What is a herniated thoracic disc?
The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae (T1 to T12) that are each separated by intervertebral discs. These discs are essentially shock absorbers the provide your spine the mobility it needs. Each disc contains strong outer fibers called annulus that cover the soft center referred to as nucleus pulposus. A thoracic disc becomes herniated when the nucleus pulposus pushes through the annulus due to a weakness or tear. A herniated thoracic disc is a serious but treatable condition.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms caused by a herniated thoracic disc will vary depending on your current health status as well as your current age. Some symptoms that be experienced include but are not limited to:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Radiating pain around the chest, abdomen, or ribcage
- Pain that travels into one or both legs
- Weak back and abdominal muscles
- Spasticity in the legs
- Upper back pain
What are the causes?
Similar to symptoms, the cause of a herniated thoracic disc will vary depending on your age, current health status as well as genetics. Additional factors that could cause a herniated thoracic disc include:
- Wear and tear over time
- Injury or accident
- Strain that weakens the disc over time
- Degenerative conditions
- Idiopathic (unknown cause)
Who is affected?
A herniated thoracic disc can happen to anyone at any age. However, males ages 40 – 60 are more susceptible to this injury.
How is a diagnosis made?
Diagnosing a herniated thoracic disc typically begins with a physical exam by your doctor. This exam will evaluate reflexes, strength and sensation. Additionally, your doctor will want to know any previous history of injury in the problem area. If it is determined that additional testing is needed following the exam, there are a few options.
Your doc may recommend:
- MRI
- X-ray
- CT scan
- Electrodiagnostic testing to test the nerves.
What treatments are available?
There is not a one size fits all treatment for a herniated thoracic disc. Surgery is not always the answer to help you feel better. The treatment option that fits your situation best will be determined based on the severity of the herniation.
The easiest treatment is conservative therapy which allows you to heal from home with no surgery. This involves lots of rest, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medication as needed.
If needed, the next step would be to receive epidural steroid injections (ESI). This would provide you comfort by reducing inflammation and pain more than a typical over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication would.
Surgery is the final option for those with severe herniations. Typically, a laminotomy and discectomy procedure is only done if the herniated disc blocks over 50% of the central spinal canal. When surgery is complete, the full disc will have been removed.
Recovery and prevention:
Rehabilitation of the spine will be important to get back to living your normal pain-free life. You will want to regain strength and mobility either through physical therapy or by doing at-home exercises. If you choose to do exercises at-home, please be cautious that you are not straining the spine as this can re-agitate the disc. To help further prevent any injuries, we recommend continuing your strengthening exercises, practice proper lifting techniques, maintain a healthy weight and lean body mass, practice good posture at all times and upgrade your workspace to be ergonomic.
If you have any questions or would like to speak with one of our spine specialists, please call 515.875.9560.