Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine

23 May 2021

Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is much less common than a similar pathology affecting adjacent segments. This is due to the strengthening effect of the chest: a strong and flexible structure made of ribs supports the intervertebral joints well. Although osteochondrosis develops in this segment, it rarely reaches the advanced stages. The ribs partially relieve the load on the cartilage discs, preventing them from collapsing under intense and prolonged stress.

Chest osteochondrosis often develops in men - they naturally have to do more difficult and harmful work. But if a woman is in similar working conditions, her risk of osteochondrosis increases significantly. Women's ligaments and muscles are naturally more flexible and stretchable, which protects the weaker sex from degenerative chest damage.

In men, on the contrary, already in adulthood, there is a "ossification" of all mobile joints - first of all, such changes are observed in the intercostal joints. Thus, the clinical picture develops gradually, as it is associated with slow damage to the joints between the ribs and vertebrae. The sooner a person determines the first symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis, the more effective and shorter the subsequent treatment will be.

Symptoms

Thoracic osteochondrosis rarely occurs even without small manifestations, but in the early stages, patients usually simply do not notice the signs of the disease. Any discomfort is attributed to banal fatigue, resulting from prolonged work or uncomfortable posture. But the symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine have an insidious property - they develop by leaps and bounds.

That is, the progression of manifestations does not occur gradually, but suddenly, under the influence of external factors. Their development is subject to a certain mechanism that occurs in the joints between the vertebrae and ribs:

Over the course of a person's life, the mobility of the chest decreases, this is due to the thickening of the connective tissue that connects the adjacent bones.
From a long and heavy load, metabolic products accumulate in it, leading to damage to the "soft" structures - ligaments and cartilage.
In the intercostal joints they begin to be replaced by bone tissue, which forms small growths at the site of the defects.
First, these spines begin to irritate the nerve roots emerging from the nearby spinal cord. From the impact on them, a reflex contraction of the surrounding muscles occurs - a spasm.
It aggravates reduced mobility by making the rib cage less flexible and elastic. From these changes, the nutrition of the surrounding tissues changes, as their blood supply deteriorates.
A vicious circle gradually forms: impaired blood flow deprives soft tissues of the possibility of rapid recovery. If the load continues to act, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine gradually develops.

The rate of progression of the disease depends on the severity of damaging factors and the capabilities of the body - in most patients it remains in the early stages until old age.

First degree

In the early stages, it is difficult to establish thoracic osteochondrosis: the symptoms of the disease are still too nonspecific. Most patients lose the first degree of the disease, going to the doctor only when severe symptoms form. But with a careful attitude to your health, the signs of pathology can be easily identified:

As the soft tissues are compacted in the area of the joints between the ribs and the vertebrae, their flexibility and elasticity decreases. Therefore, during stretching or exercises, there is pain and crunching in the thoracic region, which occurs between the shoulder blades.
A similar sound can be heard in the collarbone or breastbone, where cartilage and connective tissue are also thickened.
Together with them, the flexibility of the shoulder girdle is disturbed, which is manifested by difficulty in placing the hands behind the back. It becomes difficult for the patient to perform some movements: scratching his back, bringing the shoulder blades together.
There is a feeling of discomfort in any part of the chest, but more often in the interscapular region. It is on it that most of the nerve roots that emerge from the spinal cord in this section are projected.
Resistance to prolonged physical work and to maintaining posture decreases: a feeling of back fatigue occurs quickly.
There is a decrease in the depth of breathing: when you try to take a deep breath, its restriction is observed.

At this stage, the disease can be safely treated at home, as irreversible changes in the soft tissues in the joint area have not yet formed.

Second degree

While the influence of negative factors persists, the signs of thoracic osteochondrosis begin to intensify - it is at this stage that patients usually seek help. The disease begins to significantly limit the activity of a person: the symptoms interfere not only during work, but also during rest. Their occurrence is associated with the formation of persistent changes that lead to ossification of the vertebral costal joints:

Pain, which is the result of pressure on the nerve roots, already emerges among the symptoms. It has some characteristics: a burning or shooting character, a connection with physical activity or a prolonged uncomfortable posture.
Unpleasant sensations are usually determined between the shoulder blades, from where they spread along the course of the ribs. The urge to pain is always one-sided.
The intensity of this symptom completely depends on the movements of the trunk or breathing - even with calm breathing, an increase in pain is observed.
The disease is distinguished from normal intercostal neuralgia by the persistence of symptoms: in the first case, the pain syndrome passes by itself and quickly (within a few minutes). Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is distinguished by the duration of pain: they are continuous, decreasing only at rest.
Chest discomfort and stiffness increase, which leads to a decrease in exercise tolerance. It becomes more difficult for the patient to perform work associated with prolonged stress.

At home, it is almost impossible to get rid of symptoms at this stage - they try to use a long course of drugs, combined with physiotherapy procedures, for treatment.

Third grade

pain between the shoulder blades with thoracic osteochondrosis

In the final stage of the disease, there is a strong deformation of the joints between the ribs and vertebrae. This puts pressure on the surrounding vessels and nerves, which are directed to the internal organs. Thus, the symptoms of the disease acquire unusual features characteristic of another pathology:

The pain syndrome persists, acquiring an intense and continuous character. Low back pain between the shoulder blades and along the ribs bothers the patient even at rest, which is associated with constant pressure on the nerve roots.
There are areas of reduced sensitivity in the abdomen and chest - they look like stripes along the direction of the ribs. They are characterized by numbness, tingling or "crawling" sensations.
There are periodic reflex cramps of the abdominal muscles, accompanied by unpleasant sensations.
Since the nerves of the internal organs are involved in the process, symptoms of their defeat may occur. More often, false attacks of angina pectoris, hepatic or renal colic are observed, simulating diseases of similar organs.
Chest osteochondrosis often leads to the formation of irritable bowel syndrome - disorders of the digestive tract, the causes of which were not identified during the examination.

Even long-term treatment will not allow you to permanently get rid of the symptoms if the patient has maintained the disease at this level. Supportive care will only reduce the signs of the disease, which is firmly rooted in the thoracic spine.

Treatment

How to treat thoracic osteochondrosis? The tactic of assistance is based on the duration of the disease: the more pronounced the symptoms, the more stages will include the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. Despite the frequent difficulties in prescribing drugs, many patients wish to undergo all treatment procedures at home. The patient does not want to waste the extra time required to visit the hospital or clinic.

In addition, sick leave is rarely issued for this disease, which forces people to quickly leave the businesses they have started. Having felt an improvement, the recent patient returns to his usual activities. But incomplete treatment of breast osteochondrosis leads to a rapid return of previous symptoms. Therefore, too "busy" patients can perform some procedures at home - the main thing is that they do not give up what they have started.

At home

You can do without going to the hospital only in the early stages of the disease, when all changes in the spine are reversible. With the help of some measures, it is possible to eliminate muscle spasm, which is the cause of the manifestations:

It is necessary to change the place of rest - the bed, on which the soft tissues of the spine are restored during sleep. To do this, you need to make it more rigid, buy an orthopedic mattress to exclude the wrong position of the back.
For any activity, you need to use the spine support - a soft corset that captures the lumbar and thoracic regions. It should be worn regularly to work, taking off only when resting or sleeping.
It is recommended to use warming ointments to eliminate symptoms. They are applied between the shoulder blades before the upcoming load to artificially warm up the muscles.
You need to get into a good habit: do exercises at home after waking up. Also, it is not necessary to perform it only in the morning - for any back discomfort, you need to find a few minutes to warm up.
You need to change your diet, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet - the vitamins they contain slow down the destruction of connective tissue.

Patients who have enough free time are advised to engage in physical activity - walking or swimming.

Conservative

With the development of pronounced signs, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine begins with the help of drugs. They allow you to eliminate pain and other manifestations that interfere with normal activity:

First of all, anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, which have an analgesic effect. They inhibit the processes of soft tissue destruction, which inevitably lead to the formation of bone growths.
Muscle relaxants, drugs that eliminate painful muscle contractions, are also used. Their use allows the chest to return to its former flexibility and mobility.
In addition, complexes of vitamins are prescribed, which are aimed at protecting the nervous tissue. They allow you to quickly restore the roots of the spinal cord, which have been subjected to pressure.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatories can also be used in the form of creams that are applied between the shoulder blades. But they are usually only combined with drugs to ensure synergy.

The course of the drug usually lasts from 2 to 3 weeks, after which the patient is transferred to home treatment.

Surgical

The operative method of treatment is usually used when the drug is ineffective. Furthermore, the intervention is not always radical in nature:

The most commonly used block is the introduction of drugs directly into the lesion with a needle. A local anesthetic is usually used to relieve symptoms. After the procedure, its effect lasts for several days.
Blocks performed with the help of glucocorticosteroids are more effective - they provide a therapeutic effect that lasts for several weeks. The composition contains hormones that suppress the inflammatory process in the area of administration.
In severe cases, an operation is performed - removal of deformed areas of the joints between the ribs and vertebrae. In this way it is possible to eliminate the pressure on the nerve roots and blood vessels, which leads to the elimination of most of the manifestations.

Surgical correction does not lead to a complete cure of the disease, but only simplifies the patient's condition. Therefore, after any manipulation, it is necessary to continue conservative therapy, aimed at slowing the progression of the disease.

Rehabilitation

Elimination of the main signs of osteochondrosis does not imply the end of treatment. In the post-treatment period, the patient undergoes restorative measures:

In the initial period, procedures are prescribed that have a reflex effect. Electrophoresis and phonophoresis, UHF and laser can eliminate the reflected muscle contraction in the thoracic spine.
Then the most active procedures begin - massage, therapeutic exercises. They help strengthen the chest muscle structure.
The recovery ends with an autonomous training, which should continue continuously. They allow you to slow down the progression of osteochondrosis.

Such patients are advised to choose sports disciplines that allow them to develop endurance and muscle strength at the same time. Therefore, patients are advised to practice swimming and walking, which allows you to create an even load on all muscles. Daily workouts are optional - three sessions per week are enough.