Obstructive lung disease. Obstructive lung disease is a category of respiratory disease characterized by airway obstruction. Many obstructive diseases of the lung result from narrowing of the smaller bronchi and larger bronchioles, often because of excessive contraction of the smooth muscle itself.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a condition caused by compression of nerves or blood vessels in the thoracic outlet, the area between the base of the neck and the armpit, including the front of the shoulders and chest. Vascular. This can be a compression of the artery and vein.
1 Joint Dysfunction. 2  Pain caused by joint dysfunction, where the ribs attach to the spine at each level of the thoracic spine, can cause pain. 3  Herniated or degenerative discs. 4  While less common in the thoracic spine, degenerative disc disease or a thoracic herniated disc can be a source of pain.here are several features of the thoracic spine that distinguish it from the lumbar and cervical spine: 1  Limited flexibility. 2  The ribs connected to T11 and T12 at the bottom of the thoracic spine do not attach the sternum in front, but do provide protection for the kidneys in the back of the body.