Pinched nerve! Such a conclusion will be made by a person who is far from medicine, when with a sharp turn or movement, pain pierces his back. But not so simple. Pain can speak of other diseases.
A pinched nerve in the thoracic region or in another area of the body means pinching or squeezing the nerve endings with the surrounding bone, cartilage, muscle, or other body tissues. Such a deformation is accompanied by various sensations. It depends on which nerve is under pressure: sensitive, motor or autonomic. Therefore, there is pain, impaired motor function or other abnormalities in the body.
General and specific symptoms
A pinched nerve in the thoracic region or in another part of the body may be accompanied by similar symptoms with the addition of those that are inherent in the defeat only in a particular case. The same sensations are:
- pain of varying intensity;
- tingling in some parts of the body;
- twitching in the area of the deformed nerve or muscle weakness;
- decreased sensitivity or numbness of the place where the nerve is affected;
- a fairly frequent change in blood pressure;
- stiffness in arms or legs.
In addition to the above symptoms, other, less common sensations arise. For example, pinching of the brachial nerve or cervical can be accompanied by headaches and toothaches, decreased visual and hearing acuity, and a change in the voice timbre.
Compression of the nerve endings in the thoracic region is accompanied by pain, which intensifies with sneezing, coughing, or sudden movements.
If a pinched nerve in the thoracic region is accompanied by damage to other nerve endings, then general fatigue, sleep disturbance, irritability, and reaction to changes in meteorological conditions are added to the above symptoms.
Nerve compression in the lumbar can be expressed in unpleasant sensations at the lesion sites, urogenital system disorder, varicose veins. With an increase in compression, the symptoms intensify: a radiculitis pain appears, radiating to the buttock or leg.
Wherever a lesion of the nerve ending occurs (pinched nerve under the scapula or in the lumbar region), the strength of this manifestation directly depends on the presence of damage or inflammation.
Causes of pinched nerve endings
Any pathology or change in the functioning of the body is caused by certain factors. The symptoms discussed above appear for the following reasons:
- injuries
- constant voltage of a different nature (work specifics, sports, and so on),
- obesity,
- osteoarthrosis,
- violation of posture,
- the formation of bone bumps or growths,
- rheumatoid arthritis,
- heredity,
- pregnancy.
Complications and diagnostics
If a pinched nerve in the thoracic region or elsewhere is quickly eliminated, then the consequences are unlikely. In other cases, nerve damage and inflammation occur. This means that chronic pain, a violation of the conductivity of nerve endings (a decrease in motor functions, a slowdown in the response function or sensitivity) or other pathologies appear.
The necessary diagnostic procedures are:
- study of the conductivity of nerve endings using electrical impulses;
- electromyography, checking the integrity of the nerve directed towards the muscle;
- magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment and prevention
The treatment of nerve pinched in the first stage consists in the release of a compressed space and the resumption of the passage of impulses. If necessary, resort to massage, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. In extreme cases, the doctor prescribes surgery. Recently, methods of integrated medicine have been very popular. But you always need to remember that only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis and choose an effective complex of treatment.
Preventive measures against pinching of nerve endings are weight normalization, a mobile lifestyle, special strengthening exercises, massage, etc.