Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is a severe degenerative-dystrophic pathology that cannot yet be completely cured.It appears against the background of destruction of the intervertebral discs, displacement and protrusion of the vertebrae.When diagnosing the disease, doctors take into account that the signs of thoracic osteochondrosis differ in women and men.This is explained by hormonal fluctuations in the female body.Women often follow diets, wear tight shoes with high heels and have a hard time dealing with domestic conflicts.This affects the development, course and progression of the pathology of the musculoskeletal system.
Differences between female and male clinical manifestations
Diagnosing thoracic osteochondrosis in women is more difficult due to hormonal characteristics.In young patients, it is subject to frequent monthly fluctuations.In women, during natural menopause, the production of hormones in the body decreases.This can cause the development of pathologies;they should be distinguished.For men, the typical course of the disease is characteristic, which makes it possible to detect it in time and start treatment immediately.
The clinical picture of thoracic osteochondrosis in women includes numerous signs that are so specific that it is sometimes difficult to classify them as symptoms of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.Doctors identify the following characteristic differences between male and female clinical picture and further progression of thoracic osteochondrosis:
- Clinical manifestations in women occur somewhat earlier.This is due to the spine being more fragile and sensitive to negative factors, and increased sensitivity to painful sensations;
- intensity of pain in the thoracic region, stiffness varies depending on the menstrual cycle.This is explained by the production of estrogen in the body - steroid sex hormones.They reduce the intensity of pain caused by the thinning of the intervertebral discs and spasm of the neck muscles.Therefore, during the initial diagnosis, based on patients' complaints, women are not always able to informatively describe the feelings that bother them;
- In men, thoracic osteochondrosis rarely causes the development of an accompanying disease.And women can experience several pathologies at once.In this case, osteochondrosis can cause the development of a disease that is not related to the musculoskeletal system.Conversely, endocrine or metabolic disorders lead to the destruction of cartilage tissue;
- For the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis, women are prescribed drugs that are rarely used in the treatment of men.These are antipsychotics, tranquilizers, sedatives.The psycho-emotional state of women is more unstable, so symptoms include anxiety, increased restlessness and insomnia.Sometimes, after learning that the disease is incurable, depression occurs, which can only be removed with antidepressants.
Women experience headaches more often.But unlike men, they do not suffer from an increase in the intensity of clinical manifestations during the day due to the action of estrogen.
An interesting fact is that as the pathology progresses, the female libido can increase.This is the action of steroid hormones, which are intensively produced in the body to suppress painful sensations.And men's sexual desire is significantly reduced as a result of prostate innervation disorders.
Typical signs of the disease
Patients most often complain to doctors about pain in the shoulder blades, which intensifies when bending or turning the body.It radiates to the sides, lower back and even forearms.The pain is felt along the intercostal nerve, its intensity increases when coughing, laughing and sneezing.Referred pain complicates the diagnosis and requires additional research and consultations of endocrinologists, cardiologists, mammologists and gynecologists.
Characteristic signs are stiffness, feeling of tightness.When moving or changing the position of the body, specific clicks are heard, usually associated with the movement of the vertebrae relative to each other.Typical symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis in women also include the following clinical manifestations:
- feeling of "creeping goosebumps", decreased tactility in the chest or abdomen, numbness of some parts of the skin;
- appearance of signs of intercostal neuralgia.During weight lifting, increased physical activity or hypothermia, a sharp, penetrating pain appears in the rib area, which spreads to the chest and sides;
- development of permanent dorsalgia - a set of pain sensations of varying intensity in the back.They can occur even when inhaling, they intensify when climbing stairs, performing any household chores;
- muscle spasm, limiting range of motion.Muscle spasm occurs in response to compression by an osteophyte (bone growth) or inflammatory swelling of sensitive nerve endings in soft tissues.
Osteochondrosis of the chest is characterized by constant tension in the muscles located near the spine.This is revealed by palpation during the initial examination, as well as pain in the area of nerve endings.There is a change in the woman's posture and gait.She tries to keep her back straight to prevent the pain.But with pathology of the 3rd degree, the curvature of the spine is already noted against the background of the development of scoliosis and a decrease in the distance between the vertebrae.
Specific symptoms of pathology
Thoracic osteochondrosis is rarely diagnosed.This part of the spine is equipped with a strong muscular corset, and its strong attachment to the ribs allows it to withstand intense static and dynamic loads.Doctors often call thoracic osteochondrosis a "chameleon disease".In order to detect this, a differential diagnosis is needed not only for pathologies of the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, spondyloarthrosis), but also for diseases of internal organs.
Patients often address their complaints not to a vertebrologist or neurologist, but to a cardiologist, nephrologist, gastroenterologist or gynecologist.The fact is that the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis are disguised as clinical manifestations of angina, cholecystitis and renal colic.And an attack of intercostal neuralgia is very similar to a myocardial infarction or appendicitis.What atypical signs of osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine in women can appear during remission or relapse:
- pain in the region of the heart.Mistake for angina attack or myocardial infarction.Cardiologists rule out cardiac pathologies after studying the results of the ECG and other instrumental tests;
- pain in the mammary glands.Unpleasant sensations do not disappear for a long time, and their intensity does not decrease.After the patient consults a gynecologist or mammologist, an ultrasound of the mammary glands is performed to rule out benign and malignant neoplasms;
- pain in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).A woman consults a gastroenterologist after experiencing constant or recurring pain in the right hypochondrium or epigastrium.When diagnosing gastritis, cholecystitis and ulcerative lesions, various laboratory and instrumental studies are carried out;
- pain in the lower abdomen.They often occur due to compression of the nerve endings of the spinal cord.Painful sensations and urination disorders are similar to signs of diseases of the genitourinary system.Urologists or gynecologists distinguish osteochondrosis from pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis and uterine fibroids.
Despite increased libido caused by estrogen production, dysfunction of the reproductive system is detected in patients.Anorgasmia (lack of orgasm) develops against the background of compression of the nerves innervating the lower part of the thoracic region of the back.
Close localization of pathologies on internal organs and common innervation causes very specific clinical manifestations.Sometimes they masquerade as cerebrovascular accidents, kidney failure, liver colic and even dental disease.Medical literature describes cases of removal of treated teeth due to severe constant pain at their base.After that, the cause of the pain syndrome was determined - neurological symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis.
Vertebrological signs are more typical for cervical pathology, but are sometimes detected in severe cases of thoracic pathology.Destructive and degenerative processes in the vertebrae and discs cause sudden jumps in blood pressure, dizziness, movement coordination disorder, headaches and ringing in the ears.Cases of reduced visual acuity have been recorded.
Psychoemotional disorders (crying, anxiety, mood swings) are diagnosed in many patients.Health problems, news of upcoming surgery and reduced physical activity sometimes become causes of depression.
How to remove the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis
Methods of treatment of degenerative-dystrophic pathology in women and men are the same.Destroyed cartilage tissue cannot be restored, so the main goals of therapy are to reduce the severity of symptoms and prevent further spread of the pathology.
When choosing a method, the doctor takes into account the degree of destructive changes, the presence of an inflammatory process in soft tissues and the stage of thoracic osteochondrosis.Women are prescribed antidepressants, tranquilizers and sedatives much more often than men.During natural menopause, hormone replacement therapy can be prescribed, which is also necessary for the prevention of osteoporosis (low bone mass).
Medicines from different clinical and pharmacological groups are used to relieve pain due to thoracic osteochondrosis in women:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)in tablets.After a week of taking and feeling better, women are prescribed external forms of NSAIDs;
- hormonal drugs.Glucocorticosteroids are commonly used for blocking drugs;
- muscle relaxants.Relaxes skeletal muscles, relieves painful muscle spasms;
- chondroprotectors.They partially regenerate the damaged hyaline cartilage, and after a few weeks of use, of course, they have an analgesic effect.
Physiotherapeutic procedures are actively used in the treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis: UHF therapy, laser therapy, magnetic therapy, applications with ozokerite, paraffin, bischofite.Patients are shown massage, physical therapy, swimming and yoga.
If a woman does not seek medical help, diseases of the internal organs may soon develop.They are provoked by the protrusion of the intervertebral disc into the narrowed spinal canal and the formation of a hernia.Deterioration of the spinal column leads to compression of the spinal cord, and subsequently to the appearance of kidney, liver, gastrointestinal or cardiovascular pathologies.