Pain in the thoracic spine

Pain in the thoracic spine is often perceived as pain in the heart or a person waves his hand: "Oh, I just caught a cold, it will pass!" But in fact, pain in the thoracic spine can be a signal of many diseases that we do not even know about. The cause of pain can be diseases of the skeletal system, respiratory organs or digestive system. Or the immune system may fail. Let's take a closer look at the causes of pain in the thoracic spine.

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Why does pain occur in the thoracic spine?

These may be pains due to poor muscle function or injury. Muscle dysfunction in this case is associated with injuries to the thoracic spine, so a person begins to be bothered by pain in the muscles between the ribs or abdominal muscles, which are especially pronounced when coughing and sneezing, active movements.

If pain in the thoracic spine lasts for a long time, becoming chronic, it can be caused by organs such as the heart, respiratory organs, and digestive tract.

Pain in the joints and ligaments in the chest area can occur due to inflammation or stretching. Pain can be aggravated in places where the ribs attach to the spine, and also where the ribs pass into the sternum and cartilage fuses several ribs - the costal group in its lower part.

Skeletal problems - spinal deformities such as scoliosis, which develops in the spine, but can also affect the shape of the ribs; it is also necessary to take into account changes after injuries that arise and develop in the musculoskeletal system.

Osteoporosis, which can occur in old age and affect the thoracic spine.

What sensations can occur with diseases of the musculoskeletal system?

• Pain, quite severe, in the thoracic spine
• Pain that occurs in the chest when inhaling and exhaling, active movements
• Pain when bending to the left or right
• Pain radiating to the sternum, to the area where the heart is located, pain radiating to the liver area or under the shoulder blade

Dystrophy of intervertebral joints as a cause of pain in the thoracic spine

If the degenerative process of the joints moves to the joints between the vertebrae, a disease called spondyloarthrosis occurs. It can be further accompanied by osteoarthrosis, which affects the ribs and vertebrae, as well as the costovertebral joints and their transverse articulations (these are the places in the joints where the ribs join each other). Because of this, the intervertebral openings can narrow significantly, and then the nerve roots in the spinal column are compressed, the sympathetic nerve fibers are under pressure, and severe inflammation and pain begin to develop in this area. The pain is strong, powerful, preventing a person from breathing.

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Sympathetic nerve dysfunction

It is worth knowing that sympathetic nerve fibers have the ability to regulate the work of internal organs, so the organs cannot properly perform their roles in the body. Pain, in addition to the chest, can be given to the area between the shoulder blades or vertically along the entire spine in the chest area. People with such pain often complain that the pain becomes stronger with deep breathing or active movement.

If the nerve root is compressed, the pain becomes ring-shaped, encircling. It most often occurs on one side - where the intercostal nerve passes. If the sensitivity of this nerve is impaired, the person's limbs may go numb, and there may be a feeling as if ants are crawling on the body. It may be the other way around, there is greater sensitivity in the area of the affected nerve, and the pain is felt as a burning sensation.

Disorders of internal organs

They also manifest themselves, and pains similar to angina pectoris may arise from the heart area - a burning sensation in the chest, a feeling of constriction, general weakness. Pains in the chest area may be accompanied by pains in the liver area. The work of internal organs, such as the stomach, intestines, may be disrupted, the process of urination may be inconsistent and pain during urination may also bother a person. To check the work of the urinary and digestive systems, you need to undergo an X-ray or ultrasound.

When checking on an X-ray machine, two projections of the thoracic spine are made. In these images, the doctor can observe how much the height of the images between the vertebrae decreases, and will also see the growth of the bone processes of the vertebrae. Such deviations can very often be found in those who complain of pain in the thoracic spine, and there may be no other health complaints.

More about deviations that cause pain in the thoracic spine

Statistics show that herniated discs in the thoracic region may account for no more than 1% of all cases of pain in this region. Intervertebral hernias are most often located in the four discs of the lower spine. If a thoracic hernia has already occurred, it means that the spinal cord may be compressed, and this is why the person is bothered by pain. The reason for this condition, as we have already mentioned, is that the spinal canal of the spinal cord is too narrow.

Thoracic spine injuries can occur due to osteoporosis (brittle bones) in the thoracic spine, especially in old age. Then the vertebrae break very easily due to the fragility of the tissue they are made of.

Osteochondrosis of the spine is very diverse in its manifestations. However, it is difficult to determine it by symptoms, because the symptoms are not very clearly expressed. The clearest symptoms of this condition are the localization of pain in the thoracic region, as well as the degree of expression of this pain.

If the pain becomes stronger after active physical activity, it may be osteochondrosis. The pain may also increase in a lying position, when a person does nothing for a long time. And then even at night the patient finds it difficult to tolerate this pain, he suffers and is forced to constantly change his position during sleep. Pain with osteochondrosis can be burning, aching, sharp, squeezing, dull, not only the chest hurts, but also the entire space between the shoulder blades. There may be a feeling as if a person is gripped by iron pincers and squeezing the chest and back. If you tap your fingers on the vertebrae a little, it causes severe pain.

The pain can also spread inside the chest - this is because the internal organs are hurting, so the pain is deep, as if coming from within.

When a person is still young, he or she may experience symptoms characteristic of Scheuermann-May disease. This disease is characterized by chest pain, which patients describe as burning and severe. The cause of this pain is an exacerbation of a condition that doctors call thoracic kyphosis. In this condition, the spine is curved, which may be accompanied by deformation of the vertebrae in the lower chest.

When diagnosing pain in the thoracic spine, first of all, it is necessary to exclude diseases of the heart and blood vessels, so it is necessary to do an ECG. Other diseases that provoke pain in the thoracic spine are quite numerous.

• Myeloma
• Trauma of the sternum, ribs and thoracic region
• Aneurysm of the aorta, which is called dissecting, as well as aortic rupture
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pneumonia
• Pleurisy
• Gastric or duodenal ulcer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Diaphragmatic abscess
• Cholecystitis

What does the thoracic spine consist of?

It consists of 12 vertebrae. If you look at the thoracic spine, it will look like the first part of a capital letter "X" or a piece of a donut with the horns facing left. Doctors call this condition physiological kyphosis.

The role of the thoracic spine is to hold the back wall of the sternum, or chest, tightly. The joints of the spine help attach the ribs to the thoracic vertebrae. The spine frame, with the help of the ribs, protects the chest from damage, and the internal organs too.

The intervertebral discs of the thoracic spine are very small in height, and this prevents the spine in this area from being too mobile. In addition, the static position of the thoracic spine is provided by the processes of the vertebrae, which are called spinous. They are located along the spinal column in the form of tiles.

The rib cage also provides a secure position for the thoracic spine. The thoracic spine also has a spinal canal. It is as narrow as a pipe, so even a small tumor or hernia, as well as vertebral processes called osteophytes, can cause the slightest disruption to its functioning. When they interfere with the spinal canal, compression of the nerve roots and the spinal cord occurs.

The nature of pain in the thoracic spine

• Persistent pain in the sternum area
• Girdle pain in the sternum area
• Pain that feels like compression (this may actually be compression of the spinal column or nerve roots)
• Severe pain that may be a sign of spinal tumors
• Pain associated with infections can be nagging and long-lasting (they can be caused by diseases such as tuberculous spondylitis, epidural abscess)
• Pain associated with shingles or herpes is burning, sharp, stabbing. Such pain can also be caused by diabetes or vasculitis

Which doctors should I see for diagnosis and treatment of thoracic spine pain?

1. Neurologist
2. Gastroenterologist
3. Traumatologist
4. Oncologist
5. Physiotherapy specialist
6. Vertebrologist
7. Masseur
8. Osteopath
9. Chiropractor

The most effective methods for treating pain in the thoracic spine

First of all, it is massage and manual therapy. If these methods are combined, the success in treatment will double. As for manual therapy, it is one of the most effective and at the same time gentle methods of treating pain in the thoracic spine. A person who has undergone a course in the therapeutic exercise room, manual therapy and therapeutic massage is practically invincible. The pain goes away very quickly, surgical intervention is no longer necessary (and very often doctors recommend it for pain in the thoracic region, if the process has gone too far).

And, of course, you need to follow all the doctor's recommendations on what kind of life you need to lead: continue doing therapeutic exercise at home, avoid heavy loads and take care of your diet. And then the pain in the thoracic spine may not return.