Osteochondrosis refers to degenerative diseases in the spine, which includes
dystrophy, deformation and gradual removal of spinal discs.This can cause pain, a number of unpleasant consequences, and in advanced cases, even disability.It is important to pay attention to your health and immediately consult a doctor if suspicious symptoms appear.
The cervical and thoracic spine are less frequently affected than the lumbar spine, but the occurrence of osteochondrosis in these areas can have serious consequences.Due to the proximity of the cervical spine to the head, sometimes there is a violation of the blood supply to the brain, which causes many complications.In addition, these changes can cause damage to the nerve roots, causing the patient to feel severe pain and numbness.
Reasons for appearance
Osteochondrosis occurs in many people, especially nowadays, when city dwellers seriously lack physical activity, proper nutrition and posture.The reasons that can trigger the development of osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic regions include:
- age -related changes;
- genetic tendencies;
- lifestyle that does not move much, lack of physical activity;
- posture disorders;
- serious overweight;
- injury;
- excess load;
- flat legs and other imperfections in the musculoskeletal system;
- stress and bad habits;
- back hypothermia and prolonged exposure to cold.
Recently, osteochondrosis is increasingly seen in young people, which is mainly caused by an unhealthy lifestyle.
Symptoms of osteochondrosis cervicothoracic
Like most chronic diseases, osteochondrosis in cervical and thoracic areas is quite dangerous and does not appear directly.In the early stages, patients may feel nothing but periodic discomfort in the spine, but as the disease development, the symptoms worsen:
- pain in the head or neck, which sometimes radiates to the shoulder girdle and upper limbs and, depending on the course of the disease, can be acute and aching or aching, dull, appearing over several periods;
- dizziness, vision and hearing disorders, motor coordination;
- numbness, burning or tingling in the upper limb;
- Asthenia, fatigue, loss of normal work capacity;
- Intercostal neuralgia, pain in the heart area, changes in pressure.
Most negative symptoms are caused by the fact that the disabled spine area compresses blood vessels and nerve roots, so that the normally disrupted function.Furthermore, these complications can cause serious disorders in the body and even disability if treatment is timely not starting.
Diagnosis and treatment
The doctor began to suspect patients suffering from osteochondrosis based on their complaints and medical history collected.To confirm or deny the diagnosis, specialists determine diagnostic measures, which are mainly spinal radiography in frontal and lateral projections.To obtain more detailed information, CT and MRI are carried out: Both help track complications in a timely manner.
For osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, complex treatment is prescribed.Typically, this covers several key areas:
- drug therapy especially painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce pain;in addition, muscle relaxants are often prescribed to relieve muscle spasms, chondroprotectors to strengthen cartilage tissue and B vitamins, which improve the condition of nervous tissue;
- physiotherapy includes massage and other procedures (ultrasound, magnetic therapy, etc.) aimed at improving the condition of the spine and eliminating mobility limitations;
- Physical therapy allows you to activate blood flow, strengthen muscles, thus eliminating excess stress of the spine, tightening the body and improving body posture;It also helps reduce pressure on nerve roots.
Spinal stretching procedures are performed periodically to return it to its original shape.