Chest osteochondrosis

Thoracic osteochondrosis is a disease in which the intervertebral discs in the chest are destroyed. Because this department is the most congested, it is less susceptible to disease.

Thoracic osteochondrosis is characterized by spasms and pain in the chest, under the ribs, shortness of breath, stabbing, stabbing, cutting, sharp pain behind the sternum. The symptoms and manifestations of the disease may be similar to those of other diseases.

Symptoms

Spinal pain is the most common and superficial symptom. Of course, they do not always talk about the development of osteochondrosis in humans. That is why you should pay attention to other sensations in the body:

1. Unpleasant sensations and chest pain. Often, if you are stuck, you may not notice this. But as soon as you start doing some physical activity that speeds up breathing, you will notice that the pain intensifies. The nature of this pain can be called shingles.
2. In addition, you may experience pain in completely unexpected places - the heart, abdomen, liver. This is due to the fact that thoracic osteochondrosis tends to be "masked" as a specific disease. For example, many may confuse it with gastritis, ulcers or angina pectoris.
3. If you notice that you occasionally have "goosebumps" in the chest area, then in connection with other manifestations, this may indicate thoracic osteochondrosis.
4. In some cases, there may be a loss of sexual function, such as impotence in men.

Pain in thoracic osteochondrosis

One of the main features of this type of pain is shingles. But it is not always possible to recognize this pain from him. Here's how it can be felt and characterized:

• most often manifested in the dark, behind the sternum;
• a feeling that can be described as a "stake in the chest";
• unpleasant sensations in the hypochondrium, both right and left;
• feeling as if there is a foreign body behind the sternum;
• if the lesion touches only the upper part of the chest, then a person may experience pain in the esophagus and pharynx.

As these symptoms are still very vague and may indicate a number of other diseases, the doctor recommends that an additional ECG be performed.

Influence on the organs

In the process of development, this disease can have a negative effect on internal organs, namely the lungs and heart. Here's what can lead to thoracic osteochondrosis:

• effect on the heart. It is mainly caused by pinching the nerve roots in the chest area. Eventually, the nerve plexuses of the heart start from there. It is these splits that are involved in the regulation of the heart. The main alarm bells here are regular heartbeat (extrasystoles), arrhythmia, tachycardia. Therefore, the effect on the cardiovascular system may be either one of these symptoms or all of them at the same time;
• effect on the lungs. It is most often manifested in shortness of breath and at the same time painful sensations.

Why does osteochondrosis of the chest occur?

Despite the fact that osteochondrosis as a whole disease is quite common, thoracic osteochondrosis is less common. The preconditions for the appearance of this disease can now be found among students who grimace at their desks. Therefore, children can develop scoliosis, and in adulthood - osteochondrosis. Most of the other causes of development are closely related to scoliosis:

• posture disorder;
• metabolic disorders affecting the integrity of the intervertebral discs;
• sedentary way of life;
• hereditary causes;
• spinal cord injury;
• static work and prolonged stay in an awkward, twisted position.

How to treat?

Once an accurate diagnosis is made during the tests, the doctor prescribes special medication. In the case of osteochondrosis of the chest, it may include the following drugs, depending on the severity of the disease and the characteristics of its manifestation:

1. In the first place, drugs are prescribed that "remove" the pain and relieve discomfort. These are called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or glucocorticosteroid drugs.
2. Papain is used to avoid a lack of fluid in the intervertebral disc.
3. Drugs called "chondroprotectors" are prescribed. With their help there is a general strengthening of cartilage tissue.
4. Drugs to relieve muscle spasms around the spine can be added to the list.
5. If the development of an inflammatory process is detected, then special anti-inflammatory therapy is prescribed.

But, of course, it is impossible to treat with drugs alone. Remember to follow a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition. These actions will be useful not only for the treatment but also for the prevention of this and many other diseases.

Exercises for osteochondrosis of the chest

Since lack of physical activity is one of the main reasons for the development of the disease, the role of exercise in this case is great. In addition, by supplementing with exercise medication, your body will return to its normal state and stabilize much faster.

There are a number of special exercises for the chest. When performing them, follow the basic rules: no jokes, act slowly, smoothly, without trying to overload the body. Increasing the amplitude is allowed, but only if you are not in pain. So, what are the most effective exercises provided by physical therapy?

1. Lie on the floor on your stomach. Hands - along the body. We curl up in the chest - smoothly, gently. Raise your arms and head as high as you feel, but try to avoid pain. It is recommended that you follow at least 5 approaches.
2. For the next exercise we need a chair with a small, sturdy back. Sit right on a chair. Exhale, leaning back on your back while pulling your arms back. Then we return to the starting position. Repeat 10-12 times.
3. We stand up straight. Hands on the seams, legs together. We take a deep breath and raise our hands. As you exhale, slowly bend back and lower your arms. We return to the starting position. It is recommended to do 7-9 approaches at once.
4. Stand on all fours on the floor. Slowly bend your back as you inhale, as you exhale - return to starting position. Repeat the exercise 7-10 times.
5. We lie on the floor on our stomachs. Hands on the seams. Your task is to tear your body off the floor, reaching with your head to your heels. We pull the whole body, we train the chest. The required number of approaches is 7-8.
6. We work with the upper part of the chest. Starting position - arms at the seams, feet shoulder-width apart. We work with our shoulders. We grow them first together, then each separately. We bend our shoulders forward - backward, forward - backward. We perform 10-15 approaches for each task.
7. Also, for the upper chest, you can make circular motions with your hands. Starting position, as in the previous task. We stretch our arms out to the side, clenching our fists. We rotate our fists back and forth, then turn the arm from the elbow back and forth, then with the whole arm back and forth. We perform each part of the exercise 4-6 times, in general we repeat the exercise 2-4 times.

Exercise in the morning and evening for at least 15-20 minutes. Dilute it with a set of exercises for other muscle groups, inserting some of the above options.

Massage

Massage is also a very good tool in the fight against osteochondrosis. Here a therapeutic massage is performed, which is prescribed by a specialist after a thorough examination of the patient. You can do it at home - here are some options for how to do it.

Honey massage. We need 2-3 tablespoons of honey, preferably not candied, warm. Dip your palms in honey so that they are covered with a thin layer. Apply to the area behind the sternum and abruptly tear it off, repeat several times, moving the palms from place to place.

This massage should not be done for too long, as it is painful. Enough 10-15 minutes for one session. Then the skin will turn red, will "burn".

Classical massage. It consists of several steps, which include: stroking, kneading, vibration, rubbing. It is recommended to do a massage with a cream or ointment against osteochondrosis - it may be recommended by your doctor.

The duration of this massage should not exceed 20 minutes, and the total course of treatment with this method should not include more than 11-13 sessions. As a preventive measure, kneading is also recommended for the neck, arms, shoulders, buttocks and even legs.

Home treatment

In addition, there are alternative methods of treating osteochondrosis of the chest. For example, rubbing is very good, the base of which can also be used for massage. The basis is usually taken lilac flowers, horseradish root, garlic, onions, potatoes, ficus. Honey, vegetable oil, and sometimes cologne or alcohol are added. Everything is thoroughly mixed into a homogeneous mass and the damaged area is rubbed. For example, according to the following recipe, you can prepare a rub from the leaves of ficus:

• Ficus leaves in an amount of 6-8 are passed through a grater or cut into small pieces. It is placed in a vessel, where it is poured with 2 bottles of triple cologne. They mix. Grinding should be in a dark place for 2 weeks. Then you need to use it at least 2 times a day until the heat appears on the skin.

Computer work is one of the most important causes of osteochondrosis. If you spend a long time in front of the computer, it is recommended that you exercise at least every two hours.

Computer work and osteochondrosis

Performing activities in front of a computer every day without physical activity can lead to poor posture. This happens because the person performs static work for a long time, not giving rest to the muscles and spine and not warming up or resting. In the future, without correcting this problem, osteochondrosis of the chest may develop.

To prevent this from happening, experts advise to perform the so-called office charging, designed specifically for those who work on a computer most of the time.

For example, the following exercises are very good:

1. Lean back, pull your arms up, throw your head back. Feel a pleasant heaviness in your back. Do the computer at least 3-4 times after each hour.
2. Make circular rotations with your head. Look left and right, tilt your head back and forth.
3. Raise your arms up - sideways - forward - sideways. Repeat several times.
4. Stand next to your work area, if you can, and move from foot to foot.

Don't forget to change your position while working on the computer, then you will keep your health, spine and posture for a long time!

Strengthen the muscles of the back with osteochondrosis

Strengthening the muscles of the back is a very important part of the treatment and prevention of osteochondrosis. To do this, it is enough to do physical activity - to play sports, go to the gym or gym. Choose the option that works best for you. For example, swimming strengthens muscles well, so you can not only enjoy it, but also improve your body.