It happens that a person goes to the doctor with a complaint about the heart. The specialist sends him for examination, but it does not show any pathologies. It is good when a cardiologist recommends consulting a neurologist. In this case, he can report that it is not heart disease that is to blame, but osteochondrosis.
It turns out that one of the symptoms of thoracic osteochondrosis is a feeling of pain in the mammary gland or in the heart. It can pull, hurt and press. Sometimes there is a feeling of warmth in the chest area and arrhythmias. Over time, the pain can get progressively worse. In this case, drugs for the heart will not help.
Features of heart pain in osteochondrosis
Many people have a question: can the heart hurt with osteochondrosis? Yes. Patients often complain of the following:
- Prolonged heartbeat and chest pain.
- Gradually, pain in the heart appears with osteochondrosis.
- Pain sensations are boring and oppressive.
- The intensity of pain in the sternum is low.
- Taking nitrates does not eliminate chest pain.
- Patients try to make fewer movements with their upper limbs, which increases the pain sensations.
Sometimes cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis occurs simultaneously, in this case there are additional pains in the neck. The patient may complain of:
- Pain in the shoulder girdle, face and neck.
- The complaints extend to almost the entire upper chest area and affect the muscle tissue of the spine.
- A seizure can last several hours or even days.
Sometimes the cause of the reflected pain lies in the crushing of the vertebral artery. In this case, the following symptoms appear:
- Dizziness;
- deterioration in hearing and vision;
- pressing pain in occiput;
- Antihypertensive drugs do not give the desired effect;
- feeling weak;
- dyspnea;
- loss of consciousness;
- blood spatter on the face.
The symptoms of osteochondrosis of the spine and how the heart hurts in women and men do not differ.
What are the effects of osteochondrosis on the heart? The disease is accompanied by changes in the spine, especially in the area of the spinous processes of the lower cervical vertebrae. Weakness of the little finger and a decrease in the strength of the muscles of the left hand may be felt.
How to distinguish heart pain from osteochondrosis
How to recognize: is it pain due to heart pathologies or osteochondrosis? Solving the problem is not easy: in both cases, the cells can radiate aching and severe pain, and physical exertion increases the discomfort.
Although it is quite difficult to distinguish angina from thoracic osteochondrosis, there are signs that help determine the true cause of the pain.
Differences in heart pain in osteochondrosis:
- Long duration of pain: It lasts for weeks and months.
- Seizures occur with sudden raising of arms and head, tilting and turning, and coughing.
- Pain can increase and decrease and subside when the body is in a comfortable position.
- If there are multiple ECG violations, they will not be detected.
- If the chin is tilted to the chest, the pain intensifies, this is a sign of an intervertebral hernia.
- When there is pain, there are no attacks of anxiety and fear.
- Staying in one position for a long time (e. g. while sleeping) can cause a feeling of heartache.
- Glycerol trinitrate will not help get rid of pain, for this you just need to use analgesics.
- Heart pain in osteochondrosis with a sharp change in body position intensifies immediately, it occurs when sneezing, coughing, deep breathing and sudden movements of the head.
- With exposure to the spine, the intensity of pain increases.
- Heart pain of the chest region with osteochondrosis is not life-threatening.
Now let's see how to determine what hurts the heart with angina. In this case, there will be such pains:
- short duration;
- not related to physical activity;
- heart medications help stop or relieve pain;
- pain sensations do not change if the load on the spine is constant;
- pain has the same intensity;
- pain sensations spread to the arm, jaw and under the shoulder blade on the left side;
- Pain can be caused by neuropsychic overstrain;
- cardiogram reflects the presence of pathologies;
- the patient is afraid of death;
- can result in death of the patient.
The nature of pain in osteochondrosis
Many are interested in how the heart hurts with osteochondrosis. Discomfort is felt not only in the chest, but also in the upper abdomen, ribs and near the spine. Movements are restricted by staying in the same position for a long time, while the pain increases. A short walk will help get rid of ailments.
Pain in the back and in the shoulder blade area can also occur. It can get worse if you take a deep breath. The degree of discomfort is affected by temperature (decrease) and changes in atmospheric pressure.
Osteochondrosis and pain in the heart are aggravated by twisting the upper body. This is due to the increased stress on the anterior disc. There is often a syndrome in this area. When inhaled, pain in the intercostal space may appear. Tensions in the back muscles are possible, accompanied by one-sided cramps.
Sometimes the heart hurts with osteochondrosis, so it seems that there are problems in the organs of the chest cavity. The disease can disguise itself as intestinal and stomach pain, and in some cases even resemble appendicitis. If no measures are taken, osteochondrosis will radiate not only to the heart, but also pathologies of the respiratory, cardiovascular and digestive systems will appear.
The nature of the pain can change. Exacerbations can be replaced by remission, it happens in waves.
Causes of pain in the heart in osteochondrosis
Distinguishing a heart attack from osteochondrosis is not always easy. In the human body there is a complex complex of impulse transmission from various systems and organs to the brain and vice versa. This allows him to collect information about all systems and manage their work. This creates a connection between the nerve endings and the spinal cord, which are located in the spine. When they are injured, the transmission of impulses occurs with an injury, the brain reacts incorrectly, pain appears, radiating to the chest region and heart.
Pain in the heart with osteochondrosis occurs in the following order:
- Due to injuries, changes occur in the spine.
- The intervertebral disc protrudes, the fibrous ring, which tends to bulge, remains unaffected.
- If the annulus ruptures, the center of the cartilaginous disc penetrates the cerebral canal, resulting in a hernia.
- Osteophytes are formed.
- The vessels and nerves surrounding the disc begin to flatten out.
- The occurrence of a pain syndrome.
With osteochondrosis, the heartbeat may become more frequent and tachycardia may appear. Injuries to the spine in different areas can cause different pain symptoms. Neuralgia is affected by the degree of damage:
- only the body of the vertebra;
- Band washers;
- ligament apparatus;
- paravertebral muscles.
How does osteochondrosis affect heart function? After deformation, the intervertebral discs compress the nerves of the spine. This leads to pain. Osteochondrosis can affect not only the heart, but also cause pathologies of the entire spine. The disease can spread to neighboring departments, which leads to the appearance of new symptoms.
Symptoms of pain in the heart with osteochondrosis
Signs and symptoms of osteochondrosis with pain in the heart often appear against the background of a completely healthy cardiac system. They are often stable, but can occur and increase in paroxysms. With problems with the spine, the pains are dull, deep and oppressive, their feature is an indistinct heaviness. With pain in the chest area with osteochondrosis, glycerol trinitrate will not help, since the cause is not in the heart.
In order to distinguish pain in the heart with thoracic osteochondrosis, it is important to know that there can be sensations of a different nature. For example, they can spread from the affected area to the muscles of the front part of the chest, to which the roots of the neck from the fifth to the seventh are connected. In this case, pain can be felt in the upper left part of the body, sometimes even affecting part of the face. At the same time, vascular diseases are not diagnosed, the ECG does not detect any abnormalities. This happens even at the peak of pain.
How does thoracic osteochondrosis affect the heart and human body?
One of the manifestations of osteochondrosis is squeezing or pinching of blood vessels. This causes the "channels" through which blood flows to narrow. In order for the organs to continue to receive it in the right amount, the heart has to work more actively. This means that the number of contractions per minute increases. As a result, blood pressure rises. This is the effect of osteochondrosis on the heart.
Violations in the work of the circulatory system lead to the appearance of pain in the heart with osteochondrosis in the chest and lack of oxygen to the brain. As a result, the above symptoms appear. The reaction, the speed of thought, the emotional state, orientation in space and memory depend on the work of the heart, as do problems with vision or hearing.
Due to all these consequences, it becomes difficult to determine whether the heart hurts or whether it is thoracic osteochondrosis.
diagnosis
How to determine that the heart hurts from osteochondrosis? There are special procedures that help determine the form and extent of the disease. If the disease worsens, it is better to consult a doctor. Doctors may advise you to undergo differential diagnosis, which will allow you to determine what is the cause of the disease - the heart or the spine. It may include the following procedures:
- Electrocardiogram. When recording an ECG, it is possible to immediately detect cardiac pathologies. If the results are normal, then it becomes obvious that the cause of the pain is neuralgia or osteochondrosis.
An ECG is a mandatory diagnostic procedure for the development of chest pain.
- Ultrasonic. It is performed in patients with suspected infectious lesions of the heart. It is used as an additional method.
- radiography. X-ray is prescribed to patients with suspected osteochondrosis. Images make it possible to determine the destructive destruction of the joints. With heart problems, they will not suffer.
- CT and MRI. They can help when x-rays are inconclusive. These methods more accurately determine the lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging helps to diagnose osteochondrosis and cardiac pathology.
treatment
Rest and bed rest will help relieve pain in osteochondrosis. The surface should not be very soft or hard. The pillow is chosen so that the neck does not bend. You can relieve the pain by placing a non-hot heating pad underneath.
Treatment of thoracic osteochondrosis is carried out in the following ways:
- Medicines:
- vasodilators;
- neurotropic drugs;
- diuretics;
- analgesics;
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- chondroprotectors;
- tranquilizers.
- Physical therapy. The patient undergoes procedures in which the affected area is exposed to an electric field and currents of variable frequency. This will help start the mechanism of natural tissue regeneration.
- The use of turpentine, ointments with snake or bee venom, as well as painkillers. They activate the release of heat in the muscles, improve the condition of the nerve roots, dilate blood vessels.
- Acupuncture. With the help of needles, energy meridians and active points are influenced.
- Manual therapy. Thanks to them, degenerative processes in the spine are corrected and there is an impact on the intervertebral joints.
- You will not achieve the desired effect with the back massage. The muscles are located around the discs, it is almost impossible to reach them. The effect results in an exceptionally deep and acupressure massage. Before this procedure, it is recommended to take painkillers.
- At home, you can use warm heating pads and warm compresses to reduce muscle tone.
Manual therapy and acupressure should only be performed by a qualified orthopedist, neuropathologist or traumatologist who has undergone special training and received the appropriate certification.
Taking heart medication is usually the first and most effective treatment for a disease. When used with other methods, the results can be greatly improved. Armed with knowledge, it's time to start treatment!
Errors in self-treatment
Often patients with complaints of a disease of the thoracic spine make a serious mistake in self-treatment - they take medication when there are contraindications. For example, the older generation likes to use NSAIDs from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives. However, it cannot be used for problems with the gastric mucosa. They are typical of people over 50.
So, we looked at the difference and what are the differences between the symptoms of angina and osteochondrosis, and also got acquainted with the methods of diagnosis and treatment. Work with qualified doctors and follow their instructions. Be persistent and consistent and you will be able to overcome this painful and dangerous disease! Remember it can be very dangerous. So much so that the patient can be discharged from military service.