Pain in the sternum with osteochondrosis, pain behind the sternum

Pain in the sternum with osteochondrosis occurs much less often than with a similar disease in the lumbar or cervical spine. In connection with this, this disease is rather difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages of its development. Therefore, we decided to devote this article to this topic. From it you will learn about what kind of pain in the sternum occurs with osteochondrosis, and how to treat this disease.

general information

The term "osteochondrosis" came into medicine from the Greek language and literally means ὀστέον, that is, "bone", and χόνδρος, that is, "cartilage". In other words, it is a complex of dystrophic disorders in the cartilage and joints. This disease can develop in almost any moving part of the skeleton. Often patients complain that they regularly feel pain behind the sternum. In osteochondrosis, this symptom is manifested in every second patient. This fact is due to the fact that during the mentioned disease, intervertebral disks are affected, which, in contact with each other, cause unpleasant sensations, giving off for the sternum.

Types of lesions

Depending on where the intervertebral disc disorders are located, the following types of osteochondrosis are distinguished:

• Thoracic;
• cervical;
• lumbar.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the fact that the pain in the chest with osteochondrosis of the cervical region practically does not differ from that unpleasant sensation that occurs when lesions of the thoracic vertebrae. That is why to identify this disease should always consult a doctor who will conduct a medical examination and make an accurate diagnosis.

How often does the disease develop?

As mentioned above, the pain in the sternum with osteochondrosis appears much less frequently than in other similar diseases. This is due to the fact that the human spine has several sections. Cervical - is the most mobile, and the lumbar has the greatest load. As for the thoracic region, it helps to form a framework in which all the vital organs are located. It is for this reason that the vertebrae in this place are less mobile. Moreover, they rarely have a big load.

In connection with all of the above, it can be noted that not always the chest pain testifies to the presence of osteochondrosis of the said department.

The onset of breast osteochondrosis

How does this happen? If you regularly feel pain behind your sternum, you should immediately consult a doctor. After all, despite the rarity of this disease, it still occurs in some people.

At the initial stages of chest osteochondrosis, the intervertebral discs gradually become thinner. Then protrusions often occur. At this stage, the discs begin to bulge sideways or inward, resulting in a hernia.

As a rule, the pain in the sternum with osteochondrosis (treatment will be presented below) becomes more pronounced during active movement or after physical exertion. However, it should be noted that with lesions of the thoracic vertebrae, such sensations very seldom disturb the patient. This is due to the fact that this department is strictly fixed. If, however, the changes that have arisen in one way or another affect the fibers of the nervous vegetative system, the patient can easily think that he has normal problems with the digestive organs, the heart, or so on. Although in fact, the chest pain is only an echo that is given away from the vertebrae .

Causes

Why is it so? What is the cause of chest pain in osteochondrosis? It was said above that this disease is associated with the destruction of articular and cartilaginous tissues of the spine. So why is it destroyed?

To date, the causes that cause changes in the disks have not been studied to the end. Most often, the pain in the sternum with osteochondrosis starts to be felt after 35 years. The aggravation and development of this ailment contributes to back injuries, vibration, dynamic and static overload. Also, osteochondrosis, including thoracic, often appears due to:

• Excess weight;
• Hereditary (or so-called genetic) predisposition;
• Metabolic, infection or intoxication;
• Malnutrition (lack of fluid and trace elements);
• Age changes;
• Spinal injuries (fractures and bruises);
• Violations of posture, flat feet;
• Sedentary lifestyle;
• Adverse environmental conditions;
• Work associated with lifting weights;
• Long stay in uncomfortable poses in a sitting, standing or lying position;
• Excessive physical exertion;
• Overload of the spine, associated with foot diseases;
• Abrupt termination of regular training by professional athletes;
• Nervous overstrain, stressful situations;
• Smoking.

Pain behind the sternum with osteochondrosis: symptoms of the disease

Patients who are diagnosed with osteochondrosis regularly complain of aching pain in the back and behind the sternum. As a rule, later, such sensations are joined by a feeling of aching in the limbs and numbness.

What other symptoms occur, besides the fact that a person feels pain in the chest? Osteochondrosis is almost always accompanied by such signs as:

• A marked increase in pain during abrupt movements, lifting weights, physical exertion, sneezing and coughing;
• Spasms of muscle tissue.

It should also be noted that lesions of the thoracic, cervical and lumbar vertebrae can sometimes cause other symptoms. Let us consider them in more detail.

Osteochondrosis of cervical vertebrae

Does this always cause pain in the chest? Osteochondrosis of the cervical region may not be accompanied by the described sensations. But with such a deviation patients almost always say that they periodically have pain in the shoulders, hands and headaches. By this, the development of the vertebral artery syndrome is possible . With such a pathology, a person often observes a noise in the head, flickering of flies, dizziness or the appearance of colored spots before the eyes. The cause of this syndrome is the spasm of the vertebral artery in response to the irritation of its sympathetic plexus.

Osteochondrosis of thoracic vertebrae

When there is pain in the chest? Osteochondrosis of the thoracic vertebrae is the main cause of such unpleasant sensations. Thus the patient can assert, that in it as if have stuck a stake. Although it should be noted that sometimes such symptoms do not appear at all. In connection with this, diagnosing such a disease is much more difficult than affecting the cervical or lumbar region.

Osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral vertebrae

With such a deviation, pain in the chest does not practically arise. But the patient can regularly complain about unpleasant sensations in the lower back, which are given to the sacrum, the pelvic organs, as well as the lower or upper limbs.

Pain behind the sternum with osteochondrosis: treatment of the disease

Before talking about the therapy of this disease, it is necessary to reveal the essence of the problem. The fact is that it is impossible to completely cure osteochondrosis of the spinal column. This fact is due to the fact that this is a degenerative process that occurs in the disks. In other words, they simply collapse. In this case, not only the violation of the biological mechanics of the spine occurs, but the entire skeleton as a whole. Also during this disease, there are a lot of neurological abnormalities.

In connection with all the above, I want to note that the complex therapy of the presented disease should:

• Stop the subsequent destruction of disks, and ideally - restore their old structure.
• Restore the biological mechanics of the spine.
• Eliminate any disturbance in the work of the nervous system.

Medication

How to remove pain in the chest? Osteochondrosis, whose treatment should be complex, is always accompanied by unpleasant sensations. In connection with this, the treatment of the presented deviation should first be directed to the fight against pain. After all, with the displacement of the discs and the squeezing of the nerve root, there is a fairly strong pain syndrome, which can cause spasms of the muscular tissues of the back. In doing so, it violates the biological mechanics of the spine. Thus, there is a vicious circle: pain significantly increases muscle spasms, and spasms increase pain.

What medications should I take?

As a rule, with osteochondrosis, accompanied by severe pain behind the sternum, in the back, limbs, etc., the following drugs are prescribed:

1. Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal agents (for example, "Diclofenac", "Ketorolac", "Ibuprofen"). They suppress the pain and partially relieve the inflammatory processes in the damaged nerve roots.
2. Glucocorticosteroids (for example, drugs "Prednisolone", "Methylprednisolone", "Dexamethasone"). These are hormonal agents that have a pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. However, it should be noted that side effects of this type of drugs are much greater than those of NSAIDs.
3. Diuretics, or so-called diuretics (for example, Furosemide, Diacarb, Hydrochlorothiazide). Such drugs relieve swelling from jammed nerve roots, and also used as an adjunct to other medications. This medication is used for a short time.
4. Preparations for improving the metabolism of nerve tissues. To such means it is possible to carry vitamins of group B, "Pentoxifylline", "Actovegin" tioktovuyu acid and so on.
5. Chondroprotectors (for example, "Glucosamine" or "Chondroitin sulfate"). Manufacturers of these drugs claim that the presented group of drugs is able to repair damaged cartilage of vertebral discs. Although there is still no obvious evidence to this effect.