Chest myositis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Chest myositis is a condition that is accompanied by the development of an inflammation process in the skeletal muscles of the chest. This type of ailment is characterized by: significant soreness, limiting movements, the formation of seals on the muscle, the development of atrophy in the affected area.

According to the ICD, chest myositis is assigned the code M60.

Clinical manifestations

Myositis of the chest, in contrast to other forms of myofasciculitis of the trunk, has specific signs:

1. Soreness occurs gradually, developing from limited points of inflammation and spreading throughout the body.
2. When probing, spherical formations are clearly detected - inflammatory foci in which the muscle tissue is reorganized into solid dense nodules.
3. The pain syndrome with thoracic myositis is continuous, it is also characterized by diversity - aching pains are quickly replaced by acute pains. Pathology significantly complicates the movement.
4. Atrophic phenomena in muscle tissue increase under the influence of catarrhal phenomena.
5. The following symptoms of chest myositis are also characteristic: the occurrence of spasms, decreased performance, general malaise, hyperthermia, shortness of breath, cough, migraine attacks, dizziness.

Causes of occurrence

Specialists identify several factors contributing to the development of chest myositis:

1. Viral diseases, acute tonsillitis, tuberculosis, connective tissue pathologies (scleroderma, SLE, vasculitis, collagenosis), autoimmune diseases, joint diseases (osteochondrosis, rheumatoid arthritis).
2. Intoxication of the body with industrial waste (pesticides, chemicals).
3. Parasitic infections (bovine tapeworm, pork tapeworm, trichinella, echinococcus), intoxication with the waste products of parasitic organisms.
4. Subcooling as a result of exposure to air conditioners in hot weather, drafts. The development of myofasciculitis is promoted by a sharp hypothermia of the heated muscles.
5. Traumatic effect - sprains, fractures, muscle tear, injury, bruises. Sports injuries associated with a single excessive loads, weightlifting, weight lifting.
6. Occupational harm arising from the activities associated with constant being in a stationary position and overstrain as a result of constantly repeating monotonous movements.
7. Infection with anaerobic, pneumococcal, staphylococcal, streptococcal infection. Often develops in violation of the rules of asepsis, sterility of the premises, infection of a wound infection during medical manipulations.
8. Nerve damage that occurs with pathologies of the endocrine system (hormonal disruption, diabetes, hyperthyroidism), pregnancy.
9. Medical manipulations, a side effect of which may be myofasciculitis (dental manipulations on carious teeth, the use of drugs based on snake venoms, vincristine).

Symptomatology

Chest myositis (ICD-10 M60) is manifested by the following symptoms:

1. Externally manifested in the form of the development of swelling, swelling in the projection of the site of inflammation, focal hardening, softening of muscle tissue. On palpation of the affected area, tension, nodular formations of a dense structure, changes in consistency, and tuberosity are detected. Symptoms of myositis of the muscles of the chest should not go unnoticed.
2. A severe pain syndrome develops. The pain can be aching, stitching, shooting character. It occurs with movements of the shoulder blades, raising arms, torso movements, deep breaths and exhalations. Irradiation into the arms, shoulders, neck, dorsal region is not excluded. Against the background of myositis, cerebralgia (intense pain in the head) can also develop.
3. Catarrhal syndrome, consisting in general weakness, fever, hemorrhagic rashes.
4. In the morning and evening, myositis of the muscles of the chest on the left or on the right can be manifested by numbness, tingling.
5. Redness, hyperthermia of the skin of the chest.
6. It is possible that the affection of adjacent organs is possible - inflammation of the larynx muscles, cardialgia, shortness of breath, cough.

Diagnosis of myositis

The initial diagnosis of chest myositis is to conduct an external examination, history taking, palpation.

If diagnosis using clinical indicators and palpation is difficult, it is recommended that a laboratory study of blood samples for the presence of eosinophils, specific antibodies, inflammation indicators, enzyme activity. In addition, ultrasound examination of muscles, electromyography, x-ray, MRI, CT are shown. With advanced myositis, it is recommended to conduct a histological examination of a sample of the affected muscle taken by biopsy.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis allows you to determine the type of muscle damage and determine the treatment regimen. Myofasciculitis is distinguished from angina pectoris, chondrosis, lung diseases, pleura.

Classification

One of the common types of muscle damage leading to atrophy is inflammation in the intercostal muscles. Pathology is characterized by the appearance of pain in the evening and night time (after overwork, stress), swelling of the skin, stiffness of movements. In some cases, purulent inflammatory foci come to the surface. The patient suffers from pain in the hypochondrium, which can have a paroxysmal character and intensify with pressure, a change in body position. Tension of the intercostal muscles is also noted, breathing is difficult.

Left and Right Localization

Myositis can have left-sided and right-sided localization. According to the type of course, myositis is classified into acute and chronic.

Inflammation of the large muscle of the chest, most often, occurs on the one hand, accompanied by soreness and resembles cardiac pathology. The occurrence of numbness of the hands, pain in the neck from the side of the focus of inflammation, prone to spontaneous disappearance, is not excluded.

Treatment of myositis of the chest

Therapy of intercostal myositis should be carried out comprehensively and selected for each patient individually. The general principles of treatment are complete rest and bed rest, proper nutrition, enrichment of the diet with microelements, vitamins, exclusion of smoked meats, spicy dishes, and alcohol. Of no small importance is the consumption of a large volume of mineral waters enriched with alkaline elements.

Drug therapy of myositis involves the use of the following drugs:

1. Antibiotic drugs, sulfonamides (Azithromycin, Ampicillin, Amoxiclav, Erythromycin). These medications allow you to affect the trigger pathology.
2. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can eliminate catarrhal manifestations, swelling, pain. Most often, injection forms, dragees, patches, ointments “Voltaren”, “Diclofenac”, “Ibuprofen”, “Ketofen” are recommended to the patient.
3. Steroid drugs (Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone, Hydrocortisone), immunosuppressants, if the pathological process is massive, and there is no effect from the use of NSAIDs.
4. With myositis of parasitic etiology, the use of desensitizing agents, anthelmintic drugs (Nemozol, Vermox) is indicated.
   

Physiotherapy

Along with drug therapy of chest myositis (code MKD M60), physiotherapy methods are also actively used: hirudotherapy, apitherapy, reflexotherapy, balneotherapy, electrophoresis, diathermy, phonophoresis using hydrocortisone, magnetotherapy, tissue neurostimulation, laser therapy, parainflammation, parasitism, parasitism, parasitism, parasitism, myostomy, parasitism, paralysis, myostimulation, parasitism, paralysis, myorrhoid stimulation, paralysis, myorrhoid stimulation, paralysis, myorrhoid paralysis, myostomyocardia, paralysis, myorrhoid paralysis, myostimulation .

Physiotherapeutic methods can be used exclusively in the absence of exacerbation.

Effectively eliminate congestion, relieve spasm, improve microcirculation allows massage. In combination with physical therapy, it is possible to completely restore the affected areas.

Surgical intervention

In extremely rare cases, surgery may be indicated. An operation is performed if myositis has an ossifying form and bone ossification is required. In such cases, conservative therapy is powerless. Also, surgical intervention is indicated for purulent myositis, when opening a pyogenic capsule and elimination of bacterial contents is required.

In combination with traditional therapy, the use of alternative methods of therapy is allowed:

1. Compresses based on alcohol, herbs, vegetables.
2. Heating linments based on saber.
3. Homemade decoctions, tinctures based on St. John's wort, willow bark.

Probable complications

When conducting untimely diagnosis and correction of myofasciculitis, there is a likelihood of chronicity of the inflammation process, the attachment of various complications. The most common complications of intercostal myositis are:

1. Restriction of motor function with the transition to complete immobilization. In severe cases, the disease can become irreversible and lead to disability.
2. The defeat of the plexus of nerves in the chest of the torso, the occurrence of numbness of the limbs, up to paresis of the hands.
3. The appearance of an unpleasant crunch, clicking in the affected area. It develops as a result of the transition of the inflammation process to cartilage.
4. The development of uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations during physical exertion, after them.
5. Swelling, inflammation of the joints.
6. Muscle atrophy, as a result of which the support of the spinal column weakens. A similar complication is fraught with the occurrence of spinal deformities - scoliosis, pathological kyphosis, lordosis, fan-shaped vertebral displacements.
7. Prolonged inflammation can provoke the attachment of a bacterial component through wound surfaces. As a result, inflammation of a purulent nature occurs, accompanied by the melting of surrounding tissues, the formation of fistulas, and the seeding of adjacent organs with bacterial contents.

To prevent unwanted complications that pose a threat to life, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner and diagnose the disease.

We examined the symptoms and treatment of chest myositis.