Chest osteochondrosis - how to recognize and cure

This ailment is characterized by a disease of the vertebrae located in the thoracic spine. This type of disease is very rare and difficult to diagnose, since its symptoms are very similar to other diseases, for which thoracic scoliosis was called chameleon disease.

Symptoms of chest osteochondrosis

Symptoms of the disease are characterized by:

• Oppressive feeling in the center back, making it difficult to inhale and exhale.
• Chest pains that develop after a person has been in one position for a long time can occur when trying to turn the body, perform physical activity, for example, lift a weight.
• With the active raising of the arms, turning the body, bending, pain syndrome is noted.
• Persistent dull pain in the area of ​​the shoulder blades.
• Feeling of numbness in certain areas of the body.
• The appearance of chills and chills.
• Decrease in body temperature in selected areas.
• The appearance of itching and burning in the legs.
• Problems in the digestive tract: heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, etc.
• Intercostal neuralgia.

As already mentioned, often all symptoms this the disease is very similar to the symptoms of other diseases, for this reason, experienced specialists always prescribe a comprehensive examination in order to exclude heart disease, heart attack and problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Pain  at this type of disease is of two types:

• severe acute pain, which manifests itself in seizures, muscle spasms and creates obstacles to high-quality breathing;
• prolonged pain in the area of ​​problem discs.

A characteristic manifestation of the disease is gastrological syndrome, when pain is concentrated in the epigastric region, so the disease can sometimes be mistaken for a stomach ailment. However, in this case, inflammation can occur at any time of the year, while for gastritis, the exacerbation occurs in the spring-autumn. With an exacerbation of thoracic osteochondrosis, the patient's vertebrae suffer greatly, like himself, but often the diagnosis is carried out just to identify diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. To identify this chameleon disease, you need to carry out many examinations and ensure a high-quality anamnesis.

Degrees of thoracic osteochondrosis

Experts distinguish four main degrees of development of the disease:

• The first is characterized by a drop in the height and elasticity of the intervertebral disc; protrusion is quite possible, i.e. the fibrous ring protrudes.
• The second is that the stability of the thoracic region may be lost, which provokes a further decline in the elasticity of the discs. At this stage, the rings can crack and form hernias, and pain appears.
• The third is the probable appearance of intervertebral hernias.
• Fourth - at this stage, the discs are no longer able to fulfill their shock-absorbing properties, the spine loses mobility, pinching of nerves and blood vessels is observed, destruction of the bone tissue itself is not excluded.

Causes of thoracic osteochondrosis

Among the factors that contribute to the development ailment in chest district spine, it can be noted:

• Hernia in the spine, as well as a decrease in the thickness of the discs.
• Pathological processes affecting the intervertebral discs.
• Genetic predisposition.
• The process of destruction of cartilage tissue.
• Failure in the process of blood circulation in the spinal cord, which happens due to compression of the arteries and narrowing of the veins.
• Incorrect load on the back, which leads to dystrophic changes in cartilage, muscles and bones.
• Problems in the body associated with the absorption of calcium and other nutrients.
• Constant lifting of heavy objects.
• Curved spine.
• Spine injuries, even old blows, bruises.
• A sedentary lifestyle, especially when people are not sitting properly or are regularly in vibration, such as drivers.
• Prolonged and fanatical exercise with power loads, often directly during exercise, the back is injured.

Treatment of chest osteochondrosis

Treatment of this type of osteochondrosis always takes place in a comprehensive manner, since now modern medicine can offer a large selection of methods and each is highly effective. It all starts with a simple diagnosis, which is carried out by a neurologist. The specialist asks the patient about the symptoms, the time of the onset of the problem, and organizes the examination. After that, an additional examination is assigned, where, first of all, it is necessary to donate blood and urine to the laboratory.

The next examination is X-ray or tomography. X-ray allows you to identify a specific place of pathology in the vertebrae, and tomography makes it possible to study the state of the spine at a deeper level and, if necessary, to reveal oncology and neoplasms at an early stage. As soon as the diagnosis is confirmed, the specialist will prescribe a comprehensive therapy program, which will include the use of gels, creams, ointments, as well as physiotherapy and therapeutic exercises.

The treatment of the spine involves:

• Vacuum.
• Magnetotherapy.
• Laser therapy.
• Wet and dry stretching.
• Pharmacopuncture.

If the disease has not passed into the advanced stage, then after 15 sessions of treatment, the back pain will disappear for a long time.

• Therapeutic exercises for osteochondrosis are prescribed in order to make the vertebrae mobile again. Even the most severe muscle cramps can be relieved with proper exercise, and a healthy load will suppress stiffness. Classes are held daily, under the supervision of a specialist.
• Wellness massage can also be included in complex therapy. On average, it is advised to conduct two courses per year, at least. An experienced specialist in a relatively short time will tone the muscles of the back and put all the vertebrae in place, relieve pain and eliminate spasm. In turn, massage can be of several types: canned, acupressure, segmental, classic and honey. Classic massage, the most popular, gives good results, its duration is about twenty minutes, and the course includes 12-15 procedures. During an acupressure, a specialist works with acupuncture, acting on certain points, no pain occurs during the session. Segmental massage improves blood circulation in the affected area, improving oxygen availability. Cupping massage involves a vacuum effect on the affected area, which also has a positive effect on the process of blood supply and outflow of lymph, due to which muscle tone increases, pathological processes stop. Massage with honey is safe and suitable for everyone except allergy sufferers, the duration of such a session is about half an hour.

Prevention of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region

After treating the disease, it is very important to provide high-quality prevention, which will save you from problems in the future. The main measures for the prevention of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region include:

• It is very important to ensure proper nutrition, which will be maximally saturated with vitamins and minerals. The development of the menu should be dealt with by a specialist, so it is better to seek help from the doctor who performed the treatment. The main emphasis in such a diet is on increasing the amount of vegetables, fruits, fish and dietary meats in the diet. Salty, smoked, spicy foods, as well as sugar should be excluded from the diet. Avoid soda and a lot of caffeinated drinks, preferring herbal teas.
• Get yourself the right sleep. If you don't want any more problems with the spine, spend time on a good orthopedic pillow and mattress. A firm bed surface allows the spine to heal faster and prevent future problems. With this, you will forget what back pain is, and in the morning you will be like a cucumber.
• Learn to sit correctly. Osteochondrosis has become an increasingly popular disease in recent years. People spend more time sitting at the computer and, being carried away by work, do not pay attention to how they sit at all. Prolonged position in the position of the letter "siu" is very bad for the spine and eventually leads to diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Even with sedentary work, try to get up at least once an hour and do a simple warm-up: wave your hands, twist your hips, do bends, etc. A visual representation of how to properly sit at the computer.

Exercises for chest osteochondrosis

To normalize the condition in chest osteochondrosis, suppress pain and facilitate treatment, you need to do simple exercises every day. The image below shows a list of very simple exercises that you need to devote quite a bit of time, and the result will not be long in coming.