, various physiotherapeutic techniques and targeted exercise therapy techniques (physiotherapy).
Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine in women are not too different from men. In the acute period of osteochondrosis of the thoracic segment of the spine, the patient needs intensive treatment of exacerbation, during which various drugs and physical procedures are used to help eliminate, first of all, the pain syndromeand, in parallel, other negative manifestations. of the disease.
During remission, the patient should be prescribed maintenance therapy, based primarily on taking medications restoring the osteochondral structure and physiotherapy. In particularly severe cases, they sometimes resort to surgery to stabilize the position of the spine.
Sensation in women with osteochondrosis
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, in addition to typical symptoms, indicating the presence of pathology of the thoracic region, in medical practice there are also atypical signs of the disease:
- Painful manifestations in the heart region. In this case, the symptoms are more similar to heart disease, such as a heart attack or angina. The pain is dull or aching and can last for months. However, no vascular medication provided any improvement and the ECG results revealed no abnormalities.
- Discomfort in the mammary glands. Most often it manifests itself in women, characterized by persistent painful sensations. It can often be confused with diseases of the mammary glands. In this case, a more detailed diagnosis is necessary.
- Punctual spasms and pain in the abdominal cavity. It is distinguished by typical signs of various pathological processes in the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, which are often confused with gastritis, ulcers or cholecystitis. Intensifies with physical movements.
Experts have also identified two signs of thoracic osteochondrosis, which, if detected, can immediately indicate the development of the disease - the so-called dorsago and back pain.
Complications of the disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a painful disease that significantly reduces the patient's quality of life.
Often osteochondrosis affects gradually or several departments at once.
If not treated in time, compression by the vessel can lead to:
- disorders of the cardiovascular system;
- vegetative system;
- digestive;
- respiratory;
- fainting;
- dizziness;
- panic and fear attacks that occur with rapid heartbeat and choking;
- chronic fatigue;
- Shingles.
Therefore, treatment of the disease should be comprehensive and aimed at eliminating all symptoms. When diagnosed early and correctly, treatment has a favorable prognosis.