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The thoracic spine, or rather the thoracic spine, consists of 12 vertebrae.
They are connected with each other and with the rest of the spine by ligamentous structures and intervertebral joints. Each thoracic vertebra also connects to a pair of ribs. The spine is not a simple osteoarticular column, it has physiological curves which give it better mechanical properties. In the thoracic region, it curves backwards, and this curvature is called thoracic kyphosis.
Ailments of the thoracic spine are much less common than those of the cervical or lumbar spine, but they can be just as troublesome. This section is affected by typical spinal diseases such as discopathy, degeneration of the intervertebral joints, and inflammatory changes. If the nerve roots are compressed as a result, the patient experiences very unpleasant intercostal nerve neuralgia.
In children, lateral curvatures of the spine, known as posture defects, are often found in the thoracic spine. At a young age, the spine may also be attacked by Scheuermann’s disease, which is the appearance of sterile necrosis of the vertebrae of the thoracic spine.
bow. med. Aleksandra Czachowska