One of the most common causes of back pain is osteochondrosis. This is the name of a disease of the spine, in which the intervertebral discs are affected. With such an injury, the discs peel off, deform, change in height. Hence the pain.
According to statistics, almost 80% of the inhabitants of the world suffer from this pathology to one degree or another. An impressive number! Its "terrifying size" is quite simple to explain.
Answer some questions. Do you lead a passive rather than an active way of life? Would you rather travel by car than on foot? Do you spend a lot of time at the computer, sitting in one position? If you said more "yes" than "no", unfortunately, you have every chance of getting osteochondrosis sooner rather than 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 heal.
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 entire body, and the violation of its functions negatively affects the entire body.
Experts in the treatment of osteochondrosis urge you to be more attentive to yourself and your health. Observe the slightest symptoms of discomfort and contact us immediately. We will help to recognize the disease at an early stage and cure it before it becomes invincible.
Symptoms of Thoracic Osteochondrosis
And to make it easier 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 deformity, is most often manifested by discomfort and back pain. It can also be a sharp pain between the shoulder blades, intercostal spaces. The pain may 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 pranks", this can also be a warning "bell".
The main symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis:
- decreased mobility in 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 needed to accurately determine the causes of pain. Using professional specialists, you can undergo an X-ray examination directly at our center and immediately receive an expert opinion;
- pain in the chest, behind the sternum, more often on the left. Similar symptoms appear in ischemic heart disease. So, to clarify the details, you will need an ECG, ECG. You can also go through them at a specialist clinic;
- pain in the interscapular space. It can be a pain of a painful or sharp nature, aggravated by walking, bending over, inhaling and exhaling.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the treatment of which is mainly aimed at relieving pain, perfectly disguises itself as other diseases and is very easy to confuse. To prevent this from happening, you need to pass a series of simple exams. Based on your results, our specialist will determine the exact cause of your problem and find a way to resolve it.
Diagnosis of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which must be carried out by an experienced doctor, is a serious disease. Do not try to self-medicate.
But you can independently find out how high your risk of osteochondrosis is if you pay attention to your lifestyle, posture, and the condition of different parts of your body.
Posture. Stand with your back to the wall, no shoes. Your body should be in contact with the wall at five points: the back of your head, shoulders, buttocks, calves and heels. Stay in this position for 3-4 minutes. If you're comfortable in that position, congratulations - there's nothing to worry about. If you feel tension in different parts of the body, we will continue the diagnosis.
cervical
The beginning is considered the seventh cervical process, which is visually visible and must be well felt on palpation, the other processes must be the same size and at the same distance from each other. If the vertebrae are barely palpable, they 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 vision impairment, numbness of the hands and fingers, and hypertension can all be a consequence of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis.
thoracic
The vertebrae in the thoracic region should normally be recessed and correctly arranged "in a row". They should not stand out when tilted and stand out against the skin. But osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, the diagnosis of which must also be carried out 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 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, in a complete medical examination. If the symptoms of the disease are clearly expressed, the diagnosis can be made based on the patient's complaints, examination, medical history, as well as the MRI and X-ray results. The images allow you to clearly see how much the intervertebral discs are deformed.
Low back
Clear evidence of osteochondrosis of the lumbar region is deposits on the sides, visually "pushing" the waist up. The person's posture is clearly altered. The MRI results in these cases diagnose the presence of 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.
sacral department
How often do babies fall on the tailbone? Oftentimes. In this case, parents rarely take the baby to the doctor. After all, such a bruise is a given. And that's wrong. In fact, 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, arthrosis.
Therefore, 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 wait for real professionals, specialists of the highest category. You will be offered truly high quality medical services that will solve any of your problems.
The center is equipped with advanced equipment that recognizes any pathology at an early stage. Also in our center you can carry out any type of laboratory tests: from the presence of sugar in the blood to carrying out tests for the detection of STDs.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region
The treatment of any disease consists, in the first place, in eliminating the causes that caused it. And, of course, in parallel with this, specialists carry out a treatment that eliminates the symptoms of the pathology. Only this complex therapy will help to achieve recovery.
If the doctor has diagnosed osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, treatment can be drug and reflex.
Drug treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, as a rule, is used at the stage of exacerbation. To stop the attack, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, sedatives and corticosteroids are used.
In addition to drugs prescribed by mouth, the doctor may prescribe local blocks with lidocaine or novocaine. Drugs with a strong anti-inflammatory effect affect key links in the pathogenesis of pain, so relief comes almost immediately.
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 drug dosage and permanently fix the effect of the treatment.
Specialists will help you at any stage of the disease: from early diagnosis to the treatment of complex cases. Neuropathologists and therapists, massage therapists and reflexologists are at your service. In addition, if necessary, doctors of other specializations working at our center will join the process of your treatment.
Your health is in your hands. The sooner you ask for help, the sooner we can help you.