Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease manifested by destruction of the tissue structure of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs. There are three types of osteochondrosis depending on which part of the spine the disease affects: lumbar, thoracic and cervical.
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine
Thoracic osteochondrosis does not manifest itself immediately and in the initial stages it can be almost imperceptible. Therefore, in order not to unlock the disease, you should not ignore its first symptoms and manifestations.
The main symptom is pain in the chest during movement, physical activity, as well as when maintaining one position of the body for a long time. It can appear as a sharp, sudden and severe pain that makes it difficult to move and breathe (dorsago) or as a moderate, gradually increasing pain (dorsalgia).
Symptoms similar to dorsalgia do not always indicate the presence of problems with the spine, therefore, for an accurate diagnosis, it is recommended to undergo a comprehensive examination.
Symptoms may also include tightness in the chest muscles, a feeling of tightness, a feeling of weakness in the limbs, and partial or complete loss of sensation in the limbs.
Symptoms may also occur at the level of the autonomic system, specifically as follows:
- headache;
- sleep disorders;
- pain in the internal organs, which can be confused with manifestations of other diseases (for example, pain in the stomach, heart and kidneys);
- local peeling of the skin, thinning of the nails;
- a feeling of coldness in the hands and feet, chills;
- impaired sweating in the place where the nerve fibers are pressed by the affected vertebrae.
If you find any of the listed symptoms and you need to consult a doctor who treats osteochondrosis of the chest or another specialist, contact a professional medical center. The doctors will choose a convenient time for your appointment and answer any of your questions.
Since some symptoms are characteristic of both osteochondrosis and a number of other diseases (such as gastric ulcer, gastritis, kidney and heart failure, hypertension, migraine), it is recommended to undergo an ultrasound examination and an ECG to rule out these pathologies.
Causes of osteochondrosis of the chest
There are many reasons for the appearance of the disease. More precisely, there are a number of factors that negatively affect health and can provoke osteochondrosis. For each patient, the set of such factors may be different, therefore, to identify and rule them out, we recommend seeking advice from a neurologist.
List of the most common situations that have a negative impact on the spine:
- excessive physical activity;
- passive lifestyle;
- incorrect posture and incorrect position of the body during sleep, when sitting at a table, etc. ;
- hereditary diseases;
- disturbance of metabolic processes;
- injuries;
- and a number of other factors.
Consequences of the development of thoracic osteochondrosis
Thoracic osteochondrosis, in addition to the similarity of symptoms with other diseases, is also dangerous in that it can provoke the appearance of many different diseases due to compression of blood vessels and nerve endings from the damaged vertebrae.
Thus, osteochondrosis of the chest can lead to diseases of internal organs (heart, kidneys, stomach, lungs, intestines), as well as pathologies of the respiratory system.
Diagnosis and treatment of the chest
A complete examination, diagnosis and diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the chest is possible only when using an integrated approach. The doctor usually turns to diagnostic methods such as:
- verbal questioning of the patient to identify symptoms and negative factors affecting the body;
- examination and palpation of the spine;
- checking reflexes, skin and muscle sensitivity;
- radiography to determine the localization of the disease;
- computed tomography (CT) scan to determine if there are spinal cord lesions;
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can evaluate all the tissues and vessels around the spine.
If you are not sure which doctor to contact with your symptoms, go to a specialist clinic for an appointment, where they will tell you which specialist will help solve the problem.
An integrated approach can also be used to treat spine problems at the medical center. The combination of various treatment methods and modern rehabilitation procedures allows to eliminate the manifestations of the disease and reduce the risk of relapse due to the overall health of the body.
Some methods that have been proven in the treatment of spinal problems:
- physical therapy;
- osteopathy;
- manual therapy;
- psychotherapy;
- drug therapy.
Please note that only a doctor can prescribe competent and effective treatment. If you have any doubts about what tests or procedures you need, please contact specialists for advice.