Pinched nerve in the thoracic region
Scientists have proven that anyone who has reached the age of 30 may be prone to a pinched nerve in the thoracic region. Why is this happening? The fact is that over the years, a person's bones become thinner and wear out. And in the spine, where intercostal nerve roots are located between the intervertebral discs, designed to play the role of shock absorbers, they can be compressed due to the contact of the discs or vertebral bodies with each other. Another provoking cause can be muscle spasm, for which there are quite a few reasons. Most of all, people with a weak vegetative-vascular status are susceptible to pinching of nerve endings.
There are no exact statistics on the number of people who have been subjected to pinching of the nerve processes in the thoracic region at least once. This state of affairs has developed because not every sick person seeks medical help. Many are self-medicating, and this can lead to a worsening of the course of the disease, up to the need for surgical intervention.
Content:
- Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
- Causes of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
- Diagnostics of the pinched nerve in the thoracic region
- Treating a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
- Disease prevention
Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
The entire spine is "enveloped" in nerve endings and therefore the symptoms of the disease will depend on which nerve is pinched:
- If it is a sensitive nerve, then the person feels a sharp pain in the place of compression and further along the course, sometimes it "gives" to the stomach area and resembles pain in gastritis and ulcers;
- Compression of the autonomic nerve gives a picture of imitation of heart pain, shortness of breath, arrhythmia is possible.
In any of these cases, the pain increases with deep inhalation or exhalation, as well as with each movement. It should be noted that the painful sensations do not go away when taking heart medications and can sometimes even occur in a state of complete rest, for example, during sleep. The pain can be different: acute and aching, paroxysmal and constant. Feeling of tightness in the chest is possible.
Causes of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
The main reasons for a pinched nerve in the thoracic region are:
-
Intercostal neuralgia as the main cause. And provoke her attack, in turn, can:
- Flick;
- Unsuccessful rotation of the body of the body;
- Lifting weights.
- Exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Due to dystrophic changes in the bones, the vertebrae are displaced and press the nerve. As a special case, it is possible to distinguish an intervertebral hernia in the thoracic region and protrusion of discs.
- Spinal muscle hypertonicity. Spasmodic muscles clamp the nerve endings. Most often, a similar cause of pinching occurs in athletes and in people who subject themselves to high physical exertion.
- The following, less common, factors of the disease can be mental and moral overload. Intercostal pains and headaches are quite common in people with poor stress tolerance.
- Spinal injuries and congenital developmental abnormalities, in particular - postural disorder and scoliosis.
- Tumors of various origins on the spinal column.
Diagnostics of the pinched nerve in the thoracic region
As with any serious disease, the diagnosis and treatment of a pinched nerve should be entrusted to professionals. But each person can carry out the primary diagnosis independently.
So, the presence of the following signs should be the reason for going to the doctor:
- Pain between the ribs, which intensifies as you approach the spine;
- Stiffness in the chest area, reminiscent of coronary heart disease, but not relieved by nitroglycerin;
- Increased pain when inhaling and exhaling, with coughing, movements;
- Destabilization of blood pressure;
- Migraine headache;
- Possible fainting;
- Numbness in the hands;
- Lethargy and apathy;
- When pressing on the nerve, pain in the stomach area of the type of ulcers may appear, which cannot be relieved by antispasmodics, for example, no-spa.
The presence of at least half of the above symptoms should be a prompting reason for a visit to a specialist.
Medical diagnostics, in addition to oral questioning of the patient, is as follows:
- Appointment of a complex of analyzes;
- X-ray examination;
- If it is difficult to diagnose, the doctor will additionally prescribe magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography;
- To clarify a specific area of pinching, it is possible to prescribe myelography (X-ray with the use of a contrast agent, which is injected into the spinal canal);
- Additional research methods: ultrasound and ECG (to clarify the presence of damage to any organ due to prolonged clamping of the nerve endings).
Treating a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
The main task on the way to recovery should be to eliminate the cause of the pinching - the release of the nerve, and then - to treat the consequences of the pinching.
Drug treatment consists in the appointment of painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain spasm, a course of vitamin B group, which restores metabolic processes in nerve cells, and electrophoresis - for a speedy recovery.
You can release the nerve endings with the help of manual therapy, sometimes even a single procedure can bring relief to the patient. After relieving pain, therapeutic massage, special gymnastics, acupuncture are shown. These measures are designed to restore the correct physiological position of the thoracic region, improve blood circulation, and prevent possible subsequent pinching.
Surgical intervention is prescribed only for serious damage to the nerve tissues.
Disease prevention
- Maintaining optimal weight, if indicated - losing weight;
- Periodic recovery at sea resorts;
- Avoiding long static body positions, one-sided load of any weight on one shoulder (even a handbag!);
- It must be remembered about the danger of hypothermia of the thoracic region.
But still, the main way of prevention is constant physical activity!
Compliance with these simple rules can prevent such an unpleasant and dangerous disease as pinched nerve in the thoracic spine.
Author of the article: Sokov Andrey Vladimirovich | Neurologist
Education: In 2005 completed an internship at the IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, completed postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous diseases".
