Osteochondrosis of the spine is characterized by deformation of the intervertebral discs, which affects the state of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Similar degenerative changes occur in the thoracic spine and manifest themselves with certain symptoms.
Characteristics of the disease
According to medical statistics, more than 30% of the world's population suffers from osteochondrosis. And every year the patients are getting younger. But compared to cervical and lumbar osteochondrosis, thoracic osteochondrosis occurs much less frequently.This situation is explained by the structure of this department:
- it has a natural curve, which relieves some of the strain of walking upright;
- the other part falls on the ribs and sternum, which play the role of a physiological framework;
- This is the longest section of the spine (12 vertebrae), but the spinal canal is the narrowest;
- the thoracic vertebrae are small but have long spinous processes;
- he is inactive.
If a deformation of the intervertebral disc occurs in the chest area, it will gradually disappear. 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 spaces with neuralgia. It is made worse by coughing, breathing deeply, and turning the body. Because there are many nerve fibers in the chest, chest pain (dorsago) occurs, which is similar to a heart attack.
- radiculitis. In addition to the pain, there is a loss of sensitivity. Typically, the limbs, upper abdomen, and the area below the collarbone become numb.
- Paresthesia. You feel like goosebumps are crawling all over your body.
- cardiac syndrome. There is still severe heart pain that does not go away after taking the medicine.
- Pulmonary syndrome. Manifested by asphyxia and congestion in the lungs.
- Abdominal syndrome. Characterized by persistent pain in the digestive organs.
- Muscle tension. It occurs reflexively in the upper back and chest.
The clinical picture is approximately the same in men and women. However, signs of thoracic osteochondrosis usually appear in women at the beginning of menopause. Before this, the spine is protected by estrogens.
In men, complications of the disease can affect potency.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis are much more disturbing at night than during the day. They worsen due to hypothermia, exercise and stress. It is assumed that women suffer significantly more from spinal pain.
Localization of pain syndrome
Diagnosis of the disease is complicated by the symptomatic similarity to other diseases: myocardial infarction, angina and gastrointestinal diseases. This phenomenon occurs because the innervation of the nerves is disrupted and the pain radiates to different parts of the body:
- In thoracic osteochondrosis, symptoms with a feeling of pain in the heart occur when the first to sixth thoracic nerves are affected. In women, the mammary glands may become sore.
- If the thoracic nerves 6 to 9 are affected, pain in the stomach occurs. The sensations are the same as with colitis and gastritis. There may be a feeling that there is a foreign body in the esophagus.
- In the small intestine, kidneys and genital area, when pathological processes affect the 11th and 12th intervertebral discs.
To make an accurate diagnosis, an orthopedist prescribes an examination to the patient.
It is necessary to undergo radiography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, ECG, and in women, mammography.
The results help determine the stage of the disease and treatment options.
Stages of the disease
Depending on the ongoing pathological processes, there are 4 stages of development of thoracic osteochondrosis:
| stage | Changes | Symptoms |
| First | Drying out of the intervertebral discs, leading to a loss of elasticity. Their height decreases, but their width increases - the intervertebral disc gradually flattens. | The pain occurs directly in the damaged ring. It can pull or shoot. |
| Second | The annulus fibrosus begins to dissolve. The nerve roots are compressed, causing pain. | Pain occurs when moving. If you maintain a pose for a long period of time, discomfort will occur. |
| Third | The fibrous ring tears and a herniated disc occurs. Scoliosis or pathological kyphosis develops. | Pain occurs when moving. If you maintain a pose for a long period of time, discomfort will occur. |
| Fourth | The vertebrae rub against each other, which leads to a displacement of the intervertebral joints. The tissue surrounding the vertebrae becomes inflamed. Cartilage tissue is replaced by bone tissue, limiting motor functions. Fibrosis occurs. | Pain occurs when moving. If you maintain a pose for a long period of time, discomfort will occur. |
Stages of exacerbation and remission can be observed. The latter is often observed in stage 4.
Degrees of illness
This is a more modern classification of symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis used by specialists.
| degrees | Changes and symptoms |
| First | Torn disc caused by sudden movement or overexertion. Stinging pain, similar to the passage of an electric current along the spine. Muscle strain. |
| Second | Characterized by instability of the spine. Pain when moving. Head Start. |
| Third | The pain becomes constant. Loss of feeling. Gait change. Strong headache. Difficulty breathing. Tachycardia. |
| Fourth | The spine is unstable: the vertebrae slip and twist. Osteophytes grow that pinch the spinal nerves and put pressure on the spinal cord. |
Thoracic osteochondrosis can cause serious diseases that are difficult to cure.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine
The symptoms in women practically do not differ from the clinical picture in men. The main difference in this case is that osteochondrosis in the female half of humanity develops only at an older age. The female body has a peculiarity: estrogens effectively protect the intervertebral discs from destruction, so signs of osteochondrosis in women most often appear during menopause or with hormonal imbalance. In addition, as already mentioned, the signs of thoracic osteochondrosis can resemble the symptoms of dangerous diseases of the mammary glands.
Therefore, women are required to undergo a test such as a mammogram to clarify the diagnosis.
Thoracic osteochondrosis in women can manifest itself in different ways. The clinical picture depends on the age, the stage of the pathology, as well as which vertebra is affected and how severely it is affected. 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 as follows:
- Dorsago ("Lumbago in the chest", "dagger pain") is a sudden, severe, stabbing pain in the chest (between the shoulder blades) that most often occurs after a long period of time in the same uncomfortable position. When there is lumbago in the chest, the muscles tense strongly and strongly - the person feels that it is difficult for him to breathe. The pain during dorsago may increase when you rotate your torso.
- Thoracalgia is a chronic, mild pain in the breastbone. 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 pains in osteochondrosis is their superficiality and segmental manifestation along the intercostal spaces. Thoracalgia with osteochondrosis worsens with movements and deep breathing and subsides with rest.
The following manifestations may indicate that osteochondrosis is progressing:
- numbness, goosebumps in some areas of the skin;
- Burning, itching between shoulder blades;
- feeling of cold in the legs;
- pain in the throat and esophagus;
- Dysfunction of the stomach and intestines.
Treatment of pathology in women
It is practically impossible to completely eliminate already progressive thoracic osteochondrosis, but it is quite possible to slow down or even stop the development of a pathological degenerative-dystrophic process in the tissue of the movement segments of the spine using the means and methods of modern medicine. The optimal therapeutic effect can be achieved only through 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 those in men. In the acute phase of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spinal section, the patient needs intensive exacerbation treatment, during which various drugs and physical procedures are used, primarily to eliminate the pain syndrome and, in parallel, other negative phenomena of the disease.
During remission, the patient must be prescribed maintenance therapy, based mainly on taking drugs to restore the osteochondral structure and physiotherapy. In particularly severe cases, they sometimes resort to surgical intervention to stabilize the position of the spine.
Sensation in women with osteochondrosis
Symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis: In addition to the typical symptoms indicating the presence of pathology of the thoracic region, in medical practice there are also atypical signs of the disease:
- Painful symptoms in the heart area. In this case, the symptoms are more similar to heart disease, such as a heart attack or angina. The pain feels dull or achy and can last for months. However, no vascular medication brings any improvement and the ECG results show no abnormalities.
- Discomfort in the mammary glands. Most often it manifests itself in women, which is characterized by excruciating painful sensations. It can often be confused with diseases of the mammary glands. In this case, a more detailed diagnosis is required.
- Spot cramps and pain in the abdominal cavity. It is characterized 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, when detected, can immediately indicate the development of the disease - the so-called dorsago and dorsalgia.
Complications of the disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a painful disease that severely limits the patient's quality of life.
Osteochondrosis often affects gradually or several departments at once.
If not treated in a timely manner, compression by the vessel can lead to:
- to disorders of the cardiovascular system;
- vegetative system;
- Digestive;
- Respiratory tract;
- fainting;
- Dizziness;
- Panic and anxiety attacks that are accompanied by a racing heart and the risk of suffocation;
- chronic fatigue;
- Shingles.
Therefore, treatment of the disease should be comprehensive and aimed at eliminating all symptoms. If diagnosed early and correctly, treatment has a favorable prognosis.