The spinal column is made up of joints and vertebrae. Intervertebral discs and joint capsules provide depreciation, mobility and nutrition, cartilage structures with fluid inside. Ligaments support a complex structure of bone and cartilage tissue, limit hypermobility and reduce the risk of dislocation. Muscle tissue protects from damage and provides nutrients. For a number of reasons (age, injury, exhaustion, changes in metabolism), cartilage structures become blurred and thin. The joints fuse, the pressure on the spine changes.
Intervertebral discs are dense and durable formations that are damaged due to the incorrect position of the joints. When damaged, they leave their usual position, bulges appear, hernias, which put pressure on the nerve endings. The process of autoimmune reactions begins - the body perceives a hernia as a foreign formation that must be fought. Muscle spasms, blood circulation is disturbed, the person experiences pain. Often the pain radiates to the internal organs. Against the background of neuralgia, tachycardia, pain in the heart, lungs, and an unpleasant feeling in the stomach appear. In women, there is difficulty in raising the arm, tilting the head.
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic and cervicothoracic regions develops imperceptibly. Often the patient learns about the presence of a problem during the examination when it comes to complaints about the work of the heart. After examination, the neurologist makes a diagnosis of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis.
Cervico-thoracic osteochondrosis
The first symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis can be detected independently at home. A change in posture is the difficulty of keeping the back straight for a long time, discomfort in the shoulder blades, increased kyphosis, deviation of the spine. There are 2 tests to detect problems in yourself.
How to detect signs of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis:
Press your back against the wall as hard as possible. Pay attention to the distance between the lower back and the wall. Normally the back should be fully pressed against the wall. A large distance indicates the development of compensatory deviations - lordosis and kyphosis. Vertebrae and joints are mobile structures. Changes in one segment are compensated by flattening or deflection of the other. Changes in women occur during pregnancy, when the spine adjusts to the load of carrying a child. In women after 40 years, flattening of the lumbar region is often noted, developed kyphosis in the chest.
Stand up straight. As you inhale, stretch the top of your head and arms up, as you exhale, lean forward and reach the floor with your hands. Normally, the hands should freely touch the ground. If you're doing the exercise in front of a mirror, look at how straight your back is when you bend over.
Scoliosis, a problem with overweight, frequent colds make the situation worse, provoking a new exacerbation. Degenerative-dystrophic processes occur faster in weakened areas. Over time, the symptoms of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis become clearer:
- slouching, inability to control correct posture;
- the appearance of a widow's hump at the level of the 7th cervical vertebra;
- discomfort under the shoulder blade (usually right);
- chest pain when breathing deeply;
- difficulty in raising the arm, bringing the shoulder blades together;
- increased blood pressure, tachycardia.
Unfortunately, people do not always associate chest pain and symptoms of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine. After reading the available recipes, self-medication begins. Instead of massage and physical education, they take medication to reduce pressure. Instead of chondroprotectors, mustard plasters are placed on the chest area.
widow's hump
The hump, nape, widow's cross is an accumulation of fat in the cervicothoracic spine. The withers appear where the muscles are least developed. This is not just an aesthetic problem. Stagnation of the cervicothoracic region prevents free rotation of the head. In women with a widow's hump, the head hurts very often, blood pressure changes, and there is a feeling of lump in the throat. It is difficult to reduce and separate the shoulder blades, the hands go numb, the eyes darken, the hearing decreases, and when the head is turned a crunch is emitted.
The disease got its name because in women over 45 years of age, doctors noted the formation of a seal in the cervicothoracic region. Previously, at this age, women were widowed. Today, cross signs can be seen in young, overweight women. In men, the withers are not formed due to atomic features: developed trapezius, deltoid muscles and biceps.
Metabolic disorders, excess weight, physical inactivity, weakness of the muscles of the upper extremities form a wen. It is very difficult to get rid of the formed withers, it is necessary to do exercises, massage and follow a diet.
Bechterew's disease
A dangerous disease that occurs mainly in men, in which the muscles atrophy, the joints fuse. The biggest problem is that the disease is diagnosed in the later stages. It is very difficult to catch the moment of development, because patients come to a medical institution when the spine is already restricted.
The first symptoms of pain appear in the sacrum and finally reach the neck. The deflection in the cervico-thoracic region increases, the body leans forward, acquiring the position of the supplicant. Due to the change in the position of the chest, it becomes difficult to breathe. Irradiation of pain in the hands, increased blood pressure, muscle cramps torment the patient. Internal organs are affected: the heart, lungs, kidneys. Due to the wrong position, circulatory disorders damage the eyes.
Timely diagnosis allows you to start treatment at an early stage. Taking medications (painkillers, muscle relaxants), exercise therapy, physical therapy give good results. The patient needs to make a great effort to recover. In difficult situations, surgery is possible to eliminate immobility.
Hearing loss
With cervicothoracic osteochondrosis, blood circulation in the brain is disturbed. The blood in the vessels stagnates, noises and ringing in the ears begin. There is an audio problem. The brain compensates for this by creating ghost sounds. The experiments carried out showed that patients with circulatory disorders hear the sound, regardless of its presence. This is a protection system: if the ear cannot pick up some sounds from the outside world, the brain creates these sounds on its own.
Exacerbation of the disease is accompanied by congestion in the ears. In the presence of inflammatory processes - whistling, buzzing, buzzing. In addition to hearing, vision deteriorates, memory is impaired.
Heart problems
During a spasm, the muscles compress the vertebral artery, which carries blood to the brain. With a lack of nutritious fluid, the central nervous system gives a signal to increase the heart rate to increase pressure. The heart beats faster, stronger, the pressure increases, nutrition is restored.
Medications are taken to lower blood pressure - blood flow is reduced, the heart begins to beat faster again. Patients with osteochondrosis of the thoracic region rapidly develop cardiovascular diseases. They can be disturbed by a feeling of discomfort in the chest area, which is aggravated by moving the arms, taking deep breaths, turning, bending over.
Dorsalgia - back pain, appears due to pinching of the nerve roots. Reflex muscle contraction exacerbates the situation: blood flow is disturbed, edema appears. It is important to seek medical attention in time and see a doctor for help with regular pain.
Treatment of osteochondrosis
First aid for osteochondrosis is provided at home if you feel a sharp pain in the back, an unpleasant sensation in the chest area, it is difficult to raise your hand and move.
You need to take NSAIDs. Remember that with osteochondrosis, drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect help better. Pain relievers are less effective, although they have fewer side effects. Rub NSAID ointment or chondoprotective ointment on the site of inflammation. Massage movements will disperse the blood, relieve swelling, and the drug will help you survive the exacerbation. You need to move through the pain: make circular movements with your hands, head, hips, bring your shoulder blades together. Stretch your back by leaning on a table or chair.
Hot compresses are not recommended. After all, the blood will flow faster to the place of edema, it will not be able to pass through the vessels due to muscle spasm. As a result, the swelling will increase and the inflammation will spread. For pain in the thoracic region, stretch the spine on the horizontal bar or with a Glisson loop. Active traction correction is used only with well-developed muscles, and it is also not necessary to strive for a state of complete rest.
If the exacerbation recurs within a month, it is better to see a doctor for examination, diagnosis and treatment. It is impossible to fully recover from osteochondrosis - there is no technique that will allow you to turn back the clock and stop the degenerative processes.
But there are techniques that will help you cope with the pain and adapt to ongoing changes. These are pharmacological treatment, massage, physiotherapy, manual therapy, vertebrorevitology, acupuncture and kinesiology.
After making a diagnosis, the doctor will choose a recovery option: he will prescribe the necessary drugs that will help you survive the exacerbation, recommend procedures and manipulations for recovery.