Osteochondrosis of the spine is the most common cause of back pain. According to statistics, more than half of people over the age of 40 suffer from a similar disease, and its early manifestations already occur in the second and third decades of life. At the same time, it is almost impossible to treat the disease - it becomes chronic. The disease itself affects the intervertebral discs and cartilage that compress the nerve cells of the spinal cord. There are several types of osteochondrosis - it all depends on which area of the back is affected. This article will discuss the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, which is not such a common disease, but a major concern.
Specificity of the disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a very rare disease related to the structure of the spine. In addition, the diagnosis of this disease is very difficult, because its symptoms are often confused with the manifestations of diseases of the internal organs.
The exceptional feature of the chest is that it is exposed to minimal stress. A strong connection with the ribs and sternum creates a cell structure that is least susceptible to various diseases, but at the same time durable.
With the early development of the disease, it is practically not felt, which is another feature. The disease can cause a sharp increase in tension in the chest, which often occurs in temperamental athletes or young mothers who are breastfed. Another common cause of thoracic osteochondrosis is scoliosis or poor posture.
The danger of the disease is that the main symptoms appear at a late stage of development, when the nerve cells of the spinal cord or the spine itself are already severely compressed, or when pathological disorders occur due to anemia. Circulation.
Manifestations of thoracic osteochondrosis
Doctors often deal with a disease such as radiculopathy - compression of the nerve fibers of the spinal cord. In this case, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine depends on the visible symptoms. They are often caused by the formation of intervertebral hernias to varying degrees, while distinguishing between the two types:
- Median hernia. It is characterized by persistent pain that does not last long, and medications and injections rarely allow to get rid of it.
- Lateral hernia. It is characterized by unilateral pain that occurs at the same level as the hernia, sometimes with varying degrees of loss of sensitivity. With such a manifestation of the disease, medications and injections can cope with the pain.
In very rare cases, there is compression of the spinal cord itself. As a rule, such a manifestation of the disease is accompanied by severe abdominal pain, numbness, weakness in the legs and profuse sweating. Chest pain often spreads to the groin, abdomen, and can disrupt internal organs.
Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis
Competent professionals should think about how to treat thoracic osteochondrosis. It is not recommended to do this at home. As a rule, such treatment consists of two stages - elimination of the pain syndrome and elimination of the cause of pain.
Most conservative treatments are preferred. If this method does not cope with the disease, surgery is required, but it is very rare.
Pain relief is achieved with two components - rest and medication. The patient is prescribed bed rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs eliminate swelling and inflammation, thereby reducing the compression of nerve fibers in the spinal cord.
Sometimes with severe pain, a combination of medications is used. Then, in addition to NSAIDs, painkillers are prescribed - needles, tablets. This is done with very strong and unbearable pain, and medications such as muscle relaxants relieve muscle spasm in the affected area.
The remission period begins after the start of drug treatment. In this case, physiotherapy exercises are used in conjunction with health massage and complete relaxation. This set of measures is an effective treatment.
Home treatment
A long and complex treatment is required to significantly reduce the pain caused by such a disease. They often go to the hospital for this purpose, which is not always convenient and permissible. In such cases, you should seek treatment at home.
It is important to remember that such events can be performed only by a specialist after the initial treatment.
Recovery procedures can be used at home and to prevent flare-ups or as a prophylactic measure. Consider the most effective ways to get rid of the disease without the use of drugs - injections and pills. These methods include.
Therapeutic exercise and massage
At home, self-massage is allowed, which consists of warming the back muscles from the neck down to the back. A folded towel is often used for this purpose - it is rolled on a turnstile and rubbed.
Therapeutic exercises can be performed in a sitting or standing position. Leaning back helps a lot, as if you are lying down after sleep. Another exercise that eliminates aggravation is to take turns raising your arms and moving them smoothly on your back. Do not neglect treatment methods such as physiotherapy exercises. Health and sports are always intertwined.
Folk remedies
Herbal medicines are actively used at home. They exclude injections and tablets and consist only of ointments and infusions. The most effective drugs:
Rubbing 200 grams of jasmine on the back with a 10-day infusion for 0. 5 liters of vodka helps to prevent inflammation and treat osteochondrosis itself with various manifestations.
Crushed hop cones, taken in equal amounts with melted lard, will help eliminate complications.
Mix 1, 5 cups of radish juice with a glass of vodka and 200 grams of honey, add 10 grams. rub salt and on the affected area of the back - and you will not need any needles.
The presented folk remedies are effective methods of treatment of osteochondrosis with different degrees of manifestation. In addition, because these products contain natural ingredients, they can be used during breastfeeding.
In the treatment of such a disease, with different degrees of manifestation, may consist of different methods. Sometimes the needles prescribed by a doctor give the greatest effect, sometimes folk remedies. It is foolish and risky to ignore the advice of experts and even to refuse to check them completely. Even injections will not help with the high progression of the disease. In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis is often associated with cervical, and treatment of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis involves the use of slightly different methods. Therefore, the first thing to do when similar pain occurs, contact a specialist.