Osteochondrosis is one of the most common causes of back pain. This is the name of a disease of the spine, in which the intervertebral discs are affected. With such a lesion, the discs peel off, deform, change their height. Hence the pain.
According to statistics, almost 80% of the inhabitants of the planet suffer from this pathology to one degree or another. An impressive number! Its "terrifying size" is easy enough to explain.
Answer a few questions. Do you lead a more passive than active lifestyle? Prefer to travel by car rather than on foot? Do you spend a lot of time in front of the computer, sitting in one position? If you said more "yes" than "no", unfortunately, you have every chance of getting 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, the 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 negatively affects the whole body.
Specialists in the treatment of osteochondrosis invite 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.
Symptoms of chest osteochondrosis
And to make it easier for you to understand that it's time to consult a specialist, pay special attention to the most "bright" signs of osteochondrosis.
Thoracic osteochondrosis, the symptoms of which depend on which part of the spine is affected by the deformation, is most often manifested by discomfort and pain in the back. It can also be a sharp pain between the shoulder blades, the intercostal spaces. The pain may be localized along the thoracic spine, aggravated by movement.
Not only back pain can 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:
- decreased mobility of the thoracic spine. However, this is not always a symptom of osteochondrosis. Such signs are also manifested in Bechterew's disease, in scoliosis and other spinal deformities, in Forestier's disease, etc. An X-ray is necessary to accurately determine the causes of the pain. By referring to professional specialists, you can undergo an X-ray examination directly in our center and receive an expert opinion immediately;
- pain in the chest, behind the sternum, more often on the left. Similar symptoms appear in ischemic heart disease. Therefore, to clarify the details, you will need an ECG, ECG. You can also go through them in a specialized clinic;
- pain in the interscapular space. It can be a pain of an aching or stabbing nature, aggravated by walking, bending, inhaling and exhaling.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the treatment of which is primarily aimed at relieving pain, perfectly disguises itself as other diseases and is very easy to confuse. To prevent this from happening, you need to go through a series of simple exams. 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 chest region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which should be carried out by an experienced doctor, is a serious disease. Do not try to self-medicate.
But you can independently determine the risk of osteochondrosis if you pay attention to your lifestyle, posture and the condition of individual parts of the body.
Posture. Stand with your back to the wall, without shoes. Your body should be in contact with the wall at five points: the back of the head, the shoulders, the buttocks, the calves and the heels. Stay in this position for 3-4 minutes. If you're comfortable in this position, congratulations - there's nothing to worry about. 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 felt during palpation, the remaining processes should be the same size and 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.
Headaches, nervousness and depression, problems with the thyroid gland, hearing and visual impairment, numbness of the hands and fingers and hypertension can be a consequence of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis.
Thoracic
The vertebrae in the thoracic region should normally be in a recess and have the correct "in-line" arrangement. They should not protrude when tilted and stand out on the skin. But osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which should also be carried out by a doctor, most often occurs in people who are employed in the office. It's a sedentary job during the day, sitting in front of the computer, studying. Athletes who lift weights also often suffer from osteochondrosis. People who have thoracic spine problems often suffer from colds: bronchitis, pleurisy, cough, pneumonia.
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 complaints, examination, the patient's medical history, as well as the results of MRI and X-ray. The images allow you to clearly see how deformed the intervertebral discs are.
Lumbar
A clear evidence of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is deposits on the sides, visually "pushing" the waist up. The posture of the person is clearly changed. The results of MRI in such cases diagnose the presence of a herniated disc and Schmorl's hernia. Violation of a lumbar hernia can lead to paralysis of the legs, and neoplasms can degenerate into cancerous tumors.
sacred department
How often do babies fall on the coccyx? Often. In this case, parents rarely take the baby to the doctor. After all, such a bruise is taken for granted. And it is wrong. In fact, bruises are dangerous. They can lead to a curvature of the bones, in which salt deposits then accumulate. Osteochondrosis of the sacral region leads to hemorrhoids, constipation, varicose veins of the lower extremities, arthrosis.
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 always made by the doctor.
In medical centers you expect real professionals, specialists of the highest category. You will be offered very high quality medical services that will solve any of your problems.
The center is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment that recognizes any pathology at the initial stage. Also in our center you can undergo any type of laboratory tests: from the presence of blood sugar to tests for the detection of STDs.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest region
The treatment of any disease consists, first of all, in eliminating the causes that caused it. And, of course, along with this, specialists carry out treatment that eliminates the symptoms of pathology. Only such a complex therapy will help in healing.
If the doctor has diagnosed osteochondrosis of the chest region, treatment can be drug and reflex.
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest region is usually used at the stage of exacerbation. To stop the attack, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, sedatives and corticosteroids are used.
In addition to prescribed oral medications, the doctor may prescribe local blockades with lidocaine or novocaine. Drugs with a strong anti-inflammatory effect affect the main links of pain pathogenesis, so the relief is almost immediate.
In the complex treatment of osteochondrosis, muscle relaxants, herbal preparations, antidepressants are added.
Reflex therapy is carried out at the stage of remission, and the main role in the treatment is occupied by reflexology, acupuncture, magnetopuncture, manual massage. These procedures reduce the dosage of drugs and permanently fix the effect of treatment.
Specialists will help you at all stages 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 who work in our center will join in the process of your treatment.
Your health is in your hands. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner we can help you.