Thoracic lumbar osteochondrosis is a commonly diagnosed disease. Statistics show that it accounts for about 40% of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In the early stages, a person may be unaware of the pathology for a long time.
Over time, severe pain sensations localized in the spine develop. If you do not start full treatment on time, there is a risk of serious complications. The biggest danger is respiratory disorders.
Classification
Thoracic lumbar osteochondrosis is a very common disease in elderly patients. If you do not start full treatment on time, there is a possibility of serious complications.
Before starting treatment, the doctor must accurately classify the nature of the pathology. It could be:
- Dorsago - painful sensations are caused by impulses that appear in the chest from time to time. Generally, this anxiety begins after a long stay in a situation. A person has difficulty breathing and can hardly move his head. If he is able to move, the pain pierces the entire spine.
- Dorsalgia is a pathology characterized by prolonged pain. On average, they can last up to those weeks. Typically, this condition occurs because it causes serious damage to the intervertebral discs. During an exacerbation, you should lead a sedentary lifestyle and refrain from any activity. The pain increases significantly at night.
Pathological causes
Thoracic spinal osteochondrosis can affect anyone of any age.
However, the risk increases in the following groups of people:
- Leading an inactive lifestyle. If you do not exercise, metabolic processes are disrupted. As a result, the human spinal cord begins to accumulate sediments that begin to compress the nerve endings. The rate of degenerative destruction significantly increases anxiety.
- Excess weight - each extra kilogram carries an additional load on the spine. The higher your weight, the heavier your chest and waist.
- Smokers - smoking disrupts blood circulation in the body, so the spinal tissues do not receive enough nutrients.
- Extremely active lifestyle. Especially often the thoracic spine often suffers from heavy lifting.
- Various posture disorders. A crooked spine cannot distribute the load properly, which causes the thoracic region to suffer.
manifestations
The initial stage of thoracic lumbar osteochondrosis is characterized by an extremely long period. For a long time, a person can not feel any pain. This is where the pathological danger lies, because it is actively treated only in the first stage.
In most cases, developing osteochondrosis is characterized by the following manifestations:
- Density of the back muscle corset;
- dull aching pain located between the shoulder blades;
- feeling of increased pressure in the chest area;
- Pain during palpation of spinous processes;
- Pain that can spread to other parts of the body.
A person with thoracic lumbar osteochondrosis often has limited mobility in the morning. A crisis can also occur in certain parts of the sternum.
Often a person becomes numb, his posture begins to deteriorate rapidly - this is excessive tension in the muscle tissue. In addition, localized sharp pain in the intercostal spaces may occur.
To date, official medicine has not been able to find an effective way to repair damaged intervertebral discs, so it is important to consult a doctor. Take a responsible approach to the selection of a specialist, because any wrong action can lead to serious complications.
Treatment methods
An advanced diagnosis should be made before starting treatment for thoracic osteochondrosis. With its help it is possible to accurately determine the location of the degenerative process, which allows to provide more effective and quality treatment. Please note that only your doctor can prescribe medication. There are many different drugs that differ in their principles of action.
First of all, you will be prescribed painkillers - steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. As a person begins to feel better, they stop producing excitatory mediators.
Please note that the patient must be under regular medical supervision during treatment.
To get the maximum effect from the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, therapy should be carried out in combination. You should not be limited to medications only. Treatment should be supplemented with physical therapy and sports activities.
Medication
Drug treatment is of great importance in the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. With the help of various medications, it is possible to stop the painful feelings as soon as possible.
It is also recommended that you continue to rest in bed during recovery. Be sure to consult a qualified medical professional who can prescribe a safe and highly effective treatment regimen for you.
In general, treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis involves the use of the following drugs:
- Analgesics - allow you to quickly stop the acute pain syndrome. It also prevents the development of respiratory system defects, which often lead to complications;
- Antispasmodics;
- Vitamin preparations based on B vitamins normalize metabolic processes and prevent degenerative changes.
Effective Sports
Special physical exercises can cope with the manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis. They need to be implemented on a regular basis - this is the only way to get significant results from these approaches.
Remember that you must consult an experienced specialist before starting such treatment. It will tell you which complexes are better for you. Osteochondrosis of the chest has a positive effect on the well-being of such a person.
The following exercises should be done:
- Wooden - lie on the floor, slide towards the wall. Throw your legs against the wall so that they are parallel. Sit in a similar position for 1, 5 minutes to start. The number of approaches can be increased each time.
- Hang on a horizontal bar regularly. This will help create gaps between your intervertebral discs and make you feel better.
- Lie on your back, keep your feet as close to your chest as possible, and stay in this position for a few seconds. This posture can reduce tension in the spinal muscles and thus reduce pain.
For more successful treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, it is important to engage in physical education. It is best to go to a clinic for exercise therapy, where you will do everything under the supervision of your doctor. Be extremely careful when exercising. Any wrong move can easily cause damage.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy is a unique method that affects the back of a person in which the thoracic region is completely relieved of painful sensations. With the right and regular approach, you will be able to completely get rid of painful feelings and tension.
In addition, manual treatment helps to fully restore blood circulation. The active ingredients begin to spread rapidly to the tissues, after which the person feels better.
Massages
Massage is a method of action in which the doctor activates metabolic processes with his hands. It can be done both at home and in the hospital.
Massage exercises have the following results:
- Eliminate increased muscle tone;
- Strengthen intervertebral discs;
- Accelerates full recovery startup;
- Helps improve metabolic processes.
Physiotherapy procedures
Various physiotherapeutic procedures will help to cope with the manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis.
In addition to combating painful feelings, they also help to normalize internal processes. The following procedures are currently the most popular:
- Plasma injections. Part of the blood is taken from a person to whom plasma is released. It is injected directly into the spinal tissues in pure form, as it is possible to get rid of painful sensations.
- Pulling massage is a kind of vacuum effect that is able to relieve pain and muscle tone in the body in a short time.
- Magnetotherapy - exposure of the spine to a magnetic field. The procedure allows you to stop the degenerative process and improve metabolic processes. In addition, it eliminates swelling and inflammation.
- Aliterapy is an innovative treatment using bees. The insect must bite the person directly on the affected area. It initiates metabolic processes, accelerates the excretion of toxins and toxins.
- Mud treatment. This helps to nourish the spine with nutrients that prevent the development of degenerative changes in the human body.
- Spinal block - the use of special injections to relieve pain. Remember that such drugs should be used as a course.
What can be confused with thoracic osteochondrosis?
Thoracic spinal osteochondrosis is a disease whose manifestations can be easily confused with a number of other diseases. The symptoms are similar:
- Angina pectoris and heart attack. However, the patient's cardiogram is normal and the use of medication to normalize blood pressure does not work;
- Renal colic, appendicitis or cholecystitis;
- diseases of the mammary glands;
- Ulcers, gastritis and colitis;
- Inflammation of the lungs.
Prevention of osteochondrosis of the spine
Osteochondrosis of the breast is a dangerous disease because it significantly reduces the quality of life of any person. If you start to take preventive measures in time, the likelihood of complications will be significantly reduced.
Many doctors strongly recommend following these recommendations:
- If you work at a computer for a long time, get up from the table every hour and warm up slightly. It will help normalize blood circulation and prevent stagnation.
- Always keep your back warm. For this reason, avoid cold showers and shorts. Always keep warm.
- Drink vitamin complexes regularly to restore the structure of damaged tissues.
- Hold a horizontal position for at least 30 minutes in the middle of the day. This will help align the spine and make it easier to manage stress.
- Exercise regularly. Muscle tone has a beneficial effect on the condition of the lower back.