Thoracic osteochondrosis is represented by a dystrophic degenerative change of the intervertebral discs. This pathology affects the discs of the chest, which includes 12 vertebrae. This area has a strong muscular corset and is considered the least mobile, so osteochondrosis is very rare in it.
The development of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is due to the narrowing of the spinal canal in this area of the spine. Spinal cord compression is a very dangerous condition that can provoke the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to begin timely treatment of the disease.
Reasons
The cause of thoracic, cervical osteochondrosis lies in:
- dystrophic tissue changes;
- violation of the metabolic process;
- scoliosis;
- irrational disk loads;
- malnutrition;
- to be in an awkward position for a long period of time (when working at a table, driving a car).
Pain characteristic of a pathological condition
The pathology has symptoms similar to other diseases. For this reason, it is often called "chameleon disease". The pain in osteochondrosis of this spine is almost the same as in the following diseases:
- renal colic;
- peptic ulcer;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, a thorough diagnosis is needed to differentiate thoracic osteochondrosis.
The main symptoms are the presence of pain, discomfort. They cover areas such as:
- back;
- heart;
- country;
- the breast;
- upper abdomen.
Inhalation, exhalation, as well as during movement, increases the pain of thoracic osteochondrosis. The patient may feel tingling in the left arm, the area between the shoulder blades.
There is also pain that radiates to the shoulder blade. These painful sensations are similar to intercostal neuralgia. The pain caused by thoracic osteochondrosis worsens at night.
For this reason, patients often confuse such conditions as a symptom of a heart attack, angina pectoris. The pain in osteochondrosis of the chest from an attack of angina pectoris is characterized by the inability to stop with nitroglycerin, the absence of pathological signs of the ECG, which indicate disease of the cardiovascular system.
The pathology causes symptoms similar to diseases of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, patients often start self-medication with cardiac drugs that do not bring any relief.
The symptoms of intervertebral disc pathology depend on the mechanism caused by the pathological process, the location of the disease. Spinal root compression has a significant effect. Sometimes the compression of the spinal cord with its characteristic sensations of pain acts as a complication of this pathology.
Symptoms of pathology developing in the neck, chest
The cervical region consists of 7 vertebrae and the thoracic region consists of 12. With the development of osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region, the patient shows various symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies:
- myocardial infarction;
- cerebrovascular accident;
- tooth damage;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- angina.
Osteochondrosis of the cervicothoracic region is manifested by pain in:
- back
- door
- teeth;
- head;
- Upper limbs;
- stomach
- shoulder girdle;
- chest;
- areas of the heart.
In addition to pain, cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself in:
- tingling in the neck, abdomen, chest;
- ringing in the ears;
- reduction of working capacity;
- "Goosebumps" in front of the eyes;
- sleep disturbance;
- potency disorder (in men);
- dizziness;
- irritability;
- jumps in blood pressure.
Symptoms that occur during the compression of radicular structures
Cervical-thoracic osteochondrosis with radicular syndrome manifests itself in severe pain, which has a different nature depending on the affected segment.
It often manifests itself in the form of radiculopathy, which occurs mainly in herniated discs. The patient experiences symptoms of radiculopathy after exercise. Their slow growth is observed for several weeks.
When there is a connection between thoracic osteochondrosis and herniated disc protrusion, the patient will have severe pain in the following areas:
- shoulder joint;
- abdomen;
- shoulder;
- chest;
- shoulder blades.
The symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of the hernia (lateral, middle). If there is a complication of a lateral hernia, there will be unilateral pain in the area of the hernia, local loss of sensitivity. Coughing increases the pain as well as the movement of the spine.
If osteochondrosis is accompanied by a moderate hernia, the patient will be troubled by prolonged pain that may last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is the compression of the spinal cord.
If thoracic osteochondrosis is accompanied by spinal cord compression, the patient will experience:
- violation of the pelvic organs;
- local pain in the waist;
- weakness in the legs;
- pain in the intercostal space, abdomen, groin;
- tingling.
Radicular syndrome with localization of pathology in the chest
In osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, patients suffer from radicular syndrome. It manifests itself in painful sensations that increase with movement, appear abruptly and are reflected in other organs.
Radicular syndrome in this area has various manifestations:
- tingling of the epithelium of the armpits, shoulders, arms, dryness in the pharynx (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- pain in the armpits, shoulders, sternum, dry throat, slight lowering of the shoulder blades, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- paresthesia, muscle tension in the shoulder blades, ribs, epigastric region. There is also pain in the heart, stomach (7-8 segments);
- low back pain, paresthesia from the ribs to the navel. Muscle tone also increases, colic appears in the stomach, intestines (9-10 segments);
- paresthesia from the navel to the groin. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, stomach (11-12 segments).
Radicular syndrome with localization of pathology in the neck
The following symptoms appear in radicular syndrome of the cervical spine:
- paresthesia of the crown, occiput (with the defeat of the 1st segment);
- paresthesia of the scalp, back of the head + reduced muscle tone of the chin, expressed in their sagging (segment 2);
- language paresthesia, speech defects (segment 3);
- pain in the heart, liver (segment 4);
- weakness, pain in the shoulder joint, arm (segment 5);
- the pain reaches the thumb. There is weakness when raising the arm. The reason is a decrease in biceps tone (segment 6);
- weakness in the neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, forearm, arm, second and third fingers (segment 7);
- the pain reaches the little finger (segment 8).
Characteristics of symptoms in women
The symptoms of the disease largely depend on the sensitivity of the patient, his individual characteristics. The symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women are more pronounced than in men.
This is due to the fact that a woman's body is an order of magnitude more sensitive than a man's.
The parts of the female spine are much thinner, smaller, which contributes to the rapid onset of symptoms of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Let's look at how thoracic osteochondrosis manifests itself in women.
The spinal symptoms of the disease are:
- pain when raising hands;
- chest pain;
- Feeling of tightness in the chest;
- pain localized between the shoulder blades;
- accompanying deep breathing with severe pain;
- accompanying turns, slopes with a feeling of pain.
Each of these symptoms is associated with an inflammatory process inside the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of intervertebral hernias, the above signs of the disease are joined by other signs of the disease, which are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders:
- itching, cold, burning of the lower extremities;
- tingling of the skin, a feeling of "goosebumps";
- brittle nails;
- heart pain;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- epithelial peeling.
The symptoms in women resemble diseases of the mammary glands. For this reason, the disease in question requires additional diagnostic methods.
Thoracic osteochondrosis is less common in men than in women. This is due to the anatomical features that consist in the strength of the elements of the spine. In men, the symptoms are supplemented only by a violation of potency.