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Scientists have proven that anyone who has reached the age of 30 may be susceptible 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 clamped 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 pinched nerve endings.
There are no exact statistics on the number of people who have at least once been subjected to pinched nerve processes in the thoracic region. This state of affairs has developed because not every sick person seeks medical help. Many self-medicate, and this can lead to a worsening of the course of the disease, up to the need for surgical intervention.
Symptoms of a pinched nerve in the chest
The entire spine is “shrouded” in nerve endings, and therefore the symptoms of the disease will depend on which nerve is pinched:
If this is a sensitive nerve, then the person feels a sharp pain at the place of compression and further along the course, sometimes it “radiates” 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 intensifies with a deep breath or exhalation, as well as with every movement. It should be noted that pain does not go away when taking heart medications and can sometimes occur even in a state of complete rest, for example, during sleep. The pain can be different: acute and aching, paroxysmal and constant. There may be a feeling of tightness in the chest.
Causes of a pinched nerve in the chest
The main causes of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region are:
Intercostal neuralgia as the main cause. And to provoke her attack, in turn, can:
Flick;
Unsuccessful rotation of the body;
Lifting weight.
Exacerbation of osteochondrosis. Due to dystrophic changes in the bones, the vertebrae are displaced and press down on the nerve. As a special case, an intervertebral hernia in the thoracic region and protrusion of the discs can be distinguished.
Hypertonicity of the spinal muscles. Spasmodic muscles pinch the nerve ending. Most often, this cause of pinching occurs in athletes and in people who expose themselves to high physical exertion.
The next, less common, factors of the disease can be mental and moral overload. People with weak resistance to stress often experience intercostal pain and headaches.
Injuries of the spine and its congenital developmental abnormalities, in particular, postural disorders and scoliosis.
Tumors of various origins on the spinal column.
Diagnosis of a pinched nerve in the thoracic region
Like any serious disease, the diagnosis and treatment of a pinched nerve should be entrusted to professionals. But each person can conduct the initial diagnosis independently.
So, the presence of the following signs should be the reason for going to the doctor:
Pain between the ribs, intensifying as you approach the spine;
Stiffness in the chest, reminiscent of coronary heart disease, but not removed by nitroglycerin;
Increased pain when inhaling and exhaling, when coughing, movements;
Destabilization of blood pressure;
Headache like migraine;
Possible fainting;
Numbness of hands;
Lethargy and apathy;
When pressing on the nerve, pain may appear in the stomach area, similar to ulcers, which are not relieved by antispasmodics, for example, but-shpa.
The presence of at least half of the above symptoms should be the motivating 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;
Carrying out x-ray examination;
If it is difficult to make a diagnosis, the doctor will additionally prescribe magnetic resonance or computed tomography;
To clarify a specific area of pinching, it is possible to prescribe a myelography (X-ray using a contrast agent that 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 ending).
Treatment of a pinched nerve in the chest
The main task on the way to recovery should be the elimination of the cause that caused the pinching – the release of the nerve, and then – the treatment of the consequences of the pinching.
Drug treatment consists in prescribing 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 ending with the help of manual therapy, sometimes even a one-time procedure can bring relief to the patient. After the removal of pain, therapeutic massage, special gymnastics, acupuncture are shown. These activities 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.
[Video] A set of exercises that relieve spasm in the thoracic region: