Chest osteochondrosis is a difficultly diagnosed disease. It is less common than lesions of the cervical and lumbosacral spine, because the thoracic vertebrae are inactive. Due to the proximity of important internal organs to the spine, it is not always possible to immediately make an accurate diagnosis: according to symptoms, serious diseases of the heart, large vessels, lungs are close to osteochondrosis - and vice versa: osteochondrosis can manifest itself similar to pulmonary or cardiac symptoms.
The pain can be girdle, radiate (give) to the shoulders, under the shoulder blades in the form of a lumbago, intensify with a deep breath. Possible aching pain in the thoracic region, manifested with an uncomfortable posture, tilting of the body. Pain in the left side of the chest resembles a heart attack, and in the right hypochondrium - cholecystitis. The paravertebral muscles are usually tense, there are frequent complaints of numbness, creeping in the chest, abdomen, and arms.
The spinal canal in the thoracic region is rather narrow, therefore, even small hernias or protrusions formed in osteochondrosis can compress the spinal cord. All this disrupts the quality of life, affects performance, the emotional sphere.
Treatment of breast osteochondrosis must be timely and competent to prevent the progression of the disease and the development of complications. You should know that it is impossible to completely cure thoracic osteochondrosis. But it is quite possible to make sure that the disease gives a person a minimum of problems. It is important to change your lifestyle, introduce new habits, feasible physical activity, follow treatment recommendations. And then osteochondrosis will not make itself felt.
Risk factors for developing breast osteochondrosis
- Sedentary lifestyle. Osteochondrosis affects people with sedentary work, forced body posture in the workplace, for example, at a computer table, a sewing machine, persons who do not recognize physical activity. The muscles supporting the spine are hypotrophied, and the static load on it increases.
- Overweight. The higher the weight, the higher the load on each vertebra.
- Smoking. This bad habit leads to disruption of the blood supply to tissues, including vertebrates.
- Excessive, incorrectly dosed physical activity. This includes frequent lifting and carrying weights, jumping, and running.
- Posture disorders, scoliosis. These diseases of the spine lead to degenerative changes in the discs, muscle tension.
Treatment of chest osteochondrosis
- Drug therapy:
- anti-inflammatory drugs - they relieve pain and swelling of soft tissues. Local forms in the form of gels, ointments, creams can be useful for intercostal neuralgia;
- anesthetics - injected paravertebrally to block pain and relieve muscle spasm;
- glucocorticosteroids - these hormonal drugs are used in the form of paravertebral blocks when other drugs are ineffective;
- muscle relaxants - relieve painful muscle spasms;
- antidepressants - help relieve psycho-emotional stress inherent in osteochondrosis;
- group B vitamins - nourish nerve formations, thus fighting neurological disorders. In the treatment of osteochondrosis, preparations containing vitamins B1, B6 and B12 are used;
- chondroprotectors - are able to somewhat suspend the process of destruction of intervertebral discs, improve bone metabolism. It is better to inject them directly into the paravertebral tissues, because oral medications need to be drunk for a long time and in high dosages.
- Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy methods act locally on the focus of the disease - relieve pain, spasms, improve blood circulation, tissue nutrition. In case of chest osteochondrosis, the doctor may prescribe magnetotherapy, electrophoresis, UHF, laser therapy.
- Massage. Massage of the collar zone, thoracic region, hands is carried out. In case of exacerbation, it is recommended to start massage not from the first day and to perform it sparingly at first. It is necessary to achieve relaxation of spasmodic muscles. During the period when there is no pain, the massage technique becomes different - the techniques are more intense. In addition to the usual, you can perform point effects. In the case of chest osteochondrosis, manual and vacuum massage, vibration massage are useful. These types can be combined or alternated.
- Physiotherapy. Performing special therapeutic exercises on a daily basis will help prevent or reduce the frequency of exacerbations of breast osteochondrosis. For example, you can do the following exercises:
- while sitting on a chair, put your hands behind your head and inhale, then bring your shoulder blades together, touching the back of the chair (exhale). Repeat 10-15 times;
- get on all fours and slowly arch your back, like a cat, linger in this position for a few seconds. Then bend your back up and also linger in this position. Repeat 15-20 times;
- in the supine position, raise your head and straight arms lying along the body up, hold them like this for a few seconds, return to the starting position. Repeat 7-10 times;
- lying on your back, raise straight legs up to a height of 20-30 cm, hold for 15-20 seconds. Repeat 10 times;
- Unloading the spine. It is carried out on a special table, massage bed with rollers. Underwater traction is also possible. Soft tissues are stretched, at the same time the intervertebral discs are unloaded.
- Post-isometric relaxation. It is performed by a massage therapist or a rehabilitation therapist who knows this technique. The method allows you to relax the spasmodic muscles of the back.
- Acupuncture. Allows you to relieve muscle spasm and reduce pain.
- Hirudotherapy. With the help of biologically active substances secreted by the leech, blood flow improves, pain syndrome decreases, and inflammation of soft tissues is stopped.
What you can do yourself for the prevention and treatment of chest osteochondrosis
- Try to avoid static poses. If you are sitting at a computer or work machine, take a break with a warm-up every hour and a half. Stretch, do breathing exercises, head bends forward, backward, sideways, arm swings, torso bends. The working chair should have a comfortable back that follows the spinal curves. You can put a special orthopedic pillow on it. The seat should be firm, and the height of the chair should be equal to the length of the lower leg. There are requirements for the table - the tabletop is normally at the level of the elbow of the bent arm.
- It is advisable to sleep on an orthopedic mattress so that the natural curves of the spine are respected.
- It is not recommended to carry excessive weights, but if the need arose, squat down or kneel down to lift the weight off the floor. Carry the garment with a straight back, evenly spreading it over both hands.
- With osteochondrosis, it is necessary to maintain body weight, eat less fried, fatty foods, exclude carbonated drinks and alcohol.
- Sports such as swimming and skiing are very useful. Exercise regularly.
The optimal treatment course for thoracic osteochondrosis should include several methods that complement each other. The treatment program is formed individually. It is important to relieve pain, improve tissue nutrition, relieve intervertebral discs, relax spasmodic muscles, and strengthen the muscle corset. For these purposes, therapy must be carried out repeatedly, and at least twice a year, supplemented by daily therapeutic exercises, systematic swimming, and spa treatment.
Which doctor to contact
If symptoms of breast osteochondrosis appear, you should consult a neurologist. Usually, an examination by a neurosurgeon is additionally prescribed, if necessary - a therapist, cardiologist, rheumatologist, pulmonologist to exclude concomitant diseases. Physical methods are important in treating the disease, therefore it will be useful to consult a nutritionist, physiotherapy, physiotherapy and massage specialist.