A disc is hard on outer side and soft like jelly inside. I had pins and needles in my mid back along with some burning pain. A cervical herniated disc may put pressure on a cervical spinal nerve and can cause symptoms like pain, pins and needles, numbness or weakness in the neck, shoulders, or arms. They normally don't show the discs, unless one or more of the discs have calcified. A calcified disc that appears on X-ray to poke into the spinal canal is a fairlyreliable sign that the disc has herniated. Several factors may contribute to the development of a thoracic disc bulge. The careless attitude and sedentary lifestyle when meet together this condition of T5-T6 appears more frequently. Makes complete sense. Pain in the upper or middle part of your back or your chest, Band-like pain travelling from the back to the abdomen/chest on one or both sides of the body, Headaches when you sit or lie in certain positions, Numbness, tingling, or a burning feeling in your legs, Trouble urinating or having a bowel movement. The thoracic spine is made up of the middle 12 vertebrae. Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total). Degeneration of the thoracic spine refers to changes in the discs between vertebrae that separate and cushion the bone. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek Notes on Thoracic disc herniation are these symptoms normal? American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. i was steady for 4 years after until I had a mild car accident causing a bit of whiplash. OPPO Posture Aid / Clavicle Brace (OPP2075), Dentons Impressions Classic Memory Foam Therapeutic Pillow, Hamstring Origin Tendonitis (Tendinopathy), a lifestyle involving large amounts of sitting, bending, exercises to push the disc back in and to improve strength, core stability. There is nothing normal about what's going on in are body , while it may be common it certainly is not normal. Your doctor will probably have a physical therapist direct your rehabilitation program. There is also a small left-sided disc / osteophyte at T5-6 with effacement central thecal sac. The spinal cord is the main bundle of nerves that runs from the base of the brain all the way down through the cervical spine and thoracic spine before splitting into a bundle of nerve roots (cauda equina) in the lumbar spine. Where you feel a lump sensation in your throat, mucus as well & it affects your throat mainly) more so than stomach pains as of now but I do have pain that travels randomly. Chiropractic, massage, physical therapy, medications and epidural injections (rarely facet injections) are the treatment options. Thoracic disc herniation occurs when a thoracic disc bulges out from between your vertebrae. Thoracic disc herniations are mainly caused by wear and tear in the disc. Your provider may look at your spine and feel for any abnormal areas. Disc degenerative changes anteriorly at T8-T9 with marrow endplate changes are notedas well.A posterior desiccated disc extrusion centrally is noted at T7-T8 with mild dural sac compression and no direct cord impingement. But there might be some cases where problem is severe and condition needs to attend immediately. This approach gives the surgeon a clear view of the disc. See Radiculopathy, Radiculitis and Radicular Pain. Thankfully, the thoracic spine is heavily protected by the rib cage, so it is much harder to damage and feel pain in this area than in the sections of the cervical or lumbar spine.Subluxations are still possible, however. At the T1 through T11 levels, the ventral ramus eventually becomes an intercostal nerve that travels along the same path as the ribs (specifically between the innermost and internal intercostal muscles that connect adjacent ribs). As patients recover, they gradually begin doing flexibility exercises for the hips and shoulders. Herniated discs in the thoracic region, which is the largest segment of the spinal column, account for less than 1 percent of all herniated discs. The brain exchanges electrical signals with the rest of the body via the spinal cord. Additionally, improper lifting or strain can cause a herniated disc. Scoliosis convex to left centered at T5/T6. Risk factors for developing disc changes include older age, obesity, lack of exercise and lifting heavy loads. However, the torn connective tissue at the back of the disc only begins to heal from this point. The dye can improve the accuracy of a standard CT scan for diagnosing a herniated thoracic disc. Improving orthopaedic care, education and research using Internet technologies. Symptoms. Stage 1 ruptures may improve on their own after a few days. Unfortunately. The T9, T10, T11, and T12 vertebrae form the base of the thoracic spine. The below are more examples of disfunction of thoracic spinal nerves Thoracic herniated disc, leading to thoracic radiculopathy, with symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness radiating along the nerve root. It is our goal to provide the highest level of care and service to our patients. oh i'm only . Mid-back pain can radiate to the ribs due to a herniated thoracic disc. Depending on where the herniated disk is, it can result in pain, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg. Stage 2 and 3 ruptures can cause moderate to severe pain or partial paralysis and require anti-inflammatories, pain medications, and strict rest. The test does not require dye or a needle. A herniated thoracic disc can also affect one or both legs in a few different ways, including causing numbness or tingling, muscle weakness, and increased tightness or stiffness. . When there are signs that the herniated disc is affecting the spinal cord, surgery may be required, sometimes right away. The spinal canal is a hollow tube inside the spinal column. To understand the mechanism of a thoracic disc bulge, it is useful to liken the disc to a vanilla slice. But it always gets better. Symptoms are typically felt in the mid back, sometimes between or around the shoulder blades and may be . At first, therapists may use treatments such as heat or ice, electrical stimulation, massage, and ultrasound to calm pain and muscle spasm. I have been getting burning neck pain, headaches (I get chronic migraines so that's actually somewhat normal for me), some rib pain on the left side where the herniation is, chest pain and sometimes it feels difficult to breathe inlike shallow breathing, muscle pain in the arms and just weird feelings like heat almost, and shocks, weakness. Most people with a herniated thoracic disc get better without surgery. I would say your symptoms are typical. DeLee and Drezs Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 3rd Edition; DeLee; 2009, Campbells Operative Orthopaedics, 11th Edition; Canale & Beaty; 2007. It found a herniated disc between T5-T6..specifically from the report Central, r para central disc protrusion, at T5/T6, cord contact, but no abnormality of the cordcanal at 1.05 CM.. . The MRI machine uses magnetic waves rather than X-rays to show the soft tissues of the body. Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total). Trans means across or through. Kerezoudis P , Rajjoub KR, Goncalves S, et al. However, some surgeries require patients to stay in the hospital for a few days. Your physiotherapist can advise when it is appropriate to begin the Initial Exercises and eventually progress to the Intermediate, Advanced and Other exercises. For example, T3 radiculopathy could radiate pain and other symptoms into the chest via the branch of the nerve root that becomes an intercostal nerve traveling along the route between the third and fourth ribs. (N.B In some cases it may be beneficial to perform this exercise every 1 or 2 hours provided the exercise does not cause or increase symptoms). The thoracic spine is made up of 12 segments total between the cervical and lumbar levels. Pain that spreads into the arms or legs is sometimes relieved with oral steroids taken in tapering dosages. . Spine degeneration is common in T11 and T12. This T5-T6 slip disc generally diagnosed in same way. The spinal cord is normally protected within the spinal canal. When it comes to T5-T6 disc herniations, the symptoms are not aggressive. For people who do have symptoms, the symptoms tend to improve over time. the bulge at T5-6 creates a tightness around the chest ( just under the nipple ) and in some cases can feel like indigestion or even a heart attack,but the difficulty breathing is due to the intercostal muscles being pulled due to the disc herniation. Ideally, patients are able to go back to their previous activities. This can cause pain, numbness, and muscle weakness. one test i would ask for is a ECG to check your heart if thats ok then its probally the thorasic disc herniation thats causing the problems ( since the t7 t8 discs are mid way up the spine they cause symptoms to parts of the body in that area ) .. finally the headaches may be caused by a problem with one of the discs in the neck ( headaches are common place with neck disc herniations ). Overtime or suddenly, this may tear several layers of connective tissue at the back of the disc resulting in a disc bulge. The displaced disc material becomes situated in such a way that it blocks part or all of a foramina. However, they may be underdiagnosed due to subtle or unspecific symptoms such as chest pain. The intervertebral disc is a specialized connective tissue structure that separates the vertebral bodies. Diagnosis begins with a complete history and physical examination. After about 3 weeks, the levels between T5-T8 were sensitive to the touch so I sought consultation from an orthopod where he ordered an MRI. This may include further investigations such as an X-ray, CT scan or MRI, pharmaceutical intervention, assessment from a specialist or sometimes surgery. The spine specialist will take the findings of the MRI and correlate it to what is found upon physical and basic neurologic exam. 4. Surgical treatment for this condition includes. Then the doctor examines you to see which back movements cause pain or other symptoms. Rather, the term herniation means that the material in the center of the disc has squeezed out of the normal space. Columbia University Department of Neurological Surgery. The most rare symptom is myelopathy, the dysfunction of the spinal cord. Vaidya Ji is well known for his specialisation in Ayurvedic treatment of different ailments. The only thing which temporarily resolves the muscle tightness is heat, followed by massage. Imagine a vanilla slice wrapped in five layers of sandwich wrap. 1993; 4: 75-90. After about 3 weeks, the levels between T5-T8 were sensitive to the touch so I sought consultation from an orthopod where he ordered an MRI. A thoracic disc may herniate during a car accident or a fall. The similarity of symptoms to lumbar disc herniation makes the diagnosis of a thoracic disc injury difficult, but the process tends to be self-limiting and rarely requires surgical intervention. Many years ago an osteopath pressed on my thoracic spine and i felt/heard a pop. A rise in the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has led to the discovery that many people, perhaps as many as 15 percent of Americans, have a thoracic disc herniation. such as from a thoracic herniated disc or a narrowing of the foramen, thoracic radiculopathy can develop with symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness radiating along the nerve root. This site is for educational purposes only; no information is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Mild thoracic disc herniation may not cause any signs or symptoms. Symptoms of T6-T7 herniated disc. The second is radiculopathy or compression of the spinal nerve that exits the cord. Cervical spine disc desiccation causes neck pain, while lumbar disc desiccation will cause pain in the lower back . He is the founder of the Sukhayu Ayurved and working with patients clinically since last 15 years. This is significant in the diagnosis of thoracic disc herniation. There are common symptoms-. The 2023 edition of ICD-10-CM M51.24 became effective on October 1, 2022. Disc herniations can affect areas away from the spine.