Treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest

25 January 2024

Osteochondrosis is wear and tear of the intervertebral discs, which leads to degenerative organic changes in the spine. Osteochondrosis of the chest is considered the rarest, since this part is the least mobile due to its connection with the ribs. But this is the most insidious and severe and develops earlier than the other types. Treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest is characterized by an integrated approach and leads to good results. With a competent approach to therapy, a person can regain mobility, ease and life without pain.

reasons

The main factors provoking the development of osteochondrosis of the chest include:

Kyphosis and scoliosis. These diseases often accompany a person from birth, as an anatomical anomaly. If kyphosis is smoothed out, then a person may not know about its existence for half of his life. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that leads to a disordered distribution of muscle load. As a result, on the one hand, the muscles will be atrophied and relaxed, and on the other hand, they will be spasmed due to constant tension.
Injuries. They may be evident when a person injures the vertebrae in a fall, accident, or other similar circumstances. Injuries may not be noticeable. For example, spinal injuries are common due to overuse in the gym and heavy lifting.
Flat steps. Some doctors claim that this is almost the main reason for the development of degenerative changes in any part of the spine. Flat feet disrupt the balancing of the muscle corset, improper redistribution of the load leads to impaired cushioning of the vertebrae.
Static incorrect position of the body for a long time. As a result of muscle overexertion, blood circulation and nutrition of muscle tissue deteriorate. Namely, they hold the spine. This is the cause not only of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, but also of the cervical and lumbar spine.
Overweight and lack of sufficient physical activity.
stress. Stress itself is not as dangerous as the reaction to it. During times of stress, the adrenal glands produce excessive amounts of adrenaline, which is transformed into norepinephrine. It promotes the thickening of blood vessel walls and the progression of atherosclerosis. Under stressful conditions, the blood vessels narrow, which leads to a poor supply of oxygen to the muscle tissue.
Alcohol consumption, smoking, use of other drugs and improper diet. Alcohol leaches calcium from bone tissue. Tobacco and other drugs cause blood vessels to malfunction. Serious mistakes in nutrition lead to obesity, lack of B vitamins and minerals.
Improper wearing of bags and shoes.
Gastrointestinal diseases that affect the quality of absorption of nutrients.
Violation of the water-electrolyte balance for a long period of time.
Pregnancy Thoracic osteochondrosis often occurs in women pregnant with twins or triplets.
Metabolic syndrome.
Autoimmune diseases, infections, intoxications.
A genetic predisposition associated with a genetic mutation. You should not think that genetic predisposition is necessarily related to the fact that one of your close relatives suffered from osteochondrosis. It often has nothing to do with genetics. A genetic predisposition is always a mutation of certain genes. But despite this, the disease will develop only in combination with other factors.

The disease can appear both in adulthood and in youth. Every year the disease becomes younger and younger. Therefore, it is important to recognize the problem as early as possible by paying attention to the symptoms.

Symptoms

Degenerative changes in the chest cause great anxiety to a person. The thoracic region contains the heart, lungs, internal organs of the abdominal cavity, ribs, and in women, the mammary glands. Symptoms at this location may be similar to an attack of angina pectoris, a heart attack, or pain in the stomach, mammary glands, or other adjacent organ. Therefore, when osteochondrosis is felt, it is often confused with other dangerous pathologies.

Symptoms and treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest are interconnected due to two types of clinical picture.

Radicular signs

Radicular symptoms:

shooting pain or pain in the shoulder, armpit, or collarbone;
impaired reflexes;
muscle weakness;
heart attack-like pain in the upper chest, in the solar plexus, in the hypochondrium, pain in the mammary glands, in the upper abdomen or in the groin.

Reflex signs

Symptoms:

respiratory disorders such as a feeling of lack of air, pain during inhalation and exhalation, difficulty breathing;
feeling of chills, "goosebumps";
a feeling of disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, loss of appetite, heartburn, diarrhea or constipation, bloating;
intercostal neuralgia;
pain in the chest of a dangerous nature, between the shoulder blades, during bending and standing;
insomnia, feeling tired with enough sleep, fatigue;
stiffness of movements in the morning;
deterioration of gait;
irritability;
decreased libido/potency.

Reflex symptoms are more vague than root symptoms and are often misunderstood by doctors. Therefore, it is very important to find a competent doctor who will take the patient's complaints seriously and prescribe the correct treatment for thoracic osteochondrosis, especially during an exacerbation.

Diagnosis

The gold standard for diagnosing thoracic osteochondrosis is an MRI of the chest and an examination by a neurologist.

MRI shows precisely the anatomical structure, changes, compression, blood flow and a visual picture of the impact on the spinal cord. Also, the study demonstrated possible complications of the disease such as protrusions, osteophytes, hernias and their impact on blood flow.

As before, the examination by a competent doctor plays an important role in establishing the diagnosis.

Treatment

Many have heard that it is impossible to completely get rid of osteochondrosis, but you can only slow down its development. That's a half-truth. You can get rid of hernia, osteophytes and other complications of the disease. You can regain your life without pain and ease of movement and restore intervertebral discs. There is a good chance that you can stop the destruction process by returning the spine to its previous state as much as possible. Some people managed to completely get rid of the pathology, while others did not. Everything is individual and depends on the state of health, readiness to overcome difficulties and patience.

You should be prepared for the fact that the treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest will take a long time. On average, active participation will require 1-3 months. But even then, life will no longer be the same due to the need for regular and proper physical activity for at least a year.

In this case, finances and time are not an excuse for refusing treatment, since you can fight the disease both in a hospital or sanatorium and at home. The most convenient option is in a sanatorium. There, the patient is supported by a group of people with the same problems, but the conditions are positive and homely. The medical staff is always tactful and caring. There you can relax and be treated without a hospital atmosphere, but with all the necessary medical services.

The therapy consists of several stages:

eliminating pain (wearing a special corset, taking painkillers, undergoing procedures);
restoration of the damaged spinal discs and preventive measures against the progression of the disease (physiotherapy, gymnastics, proper nutrition, help from a psychologist).

Medical treatment is also used, but it is considered a last resort when other methods do not help. In the most severe cases and dangerous hernias, surgery is prescribed.

The most important rule is no self-medication or self-diagnosis. Mistakes can be very costly.

Treatment at home

If you do not have time or do not have enough financial means for treatment in a clinic or sanatorium, you can achieve impressive results to get rid of osteochondrosis at home. The recommendations below will help you cope with the disease.

Eating

It is necessary to introduce into the diet foods that help to accelerate the metabolism in case of excess weight and the regeneration of cartilage tissue. It is important that the food you take is rich in nutrients, trace elements, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and is easily digestible.

You should eat 4-5 times a day every 2, 5-3 hours, preferably at the same time. Portions should be no more than 300 g, so as not to overload the stomach and liver. Three meals should contain 26-30 g of protein. Protein is essential for building muscle tissue. Thus, the metabolism will speed up, the body will stop accumulating fat and the cells will receive constant nutrition.

The first breakfast and dinner should be mostly protein. For example, egg white and cucumber. The main principle of the first and last meal is the absence of insulin peaks, which is achieved by eliminating carbohydrates. Cucumber, despite being a carbohydrate, has a low glycemic index. Protein without a small amount of fat and carbohydrates is not digested.

Physical exercises

Physical exercises are an integral part of the treatment of osteochondrosis of any part of the spine. The following techniques may be included:

Gymnastics developed by scientist Yuriy Gushcho. It includes elements of dynamic and static yoga. He also advises conducting hardening procedures. If you are interested, you can read his book "12 Keys to the Longevity Safe", in which he talks about what to do to live as long as possible while being active. It makes sense to trust him, because Yuri himselfrose from a wheelchair and recovered from coxarthrosis. He has many awards, thanks from the President of the Russian Federation.
Gymnastics according to the technologies of Dr. Bubnovsky. His technique is quite effective and can be done at home. On the Internet you can find a set of exercises in video format, there are also books with full instructions.
Swimming pool. Swimming not only helps you lose weight, but also strengthens the heart, lungs and develops the back muscles.
Isometric gymnastics. This type of exercise was first developed for astronauts returning home. Exercises allow, without damaging the joints, to restore weakened muscles, restore flexibility and ease of movement. Gymnastics is indicated for many pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, including osteochondrosis of the chest.
Outdoor walks. It is recommended to set aside an hour every day for intensive walks, preferably in park areas or along the coast. The goal is to improve cerebral circulation, muscle nutrition and mood.
Exercises to correct posture.

Complete rest

It is imperative that you develop the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time. Ideally, go to bed at 9pm and wake up at 5-6am. During this time, the brain manages to restore the functioning of the body's internal systems, the psyche and process all the information it received the day before. This is especially important for the health of the spine.

To sleep, you need to choose the right mattress and pillow. It is better to forget about too soft or hard options.

Treatment in a hospital or sanatorium

Manual therapy

This is an impact on the patient's body with the help of the hands to restore the metabolism and give the correct shape to the spine. The procedure consists of manipulations to restore joint function, relaxing massage to relieve pain and muscle tension, mobilization to improve blood circulation and relaxation.

The duration of treatment is about 3 months.

Massage

In the treatment of degenerative changes in the chest, both classical therapeutic and acupressure types of massage are used. The massage therapist works with the muscle fibers of the upper back and shoulders to affect the chest area.

Mineral baths

During the procedure, the hemodynamics of the body changes. This means that the blood is directed from the center to the periphery and from there to the heart, which propels it through all the organs and tissues. Thus the following effects are achieved:

blood circulation improves;
the nervous system is strengthened;
The respiratory system and kidneys work better;
the adaptive properties of the body increase;
reducing inflammation;
pain relief;
removal of toxins;
skin sensitivity increases.

The chemical composition of the water affects the effect of the mineral bath on the body of a patient suffering from osteochondrosis. Water temperature affects muscle relaxation and metabolic processes.

Acupuncture

Also, this procedure is called acupuncture or acupuncture. Its essence consists in the impact of biological points on the human body with the help of needles. Long and short sterile needles are inserted to a depth of up to 15 mm and left for half an hour.

This seemingly simple procedure has proven itself all over the world. Patient reviews show the following effects after completing a course of acupuncture procedures:

relaxation;
stop tinnitus and vertigo;
increase in energy potential;
improved blood flow;
improving thought processes;
eliminate headaches;
relieving muscle spasms.

Laser therapy

The advantage of laser therapy is improving the penetration of drugs and normalizing the adaptive properties of the body. During the procedure, laser beams of a certain range are exposed to the areas of the spine that need treatment. The result of exposure is an anti-inflammatory effect, normalization of metabolism in the affected area, improvement of general well-being, the process of tissue regeneration begins and the process of degeneration stops.

As a result of completing a full course of procedures as part of complex therapy, the degenerative process can be completely reversed.

Mud treatment

This procedure is useful not only for the spine, but also for the whole body. The only thing is that it cannot be used in the acute phase of osteochondrosis.

The effects of mud treatment include improving the trophic of formations in the intervertebral joints, vascular function, adaptation and recovery processes. Also, the functioning of the nervous system normalizes, the pain disappears.

Work with a psychologist

Since with osteochondrosis a person experiences constant stress, anxiety states often develop. The psychologist not only helps to get rid of them, but also stimulates in moments of despair and fatigue. A positive attitude plays an important role in healing.

Exercise therapy

The treatment procedure is carried out in groups of several people and includes exercises tailored to the individual characteristics of the patient and his medical history. The emphasis is on improving joint function and strengthening the muscular corset. Without exercise, full recovery is unlikely.

nordic walking

This is one of the most effective types of physical activity for osteochondrosis and is gaining more and more popularity every year.

When walking with poles, 90% of the muscles are toned, active burning of calories occurs, the load is distributed evenly in the body, the cardiovascular system is strengthened, the work of the intestines is improved, the nervous system and psyche are strengthened, the functions of the respiratory system are improved, insomnia disappears, blood vessels strengthen, a strong corset forms around the chest.

Drug therapy

Drug therapy is used only in the acute phase of osteochondrosis and when other methods of treatment are ineffective.

At the height of the disease, pain relievers are prescribed, as well as drugs that accelerate metabolic processes. Both medicines in the form of tablets and injections help.

Prescribed drug groups:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that also relieve pain. It is available in the form of cream, tablets and ampoules for intravenous or subcutaneous administration.
Vasodilators. During muscle tension and severe pain, vasoconstriction occurs, as a result of which the blood pressure can increase and it becomes difficult to supply the brain with oxygen. Vasodilators return the vascular tone to normal.
Muscle relaxants. This group of drugs is designed to relax and calm tense muscles. This effect causes a chain of beneficial changes such as improved blood circulation, regulation of vascular tone and pain relief. When blood flow is normalized, damaged tissues recover faster.
Chondroprotectors and vitamins of group B. These are drugs that restore cartilage tissue, stopping the destruction process.
Complex of sedatives. The stress of pain makes the pain worse. Irritability and anxiety activate the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in even greater muscle and blood vessel tone. Sedatives and sometimes antidepressants can break this vicious cycle.

As you can see, the treatment of osteochondrosis should be approached comprehensively, after all the nuances have been studied. It is best to turn to specialists, thus protecting yourself from mistakes.