Chameleon disease is often called thoracic osteochondrosis. It is quite difficult to diagnose, it is often confused with other diseases. At the same time, osteochondrosis rarely occurs in the chest region and is a lesion of the intervertebral discs.
How does the disease appear?
Osteochondrosis affecting the thoracic spine is often disguised as a pathology of internal organs. It manifests itself in heartache, shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air when inhaling, and panic attacks. Therefore, the diagnosis of thoracic osteochondrosis is somewhat difficult.
The intervertebral discs of some sections of the spine consist of a nucleus pulposus and a stronger annulus fibrosus. The latter protects the semi-liquid core and prevents its damage.
However, due to certain reasons, there may be situations when the metabolic processes slow down and, as a result, the pressure on the discs increases. In this case, the plate is deformed and its structure is damaged.
If treatment is not started at this stage, the symptoms will become more pronounced. The annulus fibrosus may crack and the core may dry out.
The disease leads to damage to spinal cord nerves and destruction of joints.
Causes of the disease
Various reasons can provoke the appearance of osteochondrosis in the chest region, the most common of which are:
- chest trauma;
- inactivity, sedentary work (applies to computer workers or car drivers);
- scoliosis.
In addition, problems with the chest region are related to its structure. This section of the spine is crowded with many more discs than in the lower back or neck region. Due to the presence of the ribs and the musculature, the chest region moves less.
There are cases when the main cause of osteochondrosis in the thoracic region of the spine is osteochondrosis of other classes.
What is the danger of osteochondrosis?
If treatment is delayed despite the symptoms, osteochondrosis of the thoracic region can lead to many complications and problems, including:
- intercostal neurology - when the intercostal nerves are compressed;
- spinal cord compression;
- shortness of breath, problems with the work of the heart;
- problems with the functioning of the intestines, liver, kidneys;
- stool problems;
- hernia.
What diseases can be confused with osteochondrosis?
As mentioned above, the symptoms of osteochondrosis do not always allow a quick diagnosis. Therefore, thoracic osteochondrosis can be mistaken for:
- pathologies of the mammary glands;
- diseases of the digestive system;
- pneumonia (two diseases can be distinguished by a dry cough, shortness of breath and fever with pneumonia. In osteochondrosis, such symptoms are not observed);
- heart attack (in this case, osteochondrosis can be distinguished through a cardiogram);
- renal colic.
Symptoms
With osteochondrosis of the thoracic region, the symptoms of radiculopathy most often appear, that is, those related to the compression of nerve trunks and the appearance of a hernia between the vertebrae. In this case, the severe pain appears after physical work or training. In the following weeks, the symptoms become more pronounced depending on the location of the hernia. If it is in the upper part, then the liver, heart, stomach suffer. If it is lower, then the problems are related to the kidneys.
The location of the hernia also has a significant effect on the symptoms. So, if it is located closer to the center, the pains increase, persist for several weeks, and do not subside after medication. Lateral hernia is manifested by intermittent and mild pain, local loss of sensitivity is possible.
Thoracic osteochondrosis, accompanied by compression of the spinal cord, has the following symptoms:
- intense pain;
- numbness of the limbs;
- pain radiates to the stomach, groin, legs;
- dysfunction of the pelvic organs.
In addition to the above, osteochondrosis can also show additional symptoms, in particular:
- numbness of certain skin areas;
- sensation of "goosebumps" in the thoracic spine;
- fragility of nails;
- dry skin, peeling;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea or, on the contrary, constipation);
- causes pain in the throat;
- itching or cold feeling in the lower limbs.
Dorsago as a consequence of osteochondrosis of the chest region
Osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine is characterized by the presence of dorsago. This is one of its main symptoms. In fact, the word "dorsago" should be understood as a very strong and sudden pain in the chest. It is often called a "shot" because the sensations in this case are the same as a through stab. A severe attack of the lower back makes it difficult to breathe and makes it impossible to move freely. This happens after prolonged physical exertion in people who already suffer from osteochondrosis and joint diseases.
Mild but increasing and prolonged pain in the chest region is called dorsalgia. More pronounced symptoms when a person bends down. The pain can also increase at night, especially often in women with osteochondrosis who wear heels.
Diagnostics
In case of thoracic osteochondrosis, effective treatment should be carried out. Without symptoms, they only intensify and interfere with normal life.
After recognizing the symptoms, the doctor refers the patient for further examination. Among the most frequently used diagnostic methods in osteochondrosis of the thoracic region are:
- MRI. The tomograph makes it possible to create a clear, three-dimensional image with contrast of the examined area of the human body. Therefore, the doctor can see the condition of the vertebrae in the chest region and assess the health of the joints. The procedure does not take much time (20-55 minutes) and is painless. The patient should expose the thoracic spine and lie on a special couch. A scanner placed on top of the person then takes a photo of the sections.
- Ultrasonic procedure. Before starting treatment, it is worth making sure that osteochondrosis of the chest region is not accompanied by tumors. The ultrasonic method is suitable for this. The device clearly shows the condition of soft tissues, joints, and intervertebral discs. As in the first case, the procedure does not take much time and is painless. With the help of an ultrasound examination, the chest region of expectant mothers and even children can be examined.
Of course, the doctor will not recommend treatment until the patient has passed the general clinical blood and urine tests and until the results of the electrocardiogram are received. The latter allows the doctor to distinguish thoracic osteochondrosis from a heart attack or other heart problems with similar symptoms.
Treatment
By consulting a neuropathologist, a patient with thoracic osteochondrosis receives recommended treatment. The methods and medications, as well as the duration of their use, are determined by the doctor in each case. Usually, when osteochondrosis is detected in the chest, doctors recommend:
- drug treatment - aimed at alleviating pain, muscle spasms, reducing the inflammatory process, restoring tissues around the joints and vertebrae;
- physiotherapy - the use of ultrasonic waves, electric current or laser to relieve sharp pain in the chest region and reduce the negative effects of osteochondrosis, provides treatment of the joints;
- manual therapy - thanks to the specialist's massage movements, it is possible to coordinate the position of the plates in the chest region, to relieve spasm;
- isometric kinesiotherapy (gymnastic treatment) - helps to improve the mobility of the chest region, relieves pain.
In addition to the methods described above, osteochondrosis can be treated with hirudotherapy, millimeter wave therapy, apitherapy, magnetotherapy and other methods.