What is osteochondrosis knows almost every second person. Recently, this disease has acquired catastrophic proportions, which is largely due to the lifestyle of modern mankind. Life style without active movement, sedentary work, neglect of one’s health, refusal to exercise regularly, inherited factors – all this negatively affects the condition of the spine and, as a result, it develops various kinds of diseases, including osteochondrosis .
It should be noted that due to the structural features and location of the vertebrae in this part of the spine, the load on them has a much lesser effect. Therefore, osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine (OCOP) is much less common than a similar disease of the lumbar or cervical spine. In addition, the roots of the nerve endings and the lining of the spinal cord are absent in the thoracic region, which is why the disease quite often is asymptomatic and painless.
Causes
The causes of OGOP are of the same nature as with the appearance of this type of disease in the lumbar or cervical spine. First of all, this is an uneven load on the spine, which causes dystrophic changes in the tissues. In addition, malnutrition of the intervertebral discs leads to a deterioration in metabolic processes, which most negatively affects the condition of the spine.
Typically, such changes occur due to a long stay in an uncomfortable position, for example, when working at a desk or at a computer, while driving a car. The presence of scoliosis, due to which the load on the spine is distributed unevenly, can also cause osteochondrosis in the thoracic region.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of CVD are pain in the interscapular region or just below the shoulder blades. Very often, patients complain of shooting pain that is given to the ribs. Such pain is almost imperceptible at rest and intensifies only with movement or with inspiration.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is characterized by pain in the chest, usually on the left side. Such sensations are very reminiscent of heart pain with ischemia, therefore, during the diagnosis of the disease, examination of the cardiovascular system is an obligatory step.
Among the symptoms of OGOP are also called impaired mobility in the chest of the spine. Since some other diseases have the same symptoms, when diagnosing, doctors must conduct an x-ray examination of patients.
Very often, osteochondrosis of this type is accompanied by constant aching back pain, aching joints, and numbness of the limbs. If the cause of such sensations is not determined in time and adequate treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is not started, significant weight loss and even partial atrophy of the limbs can be observed.
For treatment in this case, various techniques are used. Among the most common methods that show excellent results, up to a full recovery, are called such modern techniques as magnetopuncture, acupuncture, vacuum and laser therapy, dry traction, pharmacopuncture and many others. Treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis, in a course of several sessions that are assigned individually.
If in time to seek help from specialists who can correctly diagnose and develop an adequate treatment tactic, back pain can be forgotten for many years.