Symptoms of Thoracic Herniation

The thoracic region of the spine consists of 12 vertebrae that run from the area between the shoulder blades to the center of the lower back. A thoracic herniation is when one of the discs in this region protrudes out from between two vertebrae and begins to put pressure on one or more nerves that radiate to different parts of the body.

Simple Pain

• The primary symptom used to initially diagnose a thoracic herniation is pain radiating from the spine. It is most common for the pain to be contained in the upper back region, but in some cases the pain may also radiate down a single nerve root into an extremity. The most common extremity affected is either one of the arms, depending on which side the back pain is originating from. The pain from thoracic herniation is normally amplified when the patient coughs or sneezes.

Complications

• In some cases, the radiating pain that is thought to be from a thoracic herniation may wind up radiating to the chest or anywhere in the upper abdomen area on the front of the body. If this happens, your physician may order a series of tests to find out if it is a thoracic herniation or a condition of the heart, the lungs or the digestive system. Several other tests may be conducted to determine if there is any other muscular damage as well. This is all to determine if the condition is truly a thoracic herniation or a different condition that gives the same painful symptoms as a thoracic herniation.

Leg and Arm Tingling

• Because the thoracic spine runs from the base of the neck to the middle of the lower back, it is possible that any of the extremities along that path could be affected. One of the more common symptoms of a lower back thoracic herniation is a tingling sensation in one or both of the legs. The sensation could be localized to one part of the leg, or it could radiate down the leg into the ankle. Over time, the sensation could turn into a feeling of numbness in the leg, which is an indication that the condition has advanced to a severe stage. The same type of sensation can appear in one or both of the arms, depending on where the herniation is located on the spine.

Groin Pain

• Because the thoracic spine covers such a wide area and involves so many different nerve endings, it is possible for the effects to be felt almost anywhere between the arms and the ankles. An area that is commonly affected is the groin area. The patient may begin to experience a tingling or burning sensation in the nerve endings of the groin, and this could radiate down both sides of the groin into the inner thighs.

Spasms

• In more severe cases of thoracic herniation, the nerves that control leg activity could be pinched to the point where the patient may occasionally experience spasms in the leg at random moments. This is a sign that the nerve damage is becoming severe, and a symptom such as this should cause the patient to seek medical help immediately.