A cardiologist taught TV viewers to distinguish heart pain from osteochondrosis and intercostal neuralgia

05/18/2019 The 35 vertebrae that make up the human spine are divided into 5 sections by the medical community. Most often, failures are observed in three of them. Therefore, osteochondrosis occurs:

• lumbar;
• chest;
• cervical

Pain due to spinal osteochondrosis, depending on the location, can be of a different nature, but it causes equally a lot of trouble for a person. Let's take a closer look at what can hurt from osteochondrosis.

Spinal section . Cervical.

What and how it hurts . Due to impaired blood supply to the brain, a headache will occur, which is associated with vertebral artery syndrome. It has a burning character and spreads from the back of the head to the temples. The “referred” type of pain travels along the nerve endings from the pinched vertebrae to the brain. Such pain in osteochondrosis will be dull, pressing, felt in the crown, temples and back of the head. Migraine-like pain is observed, blood pressure fluctuates significantly.

Spinal section . Chest.

What and how it hurts . Girdle pain, radiating under the shoulder blades and shoulders, which literally does not allow you to breathe. Often with this type of osteochondrosis, pain in the arms is observed. If the disease affects the left side more, it is very similar to heart attacks. In the case of a right-sided lesion, it hurts, as with cholecystitis, i.e. in the right hypochondrium. A characteristic symptom is numbness in the arms, abdomen, and chest. Back pain with thoracic osteochondrosis can appear due to physical inactivity, excess weight, scoliosis, or too much stress.

Spinal section . Lumbar.

What and how it hurts . My back aches, my fingers go numb, my joints ache. Pain increases with any activity, even minimal. Trying to reduce movements, a person eventually gets stiffness and atrophied muscles. Low back pain due to osteochondrosis greatly impairs the quality of life.

Location (irradiation)

To accurately understand this point, it is worth remembering human anatomy. The heart is located directly behind the sternum and there is an opinion that it should only hurt there. But the heart, like any other organ, receives innervation through the autonomic nervous system. Thus, from the epicenter - the heart - pain spreads through the autonomic nerve plexuses to the area of ​​the left arm, left side of the back, neck, and chest.

Localization of pain during angina pectoris

The occurrence of osteochondrosis is caused by wear and tear of the articular elements. If the thoracic spine is affected, the pain often resembles that of angina pectoris. With osteochondrosis, irradiation can be both to the left and to the right side of the body.

What can hurt from osteochondrosis?

To briefly answer this question, then, depending on which part of the spine is affected, almost any organ or part of the body can hurt. With osteochondrosis, the nature of the pain syndrome can often resemble many diseases of the internal organs, and it happens that they try to cure the patient of them, but over time it is discovered that the whole problem is in the spine. Where it hurts with osteochondrosis has become clearer. The question is: what to do? Treatment of this disease should be comprehensive, aimed at solving several problems. So, it is necessary:

• relieve pain syndrome;
• help restore the mobility of intervertebral discs;
• restore a person’s ability to move painlessly and to the maximum extent.

There are many treatment methods. Which one to use depends on the patient’s health, which part of the spine is affected, and how severe the disease is. In any case, resort to:

• taking medications;
• make blockades;
• credited to physical therapy;
• develop a diet;
• recommend manual therapy;
• alternative medicine methods;
• insist on performing physical therapy exercises.

All diseases of the spine have an extremely serious impact on overall health. Therefore, it is unwise to take any independent steps trying to get rid of osteochondrosis. The spine can be entrusted exclusively to highly qualified specialists.

Factors that provoke pain

In heart disease, emotional stress plays a key role. Against a background of stress:

• pain increases;
• the number of attacks increases;
• the duration of the pain syndrome increases;
• there is a risk of developing myocardial infarction;
• If medical care is not given in a timely manner, death is possible.

Physical activity also provokes heart pain. The more seriously the disease progresses, the less stress will cause discomfort. In severe stages of the disease, even climbing a few steps is dangerous.

With osteochondrosis, physical activity can also increase pain. The difference is that if a person lies down and takes a comfortable position, the pain will gradually decrease.

Heart pain is often triggered by physical activity

Pain in the sternum with damage to the vertebrae

There is a nerve connection between the spine and the heart, which is located in the lower edge of the cervical spine. Consequently, when osteochondrosis affects the cervical and thoracic regions, pain may occur that resembles pain in cardiac pathology.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic spine, pain similar to heart pain may appear

Instrumental studies

During periods of acute pain, it is best to seek medical help. In particular, this will certainly help to make a differential diagnosis between osteochondrosis and heart disease.

ECG

When recording a cardiogram, cardiac pathology will be immediately determined. If the ECG is normal, then most likely the cause of the pain is osteochondrosis or neuralgia.

ECG is a mandatory method of examination when chest pain occurs.

Ultrasound

This study can be performed in those patients who are suspected of having an infectious lesion of the heart (carditis of various etiologies). Used only as an additional method.

Radiography

X-ray is indicated for everyone who is suspected of having osteochondrosis. The photographs will show destructive changes in the joints. In case of heart disease, the articular surfaces will be normal.

CT and MRI

Performed when radiography is ineffective. And also to identify a clearer localization of the lesion. Using MRI, you can diagnose both cardiac pathology and osteochondrosis. But a heart attack is an emergency condition that requires urgent drug therapy, and an MRI is a rather lengthy procedure.

Symptoms for various pathologies

The development of diseases of the central organ of the circulatory system is characterized by certain symptoms and varying degrees of pain.

Angina pectoris

Signs of discomfort that occur with angina pectoris due to acute lack of blood supply to the myocardium:

• pain is paroxysmal, occurs when walking, climbing, emotional stress, during physical activity after eating and disappears after 3-5 minutes in the absence of physical effort;
• 1-3 minutes after taking nitroglycerin, the discomfort in the heart area completely disappears.

Heart attack

With myocardial infarction, the pain is intense, burning and stabbing in nature, manifests itself most often in the morning and lasts several tens of minutes. The syndrome cannot be relieved with medications .

Inflammation of the outer membrane

Inflammation of the outer lining of the heart or pericarditis is characterized by a strong pain symptom, which turns into fever after 2-3 hours from the onset of the acute stage.

Discomfort increases with changes in body position:

• Pain in the heart area: causes, types and first aid

• if a person stands , the pain radiates to the left shoulder;
• when lying down , it intensifies and radiates to the left hand.

Degenerative changes

Degenerative changes in the myocardium or myocarditis often do not have a clear clinical picture and are asymptomatic. In some cases, patients complain of:

• mild or severe pain in the heart, accompanied by shortness of breath;
• general fatigue;
• swelling;
• sweating

Thromboembolism and aortic aneurysm

Acute, stabbing pain in the heart area, aggravated by breathing, and the appearance of shortness of breath at rest may indicate blockage of a blood vessel by a thrombus (in this case, pulmonary embolism). Symptoms may be localized in the right hypochondrium, accompanied by bloating and prolonged hiccups.

In some diseases, local expansion of the aortic wall occurs . The clinical picture of an aortic aneurysm depends on the location of the vessel and is often characterized by the absence of symptoms in the early stages. A person may complain of pain in the chest, back, lower jaw, and difficulty breathing.

Effect of drugs

Most people over 50 have a whole arsenal of medicines at home. And among them there will definitely be remedies for high blood pressure and nitroglycerin.

In case of an acute attack of chest pain, taking nitroglycerin under the tongue is justified. If the pain was of a cardiac nature, it will decrease or disappear completely. After this, you still need to consult a doctor to rule out complications.

If the pain arises from osteochondrosis, then nitroglycerin will not have any effect.

Nitroglycerin will reduce the intensity of pain during an attack of angina pectoris

How to distinguish a heart attack from intercostal neuralgia in cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis?

11/29/2021 | Category Osteochondrosis

Very often I am asked the question: “How to distinguish a heart attack from osteochondrosis?” It’s probably better to formulate this question like this: “How to distinguish a heart attack from intercostal neuralgia, which often occurs with cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis?”

Firstly, a heart attack is an acute disruption of the blood supply to the heart muscle. At the same time, the heart muscle weakens sharply, that is, the pressure begins to drop, often immediately to 80 to 40, for example. With intercostal neuralgia, which occurs as a complication of cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis, on the contrary, nervous stress and a jump and rise in pressure occur. If you measure your blood pressure and it is high, then it is definitely not a heart attack. Although there is little good in this, and no less danger. But at least it’s not a heart attack, and that’s good.

Secondly, intercostal neuralgia is right-sided. Then people don't care, they know that the heart is on the left side. And if there is left-sided intercostal neuralgia, then everyone immediately thinks it’s a heart attack. The symptoms are such that the pain is more on the left, as if it were stabbing. The pain can be multipoint (at many points) or spreading, but mostly goes along the costal nerves on the left side. There is also an upper lumbago from the neck, but less often. When a stabbing pain appears, against this background the pressure rises, the person experiences severe stress, and he does not understand what is happening to him, this is intercostal neuralgia, its exacerbation.

A heart attack will have different symptoms. You will immediately feel so bad that you will not be able to get out of bed. You will feel like you are dying. Cold sweat will break out, the pressure will drop, it’s as if they’ve put a ton on the center of your chest, and it’s all putting pressure (because our heart is not on the left, as everyone says, but in the center). It will not be difficult for an experienced doctor, especially an emergency doctor, to distinguish. When an ambulance arrives, and the patient sits with a machine and measures the pressure, then this is not a heart attack. It's another matter if he lies in a cold sweat. Here it is visible to the naked eye.

Therefore, distinguish between the symptoms and do not be afraid of a heart attack. This is a pathology that can be prevented today. If you are very afraid of a heart attack, get a coronary angiography at a good clinic. Your coronary arteries will be checked and they will tell you whether you are at risk of a heart attack or not. Now all this can be appreciated. And the risk of a heart attack depends on whether the coronary arteries are clogged with plaque or not. Get tested.

Constant use of beta blockers also leads to the risk of a heart attack, because they severely poison the heart muscle. This could be a toxic heart attack. Therefore, be careful with beta blockers too. Of course, it is often impossible to do without them when a person cannot receive other help, such as, for example, from us. We provide care to the patient in a completely different way.

And if you have already had a heart attack and survived, come to us for rehabilitation, for special rehabilitation protocols. We have them for such patients. The main thing that you need to understand after a heart attack has occurred: if the neck and vertebral arteries continue to be compressed, then the brain will again force the post-infarction heart to increase pressure, that is, it will simply drive the heart into a state of heart attack again, and you will die anyway. Heal your neck. And the first thing we do for those patients who come for rehabilitation after a heart attack is to free the neck. And only after that we begin to give rehabilitation load.

Distinguish between symptoms. Don't be afraid of intercostal neuralgia, be afraid of cervical osteochondrosis. This is the most insidious and most widespread disease on our planet, killing millions of people. And most of them, unfortunately, don’t even know what they died from. This is the truth of life. Take care of yourself.

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Concomitant pathology

Diseases in which there is a high probability of attacks of pain in the heart:

• Arterial hypertension. Leads to changes in blood vessels, including the vessels that supply the heart muscle.
• Angina. The same pathogen infects the tonsils in the throat and causes the development of endocarditis. Heart damage can be a serious complication of tonsillitis.
• Thrombophlebitis. It can provoke blockage of a vessel of any location, including the heart.

If a diagnosis of angina is made, then the pain occurs precisely because of heart problems. But it may happen that one person develops osteochondrosis and angina. In this case, the person himself can distinguish between 2 types of pain and the source of origin.

So what is the difference between heart pain and osteochondrosis?

Let's compare the symptoms of the two pathologies in the table.

Age

Osteochondrosis develops with age. Gradually, a person begins to hurt a joint (one or more) and over time the disease progresses, especially without treatment.

Heart disease, unfortunately, can occur at any age. Even heart attack, angina pectoris and arterial hypertension have recently become younger. They can develop as early as 30 years of age.

Pain that appears repeatedly, is intense, requires control and supervision of a specialist. Therefore, even after coping with an attack, it is necessary to consult a therapist and undergo a full examination.

Typical symptoms

Pain in the heart with osteochondrosis is one of the leading symptoms of the pathology. Patients often come to vertebrologists on the referral of a cardiologist. It is to them that patients who suspect an acute attack of angina or a pre-infarction condition turn to them. The cardiologist conducts a full examination to exclude core pathology. Usually, based on the results of an X-ray examination, it is possible to quickly determine the cause of pain in the heart - osteochondrosis of the thoracic and cervical regions.

Their intensity depends on the degree of destruction of the intervertebral discs and destabilization of the vertebrae. At the initial stage of the pathology, minor discomfort occurs in the chest. Gradually, the severity of cardialgia increases, it begins to manifest itself in the form of attacks, without weakening for several days and sometimes weeks. The sensations are deep, boring, pressing in nature, and are often accompanied by rapid heartbeat.

Cardialgia, provoked by cardiovascular pathologies, differs from how the heart hurts with osteochondrosis. There is a feeling of warmth that quickly spreads throughout the chest. If a person takes Nitroglycerin, Validol, Corvalol to relieve a supposed attack of angina, then there is no improvement in well-being.

With osteochondrosis of the cervical spine, pain is often noted with cardialgia in the areas where the spinous processes are located in the lower region of the neck. Discomfort in the chest is accompanied by weakness of the left arm - shoulder, forearm, hand, fingers. In this case, the intensity of the pain increases when moving both the arm and the body (when bending, turning).

With osteochondrosis, cardiac pain of a slightly different nature occurs. Pain impulses often spread from the pathologically affected area of ​​the spine to the muscle fibers of the chest, which have a common innervation with the 5th, 6th, 7th cervical spinal roots. Cardialgia develops in the left upper quadrant of the body. It is felt simultaneously in the chest, neck, left arm, and sometimes in the face. Patients ask their doctors whether the heart can hurt with osteochondrosis. Vertebrologists and neurologists always answer positively. This symptom is characteristic of pathology of the musculoskeletal system and makes diagnosis easier.

Associated pain

Patients often make an appointment with a urologist and gynecologist due to pain in the lower abdomen. This is how osteochondrosis of the lumbosacral spine manifests itself. Formed osteophytes infringe on the spinal roots, causing disruption of innervation. Therefore, when patients ask whether osteochondrosis can cause pain in the lower abdomen, vertebrologists answer in the affirmative. The progression of the pathology is indicated by the absence in the clinical picture of characteristic signs of urogenital diseases - bleeding, the appearance of cheesy discharge, cutting and burning during urination. But difficulties with emptying the bladder and intestines due to disrupted innervation cannot be ruled out. With exacerbation of osteochondrosis, other specific symptoms may occur:

• pain in the mammary glands, requiring differential diagnosis to exclude benign or malignant tumors;
• pain in the hypochondrium, epigastric region, reminiscent of an attack of gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, hepatic colic, hepatitis.

There have even been cases of toothache occurring during relapses of cervical osteochondrosis. Also, a person’s condition can be complicated by increased blood pressure, headaches, and dizziness. The psycho-emotional state is often destabilized - sleep is disrupted, anxiety and fatigue arise.

Osteochondrosis in adults: symptoms, causes, treatment

Treatment of osteochondrosis in general includes the following measures:

• physiotherapy courses;
• taking medications;
• different types of massage;
• reflexology;
• traction;
• manual therapy;
• physical therapy (physical therapy).

Taking medications

Treatment of osteochondrosis is carried out using drugs from different groups. Basic medications prescribed by a doctor:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Their goal is to eliminate inflammation and relieve symptoms of osteochondrosis. In mild cases they are prescribed in the form of tablets, in severe cases - in injections. Used in a course of 7-14 days. Additionally, they can be used in the form of ointments;
• glucocorticosteroids. Used in more severe cases. Injected in the form of injections directly into the painful area;
• muscle relaxants. Temporarily reduce muscle tension, relieving pain and inflammation. Prescribed both in the acute period and during remission;
• B vitamins. Useful for improving nerve conduction in the spine;
• chondoprotectors. Help improve nutrition of intervertebral cartilage, strengthen discs;
• vascular drugs. Improves blood supply to the spine.

Massotherapy

For osteochondrosis, it is necessary to undergo a course of therapeutic massage 2 times a year. It helps relieve muscle tension, eliminate tension, and improve blood supply to tissues. Massage is allowed only during the remission stage. It has a positive effect on the nervous system and increases the body's resistance to diseases.

Traction

Traction is a procedure for artificially stretching the spine using special equipment and simulators. As a result, it is possible to achieve an even distribution of vertebrae along the entire length of the spine. This way, excessive tension at the site of inflammation subsides, and pain goes away, as pinched vessels and nerves are released.

Manual therapy

The goal of manual therapy is to correct spinal curvature. The technique is based on a physical targeted effect on the human musculoskeletal system. This helps improve blood and lymph circulation, which helps improve mobility of the musculoskeletal system.

Physiotherapy

Treatment of cervical osteochondrosis using physiotherapy methods is practiced during the period of remission of the disease. The procedures are aimed at reducing symptoms and increasing the effect of medications taken. Most often, ultrasound, low frequency currents, laser and magnetic vibrations are used for osteochondrosis.

Reflexology

The essence of reflexology is the correct impact on pain points and reflex zones. The technique is not used independently, only in combination with massage, since this way a more significant effect is observed. With the help of reflexology, it is possible to relieve pain and restore the natural load on the spine.

Physiotherapy

Exercises for osteochondrosis are an integral part of the treatment of the disease, regardless of the affected area. Dosed loads on joints and muscles help strengthen the muscular corset of the back, make it more flexible and improve overall well-being. Physical therapy exercises should take place outside the acute stage of the disease, when severe pain has been relieved, otherwise the condition may only worsen.

Basic methods of exercise therapy:

• mechanotherapy – performing exercises on special simulators and devices. This technique is used when there are difficulties in movement against the background of a serious degree of damage to the spine;
• kinesitherapy is a combination of physical exercises and breathing exercises. The complex is developed for a specific patient;
• health path – walking with a set of simple exercises that improve the functions of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems;
• Therapeutic swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for osteochondrosis. Helps in developing correct posture and returning the shoulder position to its natural appearance.

Home remedies

To treat osteochondrosis at home, you must first consult with your doctor. Traditional treatment mainly consists of using various ointments and drinking herbal infusions, as well as using rubs. Home remedies for the treatment of osteochondrosis can be used:

• cinquefoil tincture. You need to rub it on the sore spot, then tie a warm scarf or wrap yourself in a blanket. Additionally, you can take the tincture orally - a couple of drops every day before bed;
• ointment. Mix 1 tbsp. vinegar with 1 tbsp. flour, 100 g butter and egg. Leave the mixture in a dark place for 2 days. Then mix thoroughly and rub into the sore spot;
• radish tinctures. To 300 ml of juice of this vegetable add 100 ml of vodka and 200 g of honey. Rub the resulting mixture onto the sore area every day before bed until pain is eliminated.