It pinched my chest. What is chest compression and neuralgia?

A pinched nerve in the thoracic region is accompanied by sharp or aching pain in response to any movement made by a person. Compression of the nerve roots causes destructive changes in the vertebral bodies and discs. Treatment allows you to release compressed nerve endings and restore damaged tissue.

As a person ages, the bone and cartilaginous tissues become thinner, which leads to a decrease in the intervertebral space through which the nerve endings pass. The vertebrae come closer together and put pressure on the discs. Deformed intervertebral discs compress nerve roots. The result is a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine.

The tissue surrounding the pinched nerve becomes inflamed and swollen. Inflammation and swelling disrupt the innervation of tissues through which damaged nerve fibers pass and cause pain.

Causes

The main factors causing the development of thoracic radicular syndrome include:

1. Degenerative-dystrophic disorders cartilage tissue in intervertebral joints contribute to excessive convergence of discs. Such deformations occur with osteochondrosis.
2. Disc protrusion. The development of pathology causes progressive osteochondrosis. A hernial bulge forms in the disc, unable to break the fibrous ring and reach the periphery of the vertebra. If the formation falls out near the spinal nerve, the root is pinched.
3. A disc herniation is a bulge that has destroyed the fibrous ring and fallen outside the vertebra. The hernial formation, emerging from the spinal canal, compresses the nerve root.
4. Intercostal neuralgia is inflammation of the nervous tissue in the chest area. The swollen tissue puts pressure on the nerves.
5. Spinal column injuries.
6. genetic predisposition. Tissue weakness and destructive transformations of the spine are determined at the genetic level.
7. Curvature of the spinal column leads to defects that cause pinched nerves.

Regardless of the root cause, pinching thoracic nerve cause inadequate loads on the spine, age-related deformities, prolonged stay in static positions, and poor posture.

Symptoms

The main symptom of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region is pain. It occurs when a sensory nerve is compressed. The manifestation of pain is influenced by the pressure exerted on the nerve endings. When pinched, the pain can be sharp, intense, aching. The pain increases with deep breaths, raising the ribs, prolonged static loads, and hypothermia.

The pain spreads in the direction of the nerves located in the intercostal space. They radiate to the neck, shoulder girdle, arms, and stomach. The pain radiating to the stomach resembles that which develops with peptic ulcers, colitis, and gastroenteritis. Imitation of the process is excluded by taking antispasmodics. They relieve stomach pain. But they have no effect on neuralgic pain.

With left-side pinching, the pain sensations are similar to those that occur with heart disease. The patient suffers from stabbing and throbbing pain. It is difficult for him to take a deep breath - the intensity of the pain instantly increases.

The pain is not relieved by heart medications. Excessive stiffness occurs in the chest, increasing with movement. It spreads from the ribs to the spinal column, causing heart rhythm disturbances.

The symptoms are very similar to ischemia or a heart attack. Errors occur when making a diagnosis. The difference between the symptoms is that the pain caused by pinched nerve fibers does not subside for a long time and is not relieved by heart medications.

The patient's well-being is aggravated when soreness appears in the muscles. If a nerve root is pinched, a convulsive contraction of the muscles occurs, increasing the pain syndrome at once.

However, pain when a nerve is pinched in the chest is not a necessary sign. Painful sensations appear sporadically, their character changes, and their duration fluctuates. Attacks occur day and night, during exercise and at rest. Infringement occurs at the moment of relaxation of tense muscles, when the patient takes an unforced position.

In addition, the following symptoms indicate a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine:

1. Paresthesia is decreased sensitivity of the skin of the back.
2. Internal organs cease to cope with their functions if the autonomic nerve is compressed (heart rhythm is disturbed, signs of ischemia appear due to slow blood circulation in the heart muscle, and stomach acidity increases).
3. Weakened muscle contraction is observed when motor nerves are involved in the pathological process. The muscles of the neck, arms, diaphragm, and chest contract weakly.

Diagnostics

After listening to the patient’s complaints, the doctor examines the patient’s muscles and prescribes tests. Refers him for x-rays, ultrasound and MRI. The results of the study help determine which methods - conservative therapy or surgery - to treat the patient if a pinched nerve occurs in the thoracic region.

Treatment

Depending on the symptoms and the root cause of the disease, conservative or radical treatment is carried out. If the infringement is caused by osteochondrosis, intercostal neuralgia or disc protrusion, they are limited to methods of therapeutic treatment: medications, physiotherapeutic procedures, and physical therapy are prescribed.

Medicines supply cells with oxygen and bioactive substances and restore damaged tissue. Therapeutic exercises help release the pinched nerve. Treatment of an intervertebral hernia that causes a pinched nerve is performed using surgical methods.

Conservative treatment

Therapeutic treatment methods are aimed at releasing compressed nerve roots, relieving inflammation, swelling, spasms and pain, and regenerating damaged cartilage, bone and nerve tissue.

Drug therapy:

• Revmoxicam and Diclofenac eliminate inflammation and pain;
• Mydocalm relieves muscle spasms, allows muscles to relax;
• Chondroitin and Teraflex restore the structure of cartilage and bones;
• complex preparations with B vitamins stimulate the regeneration of nerve tissues and restore metabolic processes in them.

Physiotherapeutic procedures:

• magnetic therapy, therapeutic mud, electrophoresis suppress inflammatory processes, restore nerve fibers;
• acupuncture and UHF improve blood circulation and metabolism.

Physical therapy, manual therapy and massage:

• therapeutic exercises help release nerve endings, restore mobility, and form a powerful muscle corset;
• dry and water traction of the spinal column. A therapeutic set of exercises for stretching the spine is performed by a specialist. The procedure allows you to restore the natural anatomical position of the vertebrae and release pinched nerves;
• manual therapy relieves spasms, returns the vertebrae to their natural position, restores the functions of the spinal column;
• massage stimulates blood circulation, improves metabolism, and eliminates pinched nerve endings.

Surgery

Surgery is resorted to when severe pinching of the nerve occurs in the thoracic region, and treatment with therapeutic methods does not give positive dynamics. The spinal roots are released by performing plastic surgery of the vertebrae and discs.

When a pinched nerve is treated at an early stage, complications and surgery can be avoided. If signs indicating pinched spinal roots appear, you should visit a doctor. He will clarify the diagnosis and draw up a treatment plan for the emerging pathology.

Those who suffer from osteochondrosis or exacerbations of neuralgia are well aware of attacks of acute and burning pain when a nerve is pinched in the thoracic region.

It is not so easy to alleviate your condition; intercostal neuralgia and pinched nerves are almost impossible to anesthetize with conventional analgesics. Moreover, attacks can easily be mistaken for heart failure, since outwardly the symptoms are almost identical.

Even for specialists, it is sometimes difficult to visually distinguish neuralgia from the heart. Additional examination is required to exclude cardiac disorders.

Unlike the cervical one, it is inactive. Therefore, it is believed that pinching occurs much less frequently than in other departments. But in reality, everything is surrounded by nerve endings that subtly react to the slightest imbalance.

Sometimes intercostal neuralgia can lead to flick, unsuccessful body rotation, lifting weights. Moreover, the heaviness can be habitual if we are talking about athletes accustomed to stress.

But bone tissue can wear out, so it cannot be guaranteed that another load on the back will not lead to pinching and the development of neuralgia.

The concept of a pinched nerve must be understood literally: one of the nerve roots is pinched either by the spinal discs. As a result, various types of pain arise. For some it is aching and persistent pain, for others they cannot straighten their back at all and complain of numbness in the arm and lumbago.

The intensity and nature of the pain depends on which nerve was pinched:

• nerve responsible for sensitivity;
• nerve that performs motor functions;
• nerve responsible for autonomic function.

Signs and symptoms of a pinched nerve

In most cases, the autonomic or sensory nerve is compressed. A person experiences severe pain in the left side of the body, in the area of ​​the heart. The pain is similar to heart pain: intermittently stabbing and throbbing. There are breathing problems: when trying to take a deep breath, the pain intensifies.

Cardiac and emergency medications do not work. There is a feeling of severe stiffness in the chest area, which increases with any movement. Usually the pain is felt from the ribs to, and the heart rhythm may be disturbed. The symptoms are very similar to ischemia or a heart attack, which is often misdiagnosed. But, unlike heart pain, pain caused by a pinched nerve is very long-lasting and cannot be relieved by medications.

Signs and symptoms of a pinched thoracic nerve If the nerve is severely compressed, severe pain in the gastric region may occur. Such pains are very similar to pain from ulcers, colitis and gastroenteritis, but this is an imitation. You can also check on your own by taking an antispasmodic: the medicine will help with stomach pain, but not with neuralgia.

The patient's condition is aggravated if muscle pain occurs. In response to the pinching of the nerve ending, the muscles begin to contract convulsively, which increases the pain several times.

But the persistence of pain during the development of neuralgia is not a necessary condition. Soreness can occur sporadically and vary in nature and duration. An attack can begin even at night, when the body is at complete rest. Sometimes pinching occurs at the moment when overstrained muscles relax and the person takes a free pose.

Causes of a pinched nerve

Pinched nerves are more common in older people. Age-related changes have a profound effect on the nervous system, bone tissue and wear and tear. But age is not the only cause of neuralgia.

Vegetative-vascular disorders provoke to a greater extent pinching of the nerve roots and not only in the chest area. Considering that almost every person has vegetative-vascular dystonia, almost everyone is at risk of neuralgia and various pinchings. Typically, dystonia manifests itself quite clearly with headaches and a reaction to weather conditions.

But also the autonomic nerves are sensitive to moral and psychological overload. Often people who consider themselves healthy complain of intercostal pain and headaches that occur only after stress.

But the most important cause of pinched nerve in chest there is an exacerbation of osteochondrosis or increased tone of the muscles associated with the back. With exacerbation of osteochondrosis, due to disturbances in bone tissue, are getting very close. As a result, the nerve endings, which until that moment normally passed between, become pinched.

If there is muscle hypertonicity, the situation becomes more complicated, since the tissues are not allowed to relax, which increases the destructive effect. Hypertonicity and often together in those who are busy physical activity. The occurrence of pain is not the only problem. When nerve endings are pinched, the blood circulation process worsens, the vascular system suffers, and the body does not receive important enzymes transmitted by the blood on time.
A hernia in the thoracic region can also cause compression of nerve endings.

Pinched nerves can occur due to uncomfortable postures and prolonged strain on the back. Sometimes the cause may be the presence of an intervertebral hernia. It is important to know that if exacerbations are not relieved and treated in time, the nerve endings will be pinched regularly. The longer treatment is delayed, the more difficult it is to treat the source of pain due to a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment. It can be cured reluctantly and it all depends on timely contact with specialists.

How to diagnose and treat a pinched nerve in the thoracic region

Treatment of a pinched nerve

Treatment depends entirely on the root cause that served as the impetus for the compression of the nerve ending and on which nerve was damaged. But there are still a few actions that are common.

The main thing is to try to free the nerve itself and restore its functionality. Well suited for this, even lightweight acupressure can reduce muscle activity, which will alleviate the condition. Often, even a one-time massage can eliminate pain and return you to normal.

Treatment of a pinched nerve However, for recovery it is extremely difficult to eliminate the pain. Because it tends to come back and aggravate the condition. It is necessary to find the source of the problem and identify the causes of pinching.

As the main provocateur of neuralgia and pinching, it requires constant monitoring. Therefore, you need to visit a neurologist to conduct a comprehensive study.

Usually drug treatment includes drugs that strengthen blood vessels, improve blood circulation, and antispasmodics. The latter can act to relax muscle tone, which will relieve pain. For severe lesions, a fixing corset is prescribed.

After the pain symptoms have been relieved, light exercises and... This helps restore lost ones, return it to its natural state and prevent it. It should be taken into account that when a hernia is identified, it is advisable to consult with a treating specialist about its removal. In some cases, the presence of a hernia in the thoracic region regularly provokes pain and pinching.
It is important to understand that a pinched nerve in the chest can only be treated by identifying the original source.

Pain relief only helps temporarily, delaying the period. We must not forget that the pain brought by pinching is a signal for help, a pain symptom of the body. Delayed treatment may result in partial paralysis or disability. does not stand still, the wear and tear of bone tissue is irreversible and it is simply impossible to avoid it.

A sore back needs therapy and rest, gentle conditions. Experts recommend treatment twice a year, but to maintain

A pinched nerve in the thoracic region occurs when the intervertebral disc, muscles or vertebral sectors pinch the nerve processes. This process is accompanied by aching pain, sometimes the pain is sharp and shooting. When they say that a nerve is pinched somewhere, this usually means attacks of acute pain in the back, chest, or neck. However, few people know that such pinching may be accompanied by disturbances in proper functioning. internal organs and muscles.

It is important to understand which nerve is pinched - the autonomic direction, the sensitive one, or the one responsible for movement.

Unlike the situation when it pinches sensory nerve, which is accompanied by severe pain and requires immediate attention to specialists, the motor and autonomic nerves can be ignored by the person. And this is fraught with various complications.

Main symptoms

A pinched nerve in the thoracic region is associated with compression of the sensory or autonomic nerve. In this case, the following symptoms are typical:

• severe pain on the left side of the body, in the area of ​​the heart muscle.
• there may be problems with respiratory system– when a person wants to take a deep breath, he feels a strong surge of pain.
• If a person takes any medications for the heart, they have no effect, the pain does not stop.
• Characterized by a feeling of stiffness in movements, which intensifies when trying to move the body. Pain may be felt from the spine to the ribs.
• Heart rhythms may become erratic.

Symptoms of nerve compression resemble ischemia or a heart attack. Here you need to know, in order not to confuse the diagnoses, that heart medications will not give a positive result.

If you try to press hard on the nerve, you may experience pain in the stomach area. They will be similar to pain in various stomach diseases. It is important to be able to recognize the distinctive symptoms.

Muscle pain appears at the stage when the condition of the relatively pinched nerve begins to worsen. Due to stiffness in movements, the muscles begin to contract incorrectly, which increases pain.

It must be remembered that the symptoms of a pinched nerve are constant pain that does not go away. They can occur sporadically, varying in pain symptoms and duration. Very often, pinching of a nerve occurs not only when a person is mobile, but also when he is in a state of relaxation, complete muscle rest.

Reasons for appearance

The reasons why a pinched nerve occurs are varied. Most often, this pinching is typical for middle-aged people, since the natural processes of growing up and aging of the body greatly affect the central nervous system, leading to wear and tear of bone tissue and the spine as a whole. However, age is not the only reason why a nerve in the thoracic region becomes pinched. The main reasons also include:

Disorders of the vegetative-vascular system

Such disorders pinch the nerve roots in the thoracic region. Distance, which is the initiator of vegetative-vascular disorders, is typical for every third person on Earth. Thus, almost all people are at risk of a pinched nerve.

Increased level of osteochondrosis, increased tone of the spinal muscles

This is one of the main reasons why a pinched nerve occurs in the department pectoral muscles. The fact is that when osteochondrosis worsens, the structure of bone tissue is disrupted, and the process of bringing the vertebrae closer to each other is accelerated. Thus, the nerve branches are sandwiched between the vertebrae. As for “muscle congestion”, then characteristic feature here are muscle spasms. They are the ones who do not allow tissues to return to a state of relaxation, because of this, destructive processes increase. When nerve endings are pinched, blood does not reach them well, and the circulatory and vascular systems are disrupted.

What is the treatment for a pinched thoracic nerve?

Speaking about treatment methods, it should be noted that they depend solely on the concomitant pathology. However, there are several general treatments that can make the pain less severe. These include:

Releasing a pinched nerve and restoring its functioning

This can be achieved using manual therapy and acupressure. They are able to calm the muscles and reduce muscle activity in general. For some people, one session is enough to relieve tremendous pain.

Sometimes a sudden movement, a heavy bag or an uncomfortable position can trigger pain in the chest, arms, and under the shoulder blades. They can quickly disappear or remain for a long time, tormenting a person with sudden attacks, creating discomfort. Often such sensations indicate a pinched nerve in the thoracic region.

Description

A pinched nerve in the thoracic region is largely due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of this part of the spine.

The thoracic region consists of 12 separate vertebrae - according to the number of ribs. This is the least mobile part of the back; it bears a small load, but at the same time performs important function– serves as a support for the chest and all the organs that are located in it. Intervertebral discs are located between the vertebrae. Their thickness is less than in other parts of the spine. Each disk has an inner core and an outer ring that holds it in place. Nerve roots pass through the openings between the vertebrae.

Three types of nerves emerge from the thoracic region:

• sensitive;
• motor;
• vegetative.

Violation of the position of the vertebrae in relation to each other, injuries, excess weight, elderly age provoke the emergence and development various diseases, which in turn lead to pinching of the thoracic nerves. Pinching refers to the resulting clamping of the nerve roots.

The intensity, nature of the pain that appears during clamping, as well as other symptoms depend on which nerves are in the affected area.

Causes

Pinched nerves are caused by the following pathologies:

1. Osteochondrosis. This is probably the most common factor. The disease causes gradual destruction of the intervertebral discs. The approaching vertebrae pinch the fiber.
2. Intervertebral herniation occurs mainly between the 6th and 7th vertebrae due to protrusion of the inner core of the disc and rupture of the outer ring. Initial stage The development of a hernia is protrusion. Both disorders lead to nerve tissue being pinched by the spinal discs.
3. Various types of spinal injuries - cracks, fractures, including compression ones.
4. Curvatures of the spinal column - kyphosis, lordosis, scoliosis.
5. Benign and malignant formations.
6. Diseases of the cardiovascular system. Poor circulation leads to decreased supply nutrients to the spine, accelerating degenerative processes.
7. Vegetovascular dystonia.
8. Infectious diseases, including.
9. Mental disorders.

Other causes include physical stress and a sedentary lifestyle. Increased load with a weak muscle corset can cause unexpected changes in the vertebrae. An unreasonably large load even on developed muscles leads to hypertonicity and spasm. Tense muscles compress nerve fibers.

An additional factor contributing to the occurrence of pinching is old age. In older people, the muscle corset weakens, and natural processes of aging and destruction of bone tissue occur.

Symptoms

Pinched nerves in the thoracic region are characterized by acute, sudden or aching pain. It appears mainly between the shoulder blades along the spine, in the chest, along the ribs. May spread to the arm or shoulder. Lasts from a few minutes to several days.

Features of the clinical picture:

• The spread of pain to the left may indicate that the clamp arose as a result of cardiovascular pathology. In this case, a pressing, squeezing pain is noted.
• If nerve fibers are pinched due to pathology of the spinal column, the pain intensifies when coughing, laughing, deep breathing, or changing body position.
• Pain caused by mental disorders does not have a clear localization.
• Depending on which vertebrae the nerve is pinched in, you may experience a feeling of numbness, burning, tingling in the arms, ribs, or under the shoulder blades. Stiffness, muscle weakness, and temporary paralysis may appear. Another group of symptoms includes pressure surges, arrhythmia, and tachycardia. The patient may have difficulty breathing.
• At mental disorders blood pressure rises. On the contrary, with cardiovascular pathologies it decreases.
• An exacerbation of a disease of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to pinching, causes diarrhea, belching, and heartburn.
• If the pinching is caused by shingles, a rash in the form of red blisters appears along the nerve.

Diagnostics

Pinched nerves in the thoracic region can have similar symptoms to other diseases, so determining the correct diagnosis is an important factor in treatment. If the first manifestations are detected, you should contact a neurologist. The doctor will check reflexes and sensitivity of the affected areas. Typically, the following studies are prescribed to clarify the diagnosis:

1. X-ray of the chest, including myelography. It will detect signs of intervertebral disc degeneration, fractures, tumors, and bone deformations.
2. Magnetic resonance therapy. During this test, the doctor will see the condition of the discs, nerve roots and spinal cord.
3. A CT scan will provide a cross-section of the vertebrae and discs.

These three methods allow you to determine the location, degree and cause of the pinching, as well as clarify the need for surgical intervention.

Examinations of the gallbladder and liver can eliminate suspicion of gastrointestinal pathology.

Read also on the topic

How to determine that a person has neuralgia of the back: features And differential diagnosis

Treatment Methods

The first thing to do when pain occurs is to release and restore the function of the pinched nerve. To do this, they relieve the inflammatory process, swelling, pain, and ensure the restoration of damaged cartilage and bone tissue. Therapy aimed at curing the underlying disease must be prescribed. Treatment can be done at home; in case of severe pain, hospitalization is indicated. In any case, a gentle regimen is required.

The main methods of treatment include drug therapy, surgery, physiotherapy, massage, and therapeutic exercises.

You cannot treat the disorder yourself; this can only worsen the condition. Any actions are agreed with the doctor.

First aid

Pain often comes unexpectedly. It affects a person, preventing his free movements and normal activities. Before the doctor arrives or has the opportunity to visit him, it is necessary to alleviate the patient’s condition. To do this, place it on a hard surface. The patient will choose the most suitable and comfortable position for himself. It's important to make sure he moves as little as possible.

An ointment that has an analgesic effect, for example, Ketanov, is applied to the area of ​​the back and pain points. Sometimes prepare a compress with ice cubes and place it on the neck area for 5 minutes. If necessary, repeat the procedure after 20 minutes.

To reduce pain, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are given - Ibuprofen, Movalis. If you experience pain in the abdominal area, you can take No-shpa. Sedatives, Novopassit, Persen, should be given if the patient is restless or agitated. If it is difficult for him to breathe, the chest is freed from constricting clothing, and a window is opened to ensure air flow.

Measurement is carried out in parallel blood pressure, check the temperature.

Drug therapy

The use of medications is determined by their effects:

• To relieve inflammation and pain, use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic drugs - Revoxicam and Diclofenac;
• Mydocalm helps to relax muscles and relieve tension;
• restoration of the structure of bones and cartilage is promoted by Chondroitin and Theraflex;
• normalization of metabolism in nerve tissues and their regeneration is stimulated by therapy including B vitamins.

In especially severe cases, glucocorticoid drugs are prescribed - they relieve swelling and inflammation. Anesthetic solutions are also injected into the affected area, providing a blockade.

Physiotherapy

Regular gymnastics allows you to restore the mobility of the spine and forms a muscle corset. The complex is selected by a doctor for each person individually. If pain occurs, stop exercising. Simple exercises can be repeated several times a day. First, gymnastics is done under the supervision of a physiotherapist, then it is continued at home. This approach is due to the need to make sure that the person performs all the exercises correctly.

A few exercises to help prevent pinching in the future:

• Sitting on a chair, straighten your back, put your hands on the back of your head, and bend over. Try to press your spine to the top of the chair, bend back as you inhale, and bend forward as you exhale. Repeat 4 times.
• Standing on all fours and holding your head straight, smoothly arch and arch your back. Do the exercise 5-8 times.
• Lying on your stomach, place your arms vertically, lean on them and lift your upper body, stretching your chest. Perform 5-8 times.
• Lying on your back, simultaneously raise your legs, head, neck and upper torso. Repeat 8-10 times.
• Lying on your back, bend your knees, raise your pelvis, clasp your knees with your hands and begin to smoothly roll from right to left. Perform for 1-2 minutes, rest and repeat.
• Standing straight, bend your elbows, tense your body muscles, and make 10 turns left and right. Take a break and repeat the exercise.

Massage

After removal acute symptoms massage is prescribed. It effectively reduces muscle tension, improves blood circulation, and releases pinched nerve. Prescribed 2 times a year for 10-15 sessions.

Physiotherapy

An indispensable method in clamp therapy is different kinds physiotherapy: ultrasound, electrical stimulation, laser therapy. Mud therapy is actively used. Acupuncture is indicated.

The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae and extends from the base of the neck to the middle of the back. If these bone formations are damaged due to a fracture, injury, or degenerative process, one or more of the nerves leading from the spinal cord may become pinched.

Content:

Nerve compression in the thoracic region, or thoracic radiculopathy, is less common than cervical or lumbar radiculopathy. This is due to less load on this part of the spine.

The vertebrae are separated from each other by cartilaginous discs. Through the intervertebral foramina, nerve roots extend from the spinal cord, connecting sensory and motor fibers. When a disc or vertebra is damaged, the diameter of the intervertebral foramina decreases and the spinal cord roots are pinched. Their swelling occurs and blood supply is disrupted. Tissue ischemia leads to damage to nerve cells, release of biologically active substances causing pain. An inflammatory process develops.

Each root is responsible for the movements and sensitivity of a certain part of the body - a segment. If the root is damaged in the area of ​​the corresponding segment, clinical signs appear indicating a violation of nerve transmission. The nerves that arise from the thoracic spinal cord are responsible for the functions of the upper limbs and many internal organs.

The main causes of thoracic radiculopathy:

• intervertebral disc, pressing on the roots and causing their inflammation;
• disc degeneration due to osteochondrosis, leading to its “subsidence” and a decrease in the size of the intervertebral foramina;
• spinal injury;
• congenital narrowing of the spinal canal.

Long-term back pain may be a sign of a spinal compression fracture due to osteoporosis in older adults. Tumor (including metastatic) damage to the spine, as well as tuberculosis and vertebrae, poses a great danger. It is difficult to recognize this pathology at home. Therefore, if symptoms of pinched nerves appear, you should consult a doctor and undergo additional examination.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine, photo

If a person notices one or more of the following symptoms, he or she should consult a doctor:

1. Pain is the most common symptom of a pinched nerve. It can vary in intensity and is localized in the mid-back, spreading to the neck or arms. Sometimes it is accompanied by muscle spasms or radiates to the front of the chest or abdomen, which can cause difficulty sitting or standing for long periods of time.
2. Numbness and tingling occur due to disruption of the transmission of nerve impulses from organs to nervous system. These sensations are often localized in the upper back and arms. As a rule, they are accompanied by back pain.
3. Muscle weakness or paralysis. Pinched nerves in the thoracic region can lead to muscle weakness in the upper extremities. Sometimes muscle stiffness or temporary paralysis occurs. After treatment, limb function is restored. If the pinching is chronic, the affected muscles gradually atrophy.

If signs of the disease appear, you should consult a neurologist. The doctor should question the patient and conduct a physical (external) examination, as well as a thorough neurological examination, including determination of reflexes and sensitivity of the affected body segments.

Additional diagnostic methods:

• X-ray of the thoracic spine to detect degeneration of the discs and joints of the spine, fractures, bone deformities, tumors or infectious process;
• magnetic resonance imaging to visualize discs, spinal cord and nerve roots;
• computed tomography, which helps to get a cross-sectional view of the structures of the spine.

Additionally, the patient undergoes an electrocardiogram to exclude heart pathology. Manifestations of some cardiovascular diseases, for example, a heart attack, may resemble neurological pathology. Differential diagnosis with damage to the lungs, pleura, liver, gallbladder and other internal organs is also required.

Methods of treating the disease

Treatment methods depend on the severity of the pathology.

Treatment of acute back pain:

• exclusion of activities that increase pain (bending, turning);
• taking anti-inflammatory and painkillers, as well as muscle relaxants to relax muscles;
• cold compress on the neck area for 5 minutes, repeat after 20 minutes;
• In some cases, injections of B vitamins have a fairly good effect.

You can supplement treatment with ointments with anti-inflammatory and warming effects. However, their effectiveness is low.

Therapeutic gymnastics and physiotherapy are recommended. Physical exercise must be individualized for each patient. Initially, they are aimed at reducing the load on the thoracic spine. As the inflammation subsides, the joints and ligaments of the spine begin to stretch and strengthen. Physiotherapy includes ultrasound, laser exposure, and electrical muscle stimulation. In most cases, these methods help relieve the exacerbation of the disease.

Warming up in the acute period can increase the severity of symptoms. Courses of “vascular” therapy do not have a significant effect on the course of radiculopathy.

In more severe cases, it is possible to prescribe glucocorticoid hormones that relieve swelling and inflammation, or introduce anesthetic solutions into the damaged area. Using additional diagnostic methods, the cause of problems with the spine is determined and appropriate treatment is prescribed (for example, surgery for a herniated disc).

Surgical treatment is indicated in the following situations:

• ineffectiveness of conservative methods;
• spread of pain to other segments;
• amyotrophy;
• pathology of intervertebral discs.

In addition to correcting the cause of pain, foraminotomy can be performed - an operation aimed at increasing the lumen of the intervertebral foramina.

Most often, the symptoms of pinched nerves can be managed without surgery. The course of treatment lasts from 1 to 3 months. Subsequently, you need to regularly perform exercises that strengthen the spine.

Consequences of the disease

If treatment is not carried out in full or if you visit a doctor late, pinched nerves in the thoracic region can cause complications:

• chronic back pain;
• decreased performance, professional restrictions;
• muscle weakness and atrophy;
• violation fine motor skills brushes;
• impaired sensitivity and movement in the limbs, up to paralysis.

If the patient does therapeutic exercises, avoids intense stress on the spine, follows the recommendations of the neurologist, his spine restores its function, and the symptoms of the disease recede for a long time.

To prevent the disease or its relapse, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

• posture control;
• weight normalization;
• proper lifting technique (squatting, not bending);
• breaks from working at the computer or during physical activity;
• regular gymnastics.

Exercises for radiculopathy:

• “cat” - arching and deflection of the back, while the head is facing straight;
• lifting the body from a position lying on the stomach, leaning on the hands and arching the back;
• lifting the head, neck and upper body from a supine position, at the same time you need to try to lift your legs off the floor.

Disease prevention, exercise and massage

All these exercises must be repeated daily 6 to 8 times each.

Massage for pinched nerves should be performed by a qualified specialist. It is useful to conduct 2 courses of 10–15 sessions annually. Massage techniques include stroking, rubbing, kneading, pinching, and vibrating the muscles of the back and neck. It strengthens soft tissues around the spine, preventing swelling and inflammation of the roots.

Massage can also be performed at home. Its effectiveness will be lower, but if repeated regularly, it will also help avoid exacerbations of the disease. Such an effect on the soft tissues of the back cannot be carried out during exacerbations of the disease, as well as in case of an unspecified cause of pain.

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