Thoracic osteochondrosis is manifested by dystrophic degenerative changes on the intervertebral discs. This pathology affects the intervertebral discs of the thoracic spine, which includes 12 vertebrae. This area has a strong muscular area and is considered the least mobile, so osteonecrosis is very rare on it.
The development of osteonecrosis in the thoracic region is accompanied by compression of the spinal cord. This complication is caused by the narrowing of the spinal canal in this area of the spine. Spinal cord compression is a very dangerous condition that can cause the development of diseases of the kidneys, heart, pancreas, liver. To avoid such complications, it is necessary to start the treatment of the disease in a timely manner.
Reason
Causes of thoracic and cervical osteonecrosis are located in:
- dystrophic changes in tissues;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- scoliosis;
- unreasonable load on disk;
- Malnutrition;
- in an uncomfortable position for a long time (while sitting at a desk, driving a car).
Pain characteristics of a medical condition
The disease has similar symptoms to other diseases. For this reason, it is often referred to as "chameleon disease". Pain in osteosarcoma of this spine is almost the same as in the following diseases:
- kidney pain;
- Peptic ulcer;
- heart-related diseaes;
- appendicitis;
- colitis;
- gastritis.
Therefore, to differentiate it from thoracic osteosarcoma, a thorough diagnosis is required.
The main symptom is the presence of pain, discomfort. These include areas such as:
- backside;
- heart;
- edge;
- Breast;
- upper abdomen.
When inhaling, exhaling as well as when moving, there are signs of increased pain due to thoracic bone necrosis. The patient may feel numbness in the left arm, between the shoulder blades.
There is also pain spreading to the shoulder blades. These painful sensations are similar to intercostal neuralgia. The pain of osteonecrosis in the chest is worse at night.
For this reason, patients often mistake such a condition for a symptom of a heart attack, angina. Pain in thoracic osteonecrosis due to an attack of angina is distinguished by the inability to stop with nitroglycerin, the absence of any pathologic findings on the electrocardiogram suggesting a pathology of the cardiovascular system.
Pathology causes symptoms similar to diseases of the cardiovascular system. As a result, patients often start self-medicating with heart medications, which do not bring about any remission.
Symptoms of pathology on the intervertebral disc depend on the mechanism caused by the pathological process, the location of the disease. Compression of the spinal roots has a significant effect. Sometimes, compression of the spinal cord with its characteristic pain sensation serves as a complication of this pathology.
Symptoms of a disease that develops in the neck, chest
The cervical region includes 7 vertebrae, and the thoracic region includes 12. With the development of cervical osteonecrosis, the patient presents with a wide range of symptoms. This disease, due to its manifestations, can be confused with such pathologies as:
- heart attack;
- violation of cerebral circulation;
- tooth decay;
- vegetative dystonia;
- chest pain.
Cervical osteosarcoma presents with pain in:
- backside
- neck
- tooth;
- the head;
- upper limb;
- Stomach
- shoulder shoes;
- chest;
- regions of the heart.
In addition to pain, cervical osteonecrosis manifests in:
- numbness in the neck, abdomen, chest;
- Ringing in the ear;
- decrease in working capacity;
- "Goosebumps" in front of your eyes;
- sleep disorders;
- potency disorder (in men);
- dizzy;
- irritability;
- hypertension.
Symptoms appear during compression of lenticular structures
Cervical-thoracic osteosarcoma with lens syndrome presents with severe pain, whose characteristics vary depending on the affected segment.
Often it presents as an etiological disease, occurring mainly with disc herniation. Patients experience symptoms of myopathy after exertion. Their slow growth is noted for several weeks.
When there is a relationship between thoracic bone tumor and herniation, disc protrusion, the patient will have obvious pain in the following areas:
- shoulder;
- stomach;
- shoulder;
- rib frame;
- shoulder.
Symptoms of the disease also depend on the direction of hernia (lateral, lateral). If there is a complication of hernia on one side, there will be pain on one side of the hernia, loss of sensation at the place. Coughing increases pain as well as spinal mobility.
If osteonecrosis is accompanied by mediastinal hernia, the patient is disturbed by persistent pain that can last for weeks. The main danger of this condition is compression of the spinal cord.
If thoracic osteonecrosis is accompanied by spinal cord compression, the patient will experience:
- disorders of the pelvic organs;
- local, back pain;
- weakness in the legs;
- pain in the intercostal region, abdomen, groin;
- numb.
Vesicular syndrome with localization of pathology in the chest area
With osteonecrosis of the thoracic region, the patient has lens syndrome. It manifests as pain that increases with movement, is intense, and is reflected in other organs.
Blister syndrome in this area has different manifestations:
- numbness in armpit, shoulder blade, hand, pharynx (with failure 1);
- pain in the armpit, shoulder blade, breastbone, dry throat, slightly prolapsed, pain in the stomach, esophagus (2-6 segments);
- paresthesia, muscle tension in shoulder blades, ribs, epigastrium. There are also pains in the heart, stomach (7-8 segments);
- back pain, paresthesia from lower ribs to navel. Muscle tone also increases, cramping pain in the stomach and intestines (9-10 segments);
- paresthesia from navel to groin. There may be a feeling of heaviness in the intestines, stomach (11-12 segments).
Lens syndrome with localization of pathology in the neck
With lens syndrome of the cervical spine, the following symptoms appear:
- paresthesia on the crown, nape (with defeat of paragraph 1);
- paresthesia on the apex, posterior to the head + hypotonia of the chin muscles, manifested in drooping (paragraph 2);
- language paresthesias, speech defects (segment 3);
- pain in the heart, liver (paragraph 4);
- weakness, pain in the shoulder and arm joints (paragraph 5);
- pain to the thumb on the hand. There is weakness when raising the arm. Its cause is decreased tone of the biceps (paragraph 6);
- weakness in the neck, shoulders, shoulder blades, forearms, arms, second and third fingers (paragraph 7);
- pain up to the little finger (paragraph 8).
Characteristics of symptoms in women
Symptoms of the disease largely depend on the sensitivity of the patient, his individual characteristics. Symptoms of thoracic osteonecrosis are more pronounced in women than in men.
This is because women's bodies are more sensitive than men's.
Parts of the female spine are thinner, much smaller, which contributes to the rapid manifestation of the symptoms of the degenerative-dystrophic process. Let's look at the presentation of thoracic cystic fibrosis in women.
The vertebral symptoms of the disease are:
- pain when raising the arm;
- chest pain;
- Feeling of tightness in the chest;
- localized pain between the shoulder blades;
- accompanied by a deep breath with severe pain;
- turn-based cushioning, tilting with aching sensations.
Each of these symptoms is related to an inflammatory process inside the spine. If the disease is accompanied by the development of a herniated disc, other signs of the disease that are characteristic of neurological and vascular disorders also participate in the above signs of the disease:
- itching, cold, burning in the lower extremities;
- numb skin, feeling "goosebumps";
- fragility of nails;
- hurt;
- disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
- shedding of the epithelium.
Symptoms in women resemble diseases of the mammary glands. For this reason, the disease in question requires additional diagnostic methods.
In men, thoracic osteonecrosis occurs less frequently than in women. This is due to anatomical features, including the strength of the elements of the spine. In men, symptoms are only supplemented by potency disturbances.