Osteochondrosis in childhood: causes of the disease, symptoms and complications, prevention measures. What is osteochondrosis? What to do if a teenager has osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis is a very common pathology that can occur not only in adults, but also in children. This disease is associated with changes in the bone and cartilage structures of the spine, which causes pressure on the nerve structures of the spinal cord, leading to severe pain and impaired motor activity.

What is osteochondrosis? Features of osteochondrosis in children.

There is a misconception that osteochondrosis can only occur in adulthood or old age. But recently, medicine has been considering this disease as a systemic lesion of the connective tissue, entailing more serious and long-term health consequences, which can occur in both adults and children.

The spine is a very complex and, at the same time, fragile structure, which is very sensitive to many negative factors.

The causes of osteochondrosis in a child can be:

Not proper nutrition.
Hormonal, endocrine disorders.
Traumatic injuries of the spine.
Violations and pathologies of the vascular system.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases in the body of a child.
Allergic diseases.
Intoxication, prolonged somatic diseases.
Anomalies in the development of bones, functional insufficiency of cartilage tissue.
genetic predisposition.
Excessive loads on the child's spine, improper sitting, early disembarkation of the baby, etc.

All these factors can provoke the appearance of osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis is, as a rule, a multifactorial disease, the key cause of which is malnutrition of the spine, causing inflammation and degenerative-dystrophic consequences.
The danger of osteochondrosis in a child is the development of severe consequences, including intervertebral hernia, disruption of the functioning of various organs and body systems. Osteochondrosis can also cause a violation of the growth of the child, since this disease causes degenerative changes in the areas of bone growth.

Osteochondrosis in children has the same localization of the pathological process as this disease in adults - it can be lumbar, cervical and thoracic. But in children with cervical and lumbar wasps

teochondrosis, the pain syndrome is usually not so pronounced, and violations of motor functions or sensitivity in tissues occur extremely rarely - which is why osteochondrosis in children is difficult to diagnose. Cervical osteochondrosis can be expressed by symptoms such as headache, frequent nausea, fainting, signs of intoxication, weakness and fatigue, and pain in the neck or shoulders may be mild. In order to diagnose osteochondrosis in a child and begin timely treatment, a complete examination and consultation of "narrow" specialists is necessary -.

Treatment of osteochondrosis in children - how can we help?

The most preferable for osteochondrosis in children is, of course, conservative treatment. At the same time with medicines, eliminating pain, swelling and inflammation in the soft tissues around the spine, the child is usually prescribed massage sessions, physiotherapy, balneotherapy, physiotherapy exercises, acupuncture. It is possible to connect manual therapy using myofascial techniques. With a very strong pain syndrome, the child is prescribed drug blockades to relieve pain. In each case, the treatment will be individual, according to a special scheme, since it depends on the stage of the disease, the age and health of the child, the presence of somatic disorders, and other factors. The treatment of osteochondrosis is long-term, it should become a true way of life for the child - parents should provide him with proper nutrition, healthy living conditions, eliminating all the harmful factors that lead to the return of the disease.

Surgical treatment of osteochondrosis It is used in complicated cases of the disease, when conservative methods of treatment and extract no longer help.

In the Department of Spine Pathology and Neurosurgery at the Federal State Budgetary Institution “NIDOI them. G.I. Turner” perform conservative and surgical treatment children with diseases of the spine, including children with osteochondrosis. This department is the only one in Russia that performs surgical treatment of children in the first years and months of life with congenital malformations of the spine and spinal cord. In the surgical treatment of osteochondrosis, the operation consists in removing the intervertebral hernia, or removing part of the vertebral disc at the site of the pathology. The specialists of the department have modern methods surgical intervention, surgery It is carried out both according to classical technology, and with the help of microsurgical techniques and minimally invasive technologies.

Professor S.V. Vissarionov, Head of the Department of Spinal Pathology and Neurosurgery at the FGBU “N.I. G.I. Turnera" provides observation, counseling of children with diseases of the spine, including osteochondrosis, as well as surgical treatment of small patients. Sergey Valentinovich has several patents for the invention of spinal support systems, he is the author of the latest medical technologies in the field of spinal surgery in children.

Osteochondrosis has ceased to be exclusively a disease of people after 40 years. Now this diagnosis is made in childhood and adolescence, and the disease mainly affects the cervical and lumbar spine. Parents who are concerned about changes in posture bring their child to the doctor.

In adolescence, the human body experiences natural stress - it is actively growing, hormonal levels are increased. Young people spend a lot of time in school and preparing assignments. So when a teenager complains about:

• Permanent headache;
• General weakness;
• chronic fatigue;
• Violation of the kidneys and urinary system;
• For a severe headache, very often on the one hand, accompanying pain behind the eye socket - parents justify this by overloading at school, sitting at gadgets or at a computer.

Anxiety is manifested only with a clear manifestation of incorrect posture - a sharply grown child stoops, changes in gait begin, or when periodic headaches and tinnitus become more frequent, hearing decreases, with pain, the teenager strives to move less, keep his head in one position (pain increases sharply with movement and tilt of the head). Doctor's diagnosis osteochondrosis in adolescents comes as an unpleasant surprise. The first question that parents usually ask is what caused the disease?

• It is interesting:

Causes

There are the following reasons contributing to the development of osteochondrosis:

• Traumatic injuries of the supporting apparatus;
• Heredity;
• Malnutrition with insufficient amounts of nutrients;
• Congenital and acquired pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
• Various allergies;
• Internal illnesses;
• Living in environmentally disadvantaged wives;
• past infections;
• Various pathologies of bone development;
• Low physical activity;
• Incorrectly delivered physical strength load with increased sports.

Most often, the diagnosis of cervical osteochondrosis is made to children who were injured at birth. In a difficult birth for a child, the neck is the most vulnerable part of the body and, therefore, is affected in subsequent development. Symptoms appear mainly in adolescence and adolescence, during the growth and formation of the body. Osteochondrosis in children occurs after injuries sustained during a fall (during games, in physical education, when skating, a teenager very often falls on the coccyx), causing compression and displacement of the disks.

The importance of good nutrition, balanced and providing the body with calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins for the proper formation of the spine, was confirmed by Soviet pediatricians when describing disorders in children and adolescents who survived the blockade.

Very often, destructive changes in osteochondrosis appear in children whose families already have such patients. A teenager living in ecologically unfavorable areas will also be a factor provoking a change in the spine.

A sedentary lifestyle also does not provide sufficient nutrition to the vertebral discs and their development goes wrong, causing disease. The same effect is caused by too much physical activity during professional sports, sharp twisting, flexion and extension of the spine, falls during sports exercises.

Diagnosis of osteochondrosis

The diagnosis of osteochondrosis in children requires the experience of a doctor and careful subsequent treatment. When diagnosing, the doctor asks the patient to tell about his feelings, parents, the history of the life and illnesses of the child, asks about possible heredity. Then he conducts an external examination, assesses posture, taps and feels the spine, examines the condition of the muscles, noting places of unnatural tension.

• Be sure to read:

To make the correct diagnosis of "teenage osteochondrosis", the possibility of making movements in the spine is assessed. When identifying symptoms of osteochondrosis and accurately determining the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe:

• X-ray, in which the condition of the vertebrae is assessed;
• A study using computed tomography, which allows you to fully see not only the bone structure of the spine, but also the discs, the location of blood vessels and its other tissues. Tomography is prescribed after passing the study on an X-ray machine, to clarify the results;
• In complex or controversial cases, an MRI is prescribed;
• Ultrasound is used to determine pathologies in case of complaints of severe headaches and suspicion of damage to the cervical spine.

There are three main types of this disease of the spine:

• Cervical osteochondrosis in children and adolescents;
• Thoracic;
• Osteochondrosis of the lower back.

The most common diagnoses are osteochondrosis of the lumbar and neck. Only a doctor can establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment for a teenager.

• We advise you to read:

Treatment and prevention

Due to the high regenerative abilities of the child's body, conservative treatment of such conditions will be the best. Since pain most severely reduces the child's standard of living, therapy is primarily aimed at its removal. For this, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, and vitamin preparations are also prescribed to strengthen the spine.

The patient must be prescribed physiotherapy exercises and massage. Swimming has proven itself as a method of gentle correction of the spine.

Manifestations of osteochondrosis may vary depending on the age and gender of the patient. In this case, the features of the disease in children, adults and adolescents are considered.

Osteochondrosis is one of the common diseases that, as a rule, people aged 50+ suffer from. However, now the pathology has changed the age limits, it is often found in young people and even children. For the latter, it is especially dangerous. Modern children spend a lot of time in a sitting position - first at school, then at home for lessons, and they prefer to relax not on the street, but at the computer, playing games or chatting with friends on social networks. The consequence of such low activity is not only scoliosis and bad posture, but also more serious complications - degeneration of the intervertebral discs.

Among the most common causes children's osteochondrosis researchers call the following:

• genetic predisposition.
• Allergic reactions of severe form.
• Injuries, including those received during childbirth.
• Flat feet.

• Persistent infections.
• Body poisoning.
• Disorders in the development of bones.
• Excess weight.
• Incorrectly organized nutrition, lack of vitamins and useful trace elements in the daily diet (primarily calcium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamins C and D).
• Low mobility, hypodynamia.

Lead to spinal disease can not only sedentary image life, but also excessive physical activity, in particular, professional sports from an early age. In the danger zone are also babies who sleep on high, very soft pillows.

The disease is among the serious ones, so treatment should be started immediately after the first symptoms are detected. Danger alerts can be:

• Constant complaints of headache, fatigue, dizziness are symptoms of a cervical lesion.
• Palpitations, pain in the lungs and heart area can be signs of thoracic osteochondrosis.
• Finally, aching pain in the lumbar region most often means the presence of lumbar osteochondrosis.

Also, the initial stage of the disease is indicated by a decrease in school performance, complaints of tinnitus, hearing loss. It is important for parents to remember that often the symptoms are mild, and children often perceive it as the norm and do not complain. Therefore, one must be especially careful and, having detected the pathology in a timely manner, take the child to the doctor.

Osteochondrosis in adolescents: causes and symptoms

Pathologies of the spine in young people are more common than in children. There are several reasons for this:

• Low mobility, dislike for sports, skipping physical education lessons.
• Flat feet.
• Predisposition to persistent infectious diseases.
• Previous spinal injuries.
• Overweight.

Disease can also be caused by unevenly distributed physical exercise. So, a teenager spends all day in a sitting position, first at school, then at home at the computer, and during physical education, he overstrains the unprepared spine, causing his injury. As a result, there may be a problem with the intervertebral discs.

The first signs of pathology are:

• Constant fatigue, headaches, weakness, nausea and vomiting, pain in the neck and behind the eye sockets indicate the likelihood of cervical disease.
• Pain between the shoulder blades, breathing problems are symptoms of the pathology of the thoracic region, especially if a teenager has a curvature of the spine - scoliosis or kyphosis.
• Pain symptom when tilting the body, when trying to raise an outstretched leg against the background of lumbar lordosis - a sign of pathology of the lumbosacral region spinal column.

The disease can lead to serious consequences and spoil the quality of life, so you should see a doctor as soon as the first symptoms appear and start treatment. An excellent preventive measure will be a visit to the pool, swimming is also useful in treatment. It is important to convince a teenager to play sports, eat right, give up bad habits in favor of their health.

Spinal osteochondrosis in adults: causes and symptoms

Adults, especially the older generation, are the main category of those suffering from pathologies of the spinal column. The reasons that can cause the appearance of osteochondrosis are quite diverse. At a young age (up to 40 years), these are the following factors:

• Sports injuries, heavy lifting without prior preparation can lead to disc protrusion.
• Violation of posture leads not only to overstrain of the spine, but also to osteochondrosis.
• Poor nutrition, lack of foods rich in calcium, magnesium, proteins and vegetable fats in the diet leads to the fact that cartilage loses its strength. Dehydration of the body, especially before physical exertion, negatively affects the condition of the intervertebral discs.
• Low physical activity, lack of moderate physical activity.
• The key risk factor is overweight.

In addition, hereditary predisposition, metabolic problems, congenital defects of the spine can cause pathology.

Constant stress on the spinal column, work "on your feet", wearing shoes with heels, pregnancy and bad habits can also become factors that cause problems with the vertebral discs.

The following signs will help to recognize this disease in yourself or your loved one:

• Pain in the neck, especially in the evening.
• Weakness in the limbs.
• Constant dizziness and nausea.

The most common symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis are: dizziness and headache, decreased performance; pressing pain in the sternum, tingling in the hands; numbness of the tongue.

The thoracic region, affected by pathology, can be identified by the following signs: a feeling of constriction in the chest area, the pain syndrome increases with the rotation of the body; pain in the shoulder blades, also aggravated by turning.

Constant pain in the lumbar region, numbness of the arms and legs, increased discomfort after exertion - these are the symptoms of lumbar disease. It is important that the signs can be expressed implicitly, therefore, at the slightest suspicion of a pathology, you should visit a specialist.

Osteochondrosis at any age is unpleasant and dangerous disease, which can lead to loss of motor functions, so it must be treated. The rule is simple: the sooner you start therapy, the more likely positive treatment outcome.

AT childhood Unfortunately, various diseases of the osteoarticular system often develop. This fully applies to the spine, which can be negatively affected by numerous adverse factors both in the neonatal period and at preschool and school age. Among the pathologies of the spinal column, osteochondrosis in children can be especially distinguished, which has some features of the course and clinical picture, in contrast to adult patients.

As in older patients, this disease affects one or several sections of the spine at once, and the initial stages of the pathology proceed almost asymptomatically and imperceptibly, for a long time in most cases. Only later, during periods of intensive growth or puberty, do the first signs of the disease begin to appear. They are associated primarily with chronic and progressive changes in the structure and functional characteristics cartilaginous tissue, which, having the form of discs, fills the spaces between the vertebrae.

It is believed that these changes are directly caused by malnutrition of the cartilaginous discs due to insufficiency of the circulatory system, anomalies in its structure, as well as metabolic pathologies. Unlike adult patients, osteochondrosis in children does not have such a development mechanism as degenerative-dystrophic. Its progression is influenced, first of all, by congenital factors, age-related features of the structure of the spinal column and environmental conditions.

Young children can also suffer from osteochondrosis, more often due to congenital anomalies.

Reasons for the formation of pathology

In a newborn child, the bone-articular system is not yet completely perfect, since many processes of its formation continue. Compared to the bone mass of the vertebrae, cartilage tissue is represented in a larger volume. In healthy children, it has an excellent blood supply, all biochemical reactions of metabolism are dynamically performed in it, and harmful substances are quickly removed. Cartilaginous intervertebral discs are very elastic and resilient, which explains the high degree of flexibility of the spinal column in a child.

But already in infancy, the vertebrae and cartilaginous structures can be exposed to various threatening influences. These can be unfavorable external conditions, any background diseases or a hereditary factor that causes the onset of destructive changes in the cartilage layers.

There are many such causes of osteochondrosis in children, but all of them can be represented as follows:

• birth trauma, which, unfortunately, happens in our time. During injury, the structures of the cervical spine are primarily damaged;
• congenital anomalies in the structure of the components of the spinal column, most often the vertebrae themselves (absence of a vertebra, their deformation), as well as the muscular-ligamentous apparatus and a segment of the circulatory system that provides the spine with everything necessary;
• hereditary (genetic) predisposition, which causes abnormal development of bone or cartilage tissue, as well as the course of metabolic processes;
• the presence of somatic pathologies (diseases of internal organs) that directly or indirectly negatively affect cartilage tissue;
• diseases manifested by systemic failure of the connective tissue (cartilaginous tissue also belongs to it) and characterized by a detailed clinical picture affecting all organs and systems.
• hormonal imbalance that occurs in adolescents or at any age of the child, if he has some endocrine pathologies (diseases of the endocrine glands);
• a complex of acquired factors that affect throughout the entire childhood and adolescence. This is too much or insufficient physical activity, overweight of the child, hypothermia, spinal injuries, unbalanced nutrition, postural disorders, incorrect posture at the study table.

Overweight negatively affect the entire body, including the spine

The older the child becomes, the more intensely these factors act, the more pronounced are the characteristic signs of osteochondrosis. First of all, symptoms develop in cases where there is a hereditary and congenital factor, then the pathology is diagnosed literally in the first months of the life of a small patient.

signs

How less age child, the more difficult it is to diagnose osteochondrosis, since it is impossible to identify the presence of negative subjective sensations in him. He still cannot localize and differentiate the pain syndrome and generally tell what worries him. Older children can already answer their parents and the doctor what and where it hurts, as well as how intensely.

Therefore, the most important clinical symptoms osteochondrosis. Depending on which part of the spine is predominantly affected by the disease, the complex of pathological signs also differs. If osteochondrosis is secondary, developed, for example, against the background of congenital anomalies or after traumatic injuries, then in most cases attention is drawn to the deformation of the spinal column, expressed to varying degrees. This may be a curvature in one or two planes at once (lateral, anterior-posterior), which can be seen with the “naked eye”. In other situations, neurological symptoms and manifestations caused by the failure of the circulatory network acquire the most important clinical significance.

The origin of neurological signs is explained mainly by the reaction nervous system, in particular, irritation of the roots of the conductors extending from the spinal cord. The so-called "vascular" symptoms are most often associated with anomalies in the location or structure of the arterial-venous bundles, which affects many internal organs.

For a child with osteochondrosis, regular physical education becomes a problem

In children, in most cases, symptoms develop from any one part of the spinal column. The most common is the cervical localization of the pathological process, and due to the proximity to the spine of the most important blood vessels heading to the brain, alarming and quite characteristic symptoms appear. Yes, at cervical osteochondrosis Children may have the following signs of the disease:

• fatigue, compared with other children, especially evident at school age;
• headaches, sometimes associated with physical activity or prolonged static posture of the child;
• frequent dizziness;
• fainting;
• nausea or vomiting, most often associated with headache attacks;
• pain in the neck, extending to the upper limbs;
• the appearance of paresthesias (tingling, goosebumps, slight itching) associated with changes in skin sensitivity.

If osteochondrosis is localized in the thoracic spine, then the child may complain of pain in the chest area, sometimes spreading along the intercostal spaces. Often there is a feeling of numbness of the skin of the chest or back. With lumbar osteochondrosis, discomfort and pain appear in the lumbar region, sometimes they are felt by the child in the lower extremities.

As a result of the gradual destruction of the cartilaginous layers between the vertebrae, the motor and static functions of the spinal column are disturbed. The amplitude of movements decreases (tilts, turns, rotations), the child can no longer fulfill the usual requirements in physical education classes, all exercises begin to be accompanied by the appearance and intensification of pain.

Features of diagnostics

Despite the fact that the early stage of the disease is most often asymptomatic, all cases of childhood osteochondrosis should be diagnosed in a timely manner. A huge responsibility in this regard lies with the local pediatricians, doctors preschool institutions and schools. In addition, the parents themselves should be very attentive to all the complaints of their child, in particular, related to the state of health.

When contacting a specialist, a thorough questioning of the parents and the child is carried out, all complaints are clarified, an anamnesis is collected (what was the pregnancy like, how did the baby grow and develop, what are the concomitant diseases). If the patient is of school age, then the doctor specifies how he tolerates physical activity, whether he is additionally involved in sports sections.

Next, the child is examined, during which the condition of the spine is determined (violations of posture, range of motion, the presence of pain), the severity of tendon reflexes, changes in skin sensitivity. Based on the information received, the doctor makes a preliminary diagnosis.

To confirm it, it is necessary to examine the child, that is, perform an x-ray examination of the spinal column. As a rule, it is enough to make sure that there are changes characteristic of osteochondrosis of the thoracic, lumbar or cervical region. But sometimes an MRI or CT scan is performed, which allows you to get more accurate data. Laboratory studies are also needed, according to indications of endoscopy, ECG, EEG, ultrasound, to identify the presence of underlying pathologies.

Clinical examinations help to identify pathology in the early stages

Methods of treatment

Osteochondrosis in children proceeds, gradually involving all structures of the spine in the process. If timely assistance is not provided to a small patient, then very dangerous complications may develop. This is a persistent pronounced deformity of the spinal column, Negative influence on the activity of internal organs, delayed physical development, the formation of intervertebral hernias.

Therefore, the treatment of osteochondrosis in children is the most important task of both medical workers and parents of patients. This is a long process that requires patience, perseverance, time and effort. A comprehensive treatment regimen usually looks like this:

• medication direction (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in tablets, injections or in the form of ointments, hormonal agents, analgesics, muscle relaxants, drugs to improve the condition of the nervous tissue);
• non-drug direction (physiotherapy exercises, massage, physiotherapy, reflexology according to indications).

The fight against childhood osteochondrosis should not be interrupted until a stable and lasting improvement is achieved. At the same time, one should not forget about such critical moments, as the normalization of motor activity, good nutrition, the use of an orthopedic mattress and pillow, the correct organization of the workplace for the student.

Osteochondrosis is a disease of the human skeletal system associated with a change in the composition and shape of the cartilage in the joint. The most common concerns are changes in the spine.

To ensure the correct load on the cartilage tissue, it is necessary:

• maintain a normal posture to maintain balance between the vertebral discs;
• ensure depreciation of the spinal column when walking, excluding violations in the foot - flat feet, clubfoot and others;
• avoid spinal injuries;
• contribute to the uniform development of the spinal muscles that support the spine;
• do not lift weights for fear of displacement of the vertebral discs.

Over the past few decades, joint disease has become significantly "younger", and often affects even preschool children.
Checking and prevention of osteochondrosis among adolescents is especially relevant. The accelerated growth rate of a young organism contributes to degenerative-dystrophic changes in cartilage tissue.

Causes of children's osteochondrosis

Osteochondrosis in children, as well as in adults, is divided into 3 types: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. But the symptoms that children complain about are significantly different from the signs of the disease in adulthood. This is especially true of the cervical spine.

Causes of the disease in children and adolescents:

The school bag must weigh no more than 5 kg.

• Hereditary predisposition, the presence of osteochondrosis in parents;
• Bruises and injuries of the spine, trauma to the cervical spine during childbirth;
• Poor nutrition that does not provide the body's need for vitamins and nutrients for the full formation of cartilage tissue.
• Frequent drinking of carbonated drinks;
• Frequent infectious diseases, hormonal imbalance, autoimmune diseases;
• Hypodynamia, the habit of sitting with a curvature of posture at school, at the computer, preparing homework;
• Night rest on a soft, sagging down bed. High pillows contribute to the curvature of the spine;
• A school bag or satchel that is too heavy for his age, carrying a bag in one hand, on his shoulder;
• Scoliosis.

Osteochondrosis in children is manifested by low intensity pains in the lumbar region, to which the child may not attach much importance, and later just get used to it and consider it a normal phenomenon.

For the prevention and treatment of DISEASES OF THE JOINTS, our regular reader uses the method of non-surgical treatment, which is gaining popularity, recommended by leading German and Israeli orthopedists. After carefully reviewing it, we decided to offer it to your attention.

How the disease manifests itself in adolescence

Thoracic youthful osteochondrosis causes pain in the heart, shortness of breath, shortness of breath. With such complaints, adolescents are more likely to be referred to a cardiologist, rather than a neuropathologist. An incorrect diagnosis threatens to waste time that should be spent on medical procedures.
If the early stage of the disease is not treated, serious complications can appear, leading adolescents to disability:

• growth retardation;
• the formation of an intervertebral hernia;
• shift of the vertebral discs;
• disruption of the internal organs.

Juvenile osteochondrosis, which is also called juvenile osteochondrosis, develops in the chest, lower back and neck. The most common is the neck.
Symptoms of cervical lesions in children and adolescents:

• migraine-like headaches;
• severe dizziness, loss of coordination, a state close to fainting;
• fast fatiguability;
• vomit;
• pain in the neck, in which the child, if necessary, turns the whole body.

How is the disease diagnosed in younger and older children?

Juvenile osteochondrosis has similar symptoms to many diseases of the internal organs, so proper diagnosis is of no small importance. A pediatrician's examination may reveal:

Wearing a belt with lumbar osteochondrosis

• excessive tension of individual muscles of the back;
• painful manifestations of areas of the spine when pressed with fingers;
• asymmetrical level of the shoulder girdle, torticollis.

With such signs, a teenager is sent to a neurologist for an additional examination, which includes:

• x-ray of the spine;
• MRI, CT.

According to the totality of studies, the diagnosis is approved and a course of treatment is prescribed. The task of parents is to fully comply with all recommendations, not forgetting that the health of the child depends on it.

Basic Treatments

Juvenile osteochondrosis is completely cured at an early stage of the disease. At the same time, physiotherapy procedures are prescribed, physiotherapy and massage.
If the disease of the spine is detected in a neglected form, then it can only be suspended. Destroyed cartilage tissue cannot be fully restored.
Juvenile osteochondrosis requires a long course of treatment, consisting of conservative methods:

• therapeutic gymnastics, swimming;
• massage, acupuncture;
• medications that relieve pain, if present;
• if the cervical region is affected, a Shants collar is prescribed, fixing the neck in a certain position;
• a complex of vitamins and microelements is prescribed, which are necessary for the proper development of cartilage tissue;
• an individual diet is developed, balanced in terms of the amount of essential nutrients.

Operatively, juvenile osteochondrosis is treated extremely rarely, only if conventional treatment does not work.

Prevention

In order to notice the development of osteochondrosis in a child in time, it is advisable to conduct preventive examinations of schoolchildren aged 11-13 years twice a year. Parents are obliged to give the teenager enough time to notice the changes in posture that have begun in time. When exercising while sitting, it is necessary to change the position of the body every hour and do a little gymnastics.
Children at risk should:

• beware of hypothermia;
• learn how to lift a heavy object from the floor to avoid spinal injuries;
• engage in physical therapy;
• avoid heavy loads, including when playing sports.

It is recommended to take care of your spine. If problems arise, you should contact a medical institution and strictly follow the doctor's prescriptions, because a healthy spine provides a person with physical activity.

home » Accessories » Osteochondrosis in childhood: causes of the disease, symptoms and complications, prevention measures. What is osteochondrosis? What to do if a teenager has osteochondrosis