Osteochondrosis of the spine is the most common cause of back pain. According to statistics, more than half of all people over the age of 40 have such a disease, and its early manifestations appear in the second and third decades of life. At the same time, it is almost impossible to cure the disease - it is chronic. The disease itself affects the intervertebral discs and cartilage, which compresses the nerve cells in the spinal cord. Osteochondrosis can be of several types - it all depends on which area of the back is affected. This article will discuss the treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest, which is not such a common disease, but causes great inconvenience.
Specifics of the disease
Thoracic osteochondrosis is a rather rare disease due to the structure of the spine. In addition, this disease is quite difficult to diagnose, as its symptoms are often confused with manifestations of diseases of the internal organs.
An exceptional feature of the chest is the fact that it is the least stressed. The strong connection with the ribs and sternum creates a mobile, but at the same time durable structure, which is the least exposed to various diseases.
With an early stage of the disease, it is practically not felt, which is another feature. The disease can cause a sharp increase in chest tightness, which is common in temperamental athletes or young mothers during breastfeeding. Another common cause of osteochondrosis of the chest is scoliosis or poor posture.
The danger of the disease lies in the fact that the main symptoms appear at a late stage of development, when the nerve cells of the spinal cord or the column itself have already undergone severe compression or pathological disorders due to lack of blood. circulation.
Manifestations of osteochondrosis of the chest
Most often, doctors are faced with such a disease as radiculopathy - compression of nerve fibers in the spinal cord. In this case, the treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest depends on the symptoms that occur. They often occur due to the formation of different degrees of intervertebral hernia, while distinguishing two of its types:
- Medium hernia. It is characterized by constant pain that does not go away for a long time, and medications and injections rarely allow you to get rid of it.
- Lateral hernia. It is characterized by unilateral pain that occurs at the same level as the hernia, sometimes with loss of sensitivity to varying degrees. In such a manifestation of the disease, medications and injections can deal with the pain.
Very rarely, there is compression of the spinal cord itself. As a rule, such a manifestation of the disease is accompanied by severe low back pain, tingling, weakness in the legs and profuse sweating. Chest pain often spreads to the groin, abdomen and can impair the functioning of internal organs.
Treatment of osteochondrosis of the chest
Competent specialists should consider how to treat osteochondrosis of the chest. Doing this at home is very discouraging. As a rule, such treatment consists of two stages - elimination of the pain syndrome and elimination of the cause of the pain.
Conservative treatment methods are most often preferred. In cases where this method does not deal with the disease, they resort to surgery, but this is very rare.
Elimination of pain is achieved through two components - rest and medication. The patient is prescribed bed rest and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs relieve swelling and inflammation, thus reducing the compression of nerve fibers in the spinal cord.
Sometimes a combination of drugs is used for severe pain. Then, in addition to NSAIDs, painkillers are prescribed - injections, tablets. This is done with very strong and unbearable pain, and drugs such as muscle relaxants relieve muscle spasm in the affected area.
Once drug treatment begins to work, a period of remission begins. At this time, physiotherapy exercises are used in conjunction with wellness massage and complete rest. This set of measures is an effective treatment.
Treatment at home
In order to significantly reduce the pain that occurs due to such a disease, it is necessary to conduct a long and complex treatment. Often for these purposes they go to the hospital, which is not always convenient and acceptable. In such cases, you should resort to recovery at home.
It is important to remember that such events can occur only after initial treatment by a specialist.
Recovery procedures can also be used at home to prevent exacerbations or as a preventative measure. Consider the most effective methods that allow you to get rid of the disease without the use of drugs - injections and pills. These methods include.
Healing exercises and massage
At home, self-massage is allowed, which consists of warming the muscles of the back from the neck to the lower back. A folded towel is often used for these purposes - it is wound in a turnstile and rubbed.
Healing exercises can be performed in a sitting or standing position. Bending in the back helps a lot, as if you are stretching after sleep. Another exercise that eliminates deterioration is to consistently raise your arms and move them smoothly behind your back. Do not neglect such a method of treatment as physiotherapy exercises. Health and sports are always interconnected.
Folk remedies
Medicines based on medicinal herbs are actively used at home. They exclude injections and tablets and consist exclusively of ointments and infusions. The most effective drugs:
Rubbing the back with a 10-day infusion of 200 grams of lilac on 0, 5 liters of vodka helps to prevent exacerbation very well and cures osteochondrosis itself with varying degrees of manifestation.
Crushed hop cones, taken in the same amount with melted lard, will help alleviate the deterioration.
Mix 1, 5 cups of radish juice with a glass of vodka and 200 grams of honey, add 10 gr. salt and rub into the affected area of the back - and you will not need injections.
The presented folk remedies are effective methods for the treatment of osteochondrosis with varying degrees of its manifestation. In addition, these products can be used during breastfeeding because they consist of natural ingredients.
In the treatment of such a disease, with varying degrees of its manifestation, it may consist of different methods. Sometimes injections prescribed by a doctor give the greatest effect, sometimes folk remedies. Ignoring the advice of specialists and even more so completely refusing to review them is foolish and risky. With a severe degree of the disease, even injections will not help. In addition, thoracic osteochondrosis is often combined with cervical osteochondrosis, and the treatment of cervicothoracic osteochondrosis involves the use of slightly different methods. Therefore, the first thing you should do when such pain occurs, contact a specialist.