Protrusion of the thoracic spine: symptoms, treatment, exercises

Protrusion of the thoracic spine is rarely – thoracic intervertebral discs of the least agile, less prone to other strains. Specific symptoms include protrusion of chest pain in the chest, shortness of breath, weakness of arms and loss of coordination of their movements. Eliminate the symptoms of pathology will help medications, massage, exercise therapy, physiotherapy.

Features of protrusion in the thoracic

In the thoracic spine a protrusion symptoms develop rarely, due to physiological characteristics of this region of the back. Thoracic spine is the least mobile of the. As the load on the spine is distributed in such a way that this area was in the most comfortable environment – after all, there are heart and lungs.

To internal organs were protected in the state, to the vertebrae are attached the ribs, which make the thoracic spine less mobile. The spine also moves mainly due to the lower back and neck. Therefore, the protrusion of the intervertebral disc is a rare phenomenon.

The symptoms are protrusion of the thoracic occur most often due to mechanical damage, degenerative-dystrophic changes of intervertebral disks and other diseases. The problem is that the protrusion of the disk is protrude to the side of the spinal cord. As a result, more risk of compression.

• I advise you to read: sore thoracic spine

To determine how to treat the protrusion can be a doctor. The physician will take into account different issues: how long ago began to develop protrusion of the thorax, which occurs symptoms and why it manifests. If pinched nerves whether the inflammatory process. Is there a risk of rupture of the fibrous ring discs of the thoracic and the occurrence of the hernia. If you run by your doctor, you can slow down the development of all degenerative processes and to relieve symptoms. And in the future – avoid complications and surgical intervention.

See also: diffuse dorsal protrusion of the intervertebral disc.

Symptoms

The symptoms are protrusion of the thoracic spine include:

• Pain in the chest, chronic or acute. Pain between ribs, near the shoulder blades (the pain here applies only when the pathological process has been developing for a long time);
• Felt pressure in the chest (narrowed spinal canal);
• The patient hard to breathe, shortness of breath begins, is particularly painful to breathe;
• Numb upper limbs, there is atrophy of the muscles;
• The patient difficult to move, felt the stiffness;
• Can show signs of hypertension;
• Partial paralysis of both hands;
• Sharp pain when pressure on the deformed spinal disc;
• Weak and become less of the abdominal muscles.

Patients often get to the office of a neurologist already running the pathological process. The problem is that symptoms are often more like the person the pain in the heart or lungs. Pain may localizability at the top of the stomach. Therefore, suspect the protrusion is not immediately easily because of the peculiarities of its symptoms.

Causes of pain

Root bulging spinal discs – degenerative processes of the intervertebral discs. The protrusion is often a complication of degenerative disc disease. Sedentary lifestyle or the opposite, sudden load lead to the fact that muscles can not withstand the load on the back. The vertebrae compress the spinal discs. Broken their metabolism.

• See also: protrusion of spinal discs – what is it?

Malnutrition and blood circulation in the disk causes it to lose moisture and elasticity to dry. As a result, he, like a broken spring, pressed. And the extra cartilage comes out. There is a danger of damaging the shell of the disk and the occurrence of hernia.

Protrusion compresses the nerve roots that causes irritation and inflammation, which only worsensthe situation. The patient experiences neurological disturbances and pain attacks. In the worst cases, it may be pressing on the spinal cord.

Diagnosis

To diagnose the protrusion in the thoracic spine, the doctor must first learn the symptoms, and then to see the results of the research:

• X-ray;
• MRI;
• Myelographies;
• To puncture the cerebrospinal fluid of the spinal cord.

Thanks to these operations, you can see what vertebral discs are affected, what is the degree of development of pathology. To find out the cause of the symptoms. The symptoms usually develops after the protrusion was the size of two centimeters.

• Suggest to read: how is the protrusion of the herniated discs?

Than to stop pain

In the case of protrusion of the thoracic spine, the treatment is more effective the sooner it is started. The problem is that the chest pain often leads the patient to think that the affected internal organs, and not the spine, and before the visit to the neurologist goes a long time. A protrusion during this time progresses.

Drugs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen) will help to get rid of pain, if there is inflammation of the cartilage disks. To regenerate cartilage tissue, treatment of protrusion should include special preparations, chondroprotectors that improve the metabolic processes in the intervertebral discs and blood circulation. Painkillers (Ketanov, Ketorol) will also help to relieve the symptoms. In severe cases, can be assigned to the blockade of the spine with Novocain.

Physical therapy and massage

To recover the proper blood flow in the vertebral discs can be assigned massage. This will relieve symptoms such as stiffness and pain. Has a good effect massage banks or aspirators. Massage with protrusions and hernias can make only an experienced specialist – otherwise there is a risk of even more harm. Self-massage for symptoms of protrusion of the thoracic excluded.

Chiropractic and osteopathy at the protrusion permissible, but be careful, read reviews about that particular specialist, office which going to visit.

Physiotherapy will help to relieve the pain – electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, low-frequency treatment current. Using painkillers physiotherapy and anti-inflammatories, pain symptom, get rid of stiffness in the limbs.

Physical therapy

Gymnastics and swimming in the pool will help to restore blood circulation on the affected area, stretch the spine, strengthen the spinal muscles. The combination of these positive factors, the intervertebral discs is free from the pressure of the vertebrae and pressure, improves metabolic processes in the cartilaginous tissue. But if felt acute pain – physiotherapy invalid. Training must be gentle and take place under the supervision of an instructor.