One of the most common causes of back pain is osteochondrosis. This is the name of a spinal disease, in which the intervertebral discs are affected. With such a lesion, the discs delaminate, deform, change in height. Hence the pain.
According to statistics, almost 80% of the inhabitants of the world suffer from this pathology in one way or another. An impressive number! Its "terrifying dimension" is simple enough to explain.
Answer a few questions. Do you lead a more passive lifestyle than an active one? Do you prefer to travel by car rather than on foot? Do you spend a lot of time on the computer, sitting in one position? If you said more "yes" than "no", unfortunately, you have every chance of contracting osteochondrosis sooner or later.
The danger of pathology lies in the fact that people who are afraid of osteochondrosis, as a rule, are not even aware of it. In the early stages it is difficult to recognize and in the later stages it is difficult to cure.
In most cases, pathology is diagnosed when, after osteochondrosis, damage to internal organs occurs. This often happens, because the spine is the support of the whole body, and the violation of its functions adversely affects the whole body.
Osteochondrosis treatment specialists urge you to be more attentive to yourself and your health. Notice the slightest symptoms of discomfort and contact us immediately. We will help recognize the disease at an early stage and cure it before it becomes invincible.
Thoracic osteochondrosis symptoms
And to make it easier for you to understand that it's time to see a specialist, pay special attention to the "brighter" signs of osteochondrosis.
Thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which depend on which part of the spine is affected by the deformity, most often manifests itself with discomfort and pain in the back. There can also be severe pain between the shoulder blades, the intercostal spaces. Pain can be localized along the thoracic spine, aggravated by movement.
Not only can back pain signal a problem. If your heart, nerves, liver, other internal organs are "playing tricks, " this can also be a warning "bell".
The main symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis:
- reduced mobility of the thoracic spine. However, this is not always a symptom of osteochondrosis. Such signs also manifest themselves in Bechterew's disease, scoliosis and other spinal deformities, Forestier's disease, etc. An x-ray is needed to accurately determine the causes of the pain. By contacting specialized professionals, you can undergo an X-ray examination directly at our center and immediately receive an expert opinion;
- pain in the chest, behind the breastbone, more often to the left. Similar symptoms appear in ischemic heart disease. Therefore, to clarify the details, you will need an ECG, ECG. You can also examine them in a specialized clinic;
- pain in the interscapular space. It can be a pain of a painful or stabbing nature, made worse by walking, bending over, inhaling and exhaling.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the treatment of which is mainly aimed at relieving pain, perfectly masks itself from other diseases and is very easy to confuse. To prevent this from happening, you need to go through a series of simple tests. Based on their results, our specialist will determine the exact cause of your problem and find a way to fix it.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which should be made by an experienced doctor, is a serious disease. Don't try to self-medicate.
But you can independently find out how high the risk of osteochondrosis is if you pay attention to your lifestyle, posture and the condition of different parts of the body.
Posture. Stand with your back to the wall, without shoes. Your body should be in contact with the wall in five places: the back of the head, shoulders, buttocks, calves and heels. Stay in this position for 3-4 minutes. If you feel comfortable in this position, congratulations - there's no reason to worry. If you feel tension in different parts of the body, we will continue the diagnosis further.
cervical
The seventh cervical process is considered the beginning, which is visually visible and should be well perceived during palpation, the remaining processes should be the same size and be at the same distance from each other. If the vertebrae are poorly palpable, merge into a single "column" or their displacement is clearly visible - there is cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which are indicated above.
Headache, nervousness and depression, thyroid problems, hearing and vision disorders, numbness of the hands and fingers, and hypertension can be a consequence of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis.
thoracic
The vertebrae of the thoracic region should normally be in a recess and have the correct "in-line" arrangement. They shouldn't protrude when tilted and stand out on the skin. But osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which should also be made by a doctor, occurs more often in people employed in the office. This is sedentary work during the day, sitting at the computer, studying. Athletes who lift weights also often suffer from osteochondrosis. People who have problems with the thoracic spine often suffer from colds: bronchitis, pleurisy, cough, pneumonia.
The diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis consists, first of all, of a thorough medical examination. If the symptoms of the disease are clearly expressed, the diagnosis can be made on the basis of the complaints, examination, medical history of the patient, as well as the results of MRI and radiography. The images allow you to clearly see how deformed the intervertebral discs are.
Lumbar
Clear evidence of lumbar osteochondrosis are the deposits on the sides, which visually "push" the waist up. The person's posture has clearly changed. The results of MRI in these cases diagnose the presence of disc herniation and Schmorl's hernia. Violation of a lumbar hernia can lead to paralysis of the legs, and neoplasms can degenerate into cancerous tumors.
sacral department
How often do babies fall on the tailbone? Often. In this case, parents rarely take the child to the doctor. After all, such a bruise is taken for granted. And this is wrong. Indeed, bruises are dangerous. They can lead to a curvature of the bones, in which salt deposits build up. Osteochondrosis of the sacral region leads to hemorrhoids, constipation, varicose veins of the lower extremities, osteoarthritis.
So, when you independently examine your spine, you can draw conclusions about the presence of deviations in the body. But remember that the final diagnosis is still made by the doctor.
In medical centers you are waiting for real professionals, specialists of the highest category. You will be offered truly high quality medical services that will solve all your problems.
The center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that recognizes any pathology in the initial phase. Furthermore, in our center it is possible to undergo any type of laboratory test: from the presence of blood sugar to the execution of tests for the detection of sexually transmitted diseases.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
The treatment of any disease consists, first of all, in the elimination of the causes that caused it. And, of course, in parallel with this, specialists conduct treatment that eliminates the symptoms of pathology. Only such complex therapy will help to achieve recovery.
If the doctor diagnosed osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, the treatment can be pharmacological and reflex.
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, as a rule, is used in the stage of exacerbation. To stop the attack, analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, sedatives and corticosteroids are used.
In addition to medications prescribed orally, the doctor may prescribe local blockages with lidocaine or novocaine. Drugs with a strong anti-inflammatory effect affect the main links of the pathogenesis of pain, so relief comes almost immediately.
In the complex treatment of osteochondrosis, muscle relaxants, herbal preparations, antidepressants are added.
Reflexotherapy is performed in the phase of remission, and the main role in treatment is occupied by reflexology, acupuncture, magnetopuncture, manual massage. These procedures reduce the dosage of drugs and permanently fix the effect of the treatment.
Specialists will help you at each stage of the disease: from early diagnosis to the treatment of complex cases. Neuropathologists and therapists, massage therapists and reflexologists are at your service. Also, if necessary, doctors of other specializations working in our center will join the process of your treatment.
Your health is in your hands. Ask for help first, first we can help you.