The symptoms of thoracic osteodystrophy depend on which vertebrae have undergone the dystrophic injury and their intensity on the changes that have occurred within them. An experienced therapist, after listening to a patient's complaints, will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and suggest which part of the spine has undergone a serious alteration and destruction. . The sooner the doctor diagnoses thoracic osteonecrosis and prescribes medication, the sooner the condition goes into remission.
Thoracic osteosarcoma is much less common than cervical osteonecrosis, because the thoracic spine is less prone to tension and deformity. However, it brings a lot of pain and discomfort and has a wide range of symptoms.
Thoracic osteosarcoma, symptoms and signs
Pain is localized mainly between the shoulder blades or the intercostal area. Usually, thoracic osteonecrosis presents as evidence of low back pain in the lateral part of the body. Patients describe such pain as being accompanied by a feeling of "pocket in the chest", their mobility is disturbed, as the pain penetrates with even the slightest careless movement. The pain is aggravated by coughing, sneezing, taking deep breaths, and turning the torso. Shortness of breath occurs, breathing becomes shallow and regular. It is very difficult for the patient to raise the arm up or down because this causes sharp and intense pain. The inconvenience is also caused by the vibration of the body, i. e. riding a bicycle, car on rough roads, as well as any jumps. Cooling the body can cause severe pain, and even with proper treatment, the illness can begin with renewed vigor.
Often the pain is in the space between the ribs. The cause is nerve root compression leading to intercostal neuralgia. The pain becomes stronger at night, when turning from side to side or changing positions, the patient wakes up with sharp pain despite the pain medication treatment.
Sweating, fatigue and rapid fatigue are associated with signs of pain, sometimes with a local increase in temperature over the inflamed spinal segment.
Signs of back pain and back pain
Strong and very sharp pain is called dorsago. With thoracic osteonecrosis, low back pain occurs in people who sit motionless for a long time in a forward leaning position. With a strong rise or change of position, the body is pierced by a sharp pain. It is so strong and unexpected that it makes you short of breath and becomes breathless. The muscles in the chest and back become rock-like, sometimes crammed with cramp. The treatment soothes the pain and brings a sense of relief to the patient.
In contrast, back pain is an aching pain. It's not too intense, but it's constantly reminiscent of itself. With sudden and rapid movements, coughing, sneezing or deep inspiration, the body also experiences acute pain as fast as lightning. Turning and leaning over is also difficult and painful. The muscles of the back and chest tighten and the sensation prevails, as if the upper body were pulled together by a belt.
To eliminate or temporarily relieve these pains, sometimes walking or gentle exercise is enough.
Neurological signs in osteonecrosis
Usually, osteonecrosis of the thoracic segment is given, the symptoms are neurologic in nature. This is manifested by a "goosebumps" sensation or loss of sensation in the abdomen or upper chest. Patients sometimes notice tightness or stiffness in the back muscles, mainly the upper body, as well as the chest. In more severe and advanced cases, there is a violation of the work of the pelvic organs.
In men and women, the progression of thoracic osteonecrosis is similar and the symptoms are similar. The only difference is that women show symptoms later. Women are more susceptible to this disease during menopause. This is due to a drop in the hormone progesterone, which protects the spine, or rather, the discs from wear and tear.
With osteonecrosis, a woman may have strange symptoms, such as peeling skin and brittle nails. Women suffer even more from osteomyelitis of the chest and cervix, this is due to the weakness of low pain in women.
On the other hand, men go to specialists for osteonecrosis of the chest many times more often than women, and the average age is about 30-40 years old. Men can complain about a decrease in potency. The most important thing here is to confess to your doctor about intimacy problems, not self-medicate.
Signs of osteonecrosis can be confused with other diseases
Because of the many nerve fibers and terminals in the thoracic region, pain behind the sternum can radiate in any direction. Symptoms of osteonecrosis are very similar to those of other diseases, which aggravate the situation at diagnosis. Early diagnosis of osteonecrosis and initiation of treatment are important for a more favorable outcome of the disease.
Many people confuse osteonecrosis with heart disease. But here are some differences to keep in mind. First, with thoracic osteonecrosis, pain lasts longer and cannot be treated with cardiac drugs. And the second sign is the absence of hypertension, as often happens with a disease of the cardiovascular system. And most importantly, the results of the electrocardiogram did not show any abnormalities in the functioning of the heart.
In women, pain can radiate to the mammary glands and this is a very common sign of thoracic osteonecrosis. In this situation, it is necessary to consult a mammologist and exclude a pathology of the mammary glands.
Sometimes patients complain of epigastric pain, which can be confused with gastritis, stomach ulcer. Pain may also be localized to the right hypochondrium, and unqualified medical personnel may suspect cholecystitis or pancreatitis. With pain in the lower abdomen, appendicitis may be suspected. In such cases, you should further conduct an ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, X-ray and gastric EGD, and of course, clinical blood tests.
If the lower thoracic spine is affected, the patient will have signs of intestinal diseases. But the condition is independent of food being taken in and the pain is aggravated with exertion.
If osteonecrosis has affected the upper part of the spine, the pain will spread to the pharynx and esophagus. The person will feel a foreign body in the throat and may have difficulty swallowing food, especially poor chewing.
Only a doctor should deal with the diagnosis and treatment, self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
Occupational influence on the development of osteonecrosis
The specifics of certain occupations can develop osteonecrosis. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle, especially in professions such as truck drivers, pilots, mechanics. And also in the risk group are occupations related to weight lifting, such as lifting. When lifting and carrying heavy loads for a long time, rubbing and flattening of part of the vertebrae occurs, which also leads to osteonecrosis and not only in the chest but also in the cervical and lumbar segments of the spine. . In more severe cases, the arm or back begins to become numb closer to the shoulder blade area. This is a warning to contact a specialist for examination and treatment.
Most office workers are prone to tarsal osteonecrosis. That is, not only the thoracic vertebrae but also the cervical vertebrae are involved in the transformation and destruction process. Due to sitting at the computer for too long, even the wrong posture leads to weak and flabby supporting muscles of the spine. The vertebrae begin to shift, thereby compressing the nerves.
In addition, immobilization in one position, the blood flow of the discs is disturbed, leading to the disc tissues starve and they are destroyed. They have pain in the head, shoulders, and chest. They have hearing loss and tinnitus. When the head is raised or moved vigorously, the employee may lose consciousness because the work of the vestibular apparatus is interrupted. Vision is often impaired, flies appear before the eyes. The muscles in the shoulders and chest begin to ache like after a long exercise.
What happens is that after treatment, you should change your profession, because there can be frequent relapses in the old workplace.