Our joints experience constant stress throughout our lives. As a result, cartilage tissue wears out, bone tissue is deformed, and arthrosis of the shoulder joint occurs, which has become one of the most common problems for older and older people.
The development of the disease can lead to complete limitation of movement and constant pain in the joints. Therefore, treatment of arthrosis should begin at the first manifestations of the disease.
What is arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Dystrophic changes in the cartilage and adjacent bone tissue of the shoulder joint are defined in medicine as arthrosis of the shoulder joint ICD-10 - M19. 91. Most often, arthrosis occurs in the acromioclavicular joint of the shoulder, which most often experiences constant stress and strong stress throughout the day.
Under the influence of injuries and various inflammatory processes, cartilage tissue is damaged and gradually weakens, becoming fragile and thin. Cracks form in the cartilage, in which salts begin to settle, accelerating destructive processes in the cartilaginous tissues. As a result of such salt deposits, the bone tissue becomes dense and begins to deform, and acromioclavicular arthrosis develops.
This process occurs slowly and is chronic; initially it is asymptomatic, but gradually the manifestations of the disease increase and over time can lead to complete immobility of the joint area.
The following factors can trigger the onset of the pathological process:
- Shoulder injuries that have caused the joint to deform and cause inflammation.
- Insufficient blood supply to the shoulder joint, which lasts a long time: This condition can be caused by vascular disorders.
- High and constant loads on the joints are observed among construction workers, athletes and loaders.
- Congenital joint pathologies.
- Poor nutrition and, consequently, metabolic disorders.
Important!The most common form of the disease is post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint, ICD-10 code -M19. 91.
The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in humans, which causes fairly frequent injuries to the joint. Even a small injury to a joint, repeated regularly and over a long period of time, leads to the development of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the right shoulder joint is more common, because the majority of the population is "right-handed" and the load on the right side is always greater.
Causes and factors for the development of the disease
Most often, arthrosis is diagnosed in older people, and the older the person, the more likely the pathology will be detected.
Causes and prerequisites for the development of shoulder arthrosis:
- Injuries. Fractures, bruises and dislocations affect the bone and cartilaginous tissue of the shoulder joint, causing various complications: damage to the capsule, rupture of ligaments. Timely treatment prevents the development of complications and the onset of arthrosis.
- Vascular pathologies. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and varicose veins can influence the development of osteoarthritis. Furthermore, the risk of contracting the disease increases in people who abuse smoking.
- Physical inactivity. Lack of physical activity, combined with overeating, causes extra pounds. As a result, metabolism is disrupted, which leads to impaired blood circulation in the cartilage and periarticular tissues - arthrosis develops.
- Hormonal and immune disorders- gout, psoriasis, etc.
- Joint diseases– synovitis, chronic and acute arthritis, aseptic tissue necrosis.
- Diseases of the endocrine system and metabolic disorders. These conditions cause a deficiency of vitamins and minerals necessary for joint health (such as calcium and phosphorus). This negatively affects the condition of the joints and complicates the recovery processes in them.
Most often, arthrosis does not occur under the influence of one factor, its development is promoted by a combination of several causes at once.
Types and symptoms of shoulder arthritis
Since the development of arthrosis continues for a long time, at first the disease may practically not manifest itself, only sometimes making itself felt after severe physical overload or hypothermia.
The main symptoms of arthrosis:
- Shoulder pain.This is the main sign of arthrosis: the pain is of a different nature, usually intensifies with movement and load on the shoulder joint. The pain causes discomfort, which limits the mobility of the shoulder.
- Creaking sound when moving. Salt deposits in the shoulder joints cause a characteristic crunching (or clicking) noise in the joint during movement.
- Movement restrictions. It manifests itself depending on the stage of arthrosis: at the beginning of the disease there are no restrictions, during the exacerbation the patient cannot rotate and move his arm freely.
Sometimes the location of the pain may be atypical and may hurt the arm or elbow. By palpation you can determine the main sources of pain: the lower edge of the scapula and clavicle.
Note!In the initial stage, 1st degree arthrosis does not cause any symptoms. This is due to the absence of nerve endings in the cartilaginous tissue, as a result of which the disease begins to manifest itself when the pathological process extends far beyond the joints.
Depending on the nature and extent of damage to the bone and cartilage tissue, three stages of arthrosis are distinguished, characterized by certain symptoms.
| Symptoms | 1st phase | 2nd phase | 3rd phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ache | It occurs rarely, usually in the evening or morning, after exercise or hypothermia | Severe pain that occurs with any movement | The pain is constant, even at rest |
| Movement restrictions | Slightly | The range of possible movements is reduced | An acute and sometimes complete limitation of mobility. Abduction of the arm and its elevation become impossible. The hand must be held in a forced position, which is very painful |
| Creaks and creaks in the shoulder joint | Slight creaking when moving suddenly: no pain | With every movement you hear a crunch and a clear creak | Constant, creaking clicks heard with any movement |
| Local manifestations (redness and swelling in the joint area, increased temperature at the site of the disease) | Not present | Appears during periods of exacerbation | There is always inflammation in the joint |
| Joint hardening | Not present | It rarely occurs | There is hardening and deformation of the shoulder |
| Changes in the joint visible on X-rays | Not present | Signs of joint deformation, narrowing of the joint space and the appearance of osteophytes are visible | Traces of joint destruction are visible |
The period of the first phase can last from several months to several years. Arthrosis of the shoulder joint of the 3rd degree is treated only with the help of surgical measures, becausethe condition threatens disability.
One of the types of pathology is deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. This condition involves the destruction of articular cartilage, causing irreversible changes in the bones of the joint surfaces. In addition to cartilaginous tissue, such changes also affect the joint capsule and synovial membrane, which leads to the destruction and deformation of the shoulder joint.
Deforming arthrosis is manifested by aching, dull pain in the shoulder joint, which intensifies when the weather changes and at night. The pathology is chronic, which does not allow it to be completely cured, but it will help relieve unpleasant symptoms and stop destructive processes in the tissues.
How to cure arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Before treating shoulder arthrosis, a series of diagnostic measures are performed aimed at determining the form and stage of arthrosis. Among these measures it is necessary to conduct laboratory and biochemical blood tests that can confirm the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
If shoulder arthrosis is suspected, the patient is asked to carry out a series of self-diagnostic measures:
- Place your hands between your shoulder blades in a keyhole shape;
- Tie a belt behind your waist;
- Bend your elbow at shoulder height and comb your hair at the back of your head.
If the patient performs all these activities without difficulty, he does not run the risk of osteoarthritis. But if performing tasks is difficult and causes pain in the collarbone and shoulder area, more in-depth research is needed: for a more accurate diagnosis, fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging are used.
2nd degree arthrosis and the first stage of the disease are treated with conservative methods, only if there are no results can surgical measures be used.
Conservative methods of treating arthrosis are carried out in combination, when treatment is carried out in several directions at once:
- Treatment with drugs;
- Physiotherapy;
- Treatment with traditional methods;
- Therapeutic gymnastics and acupuncture;
- Special diet;
- Spa treatment.
Important!An important condition for the treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder is to ensure rest of the shoulder joint (this is easier to do when observing arthrosis of the left shoulder joint), and such a gentle regimen should be used even after the end of the therapy cycle. If the patient continues to put weight on the shoulder girdle, the disease will progress and eventually lead to surgery.
Operative measures include endoprosthetic surgery, that is, the replacement of a diseased (worn) joint with its artificial counterpart. This surgery is expensive and, although it significantly improves the patient's quality of life, it has the disadvantage that the surgery must be repeated every 10-15 years.
Pharmacological treatment
Treatment with drugs has several directions: pain relief, relief from inflammatory processes and direct restoration of cartilage tissue.
Medicines and pills
To eliminate inflammation and pain, the following groups of drugs are used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Analgesics and antispasmodics.
These drugs can be prescribed orally or intramuscularly (in the form of injections). They relieve pain well and relieve inflammation, but they cannot be taken for a long time - treatment is carried out in short courses.
The destruction of cartilage tissue is treated with drugs from the group of chondroprotectors, which include the active ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid.
Chondroprotectors are a valuable building material for cartilage tissue, but the drugs have a restorative effect only in the first two stages. The first results from the use of chondroprotectors are observed only 3 months after use, and the general course of treatment lasts about a year.
In the treatment of arthrosis it is mandatory to take food supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes containing substances that prevent the demineralization of joint tissues.
For severe inflammatory processes, a method called "intra-articular block" is used. The essence of the technique is the introduction of hormonal drugs into the cavity of the joint of the acromion. Such injections have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, but have many side effects, so they cannot always be used in treatment.
Ointments
For external use, ointments applied to the skin in the area of the shoulder joint are effectively used. Ointments for arthrosis have an anesthetic effect, contain anti-inflammatory substances and agents that increase blood circulation.
Important!Ointments for arthrosis help relieve unpleasant symptoms, but cannot cure the disease.
The advantages of ointments over painkillers are that they have a local anesthetic effect without harming the gastrointestinal tract. But they also have a disadvantage: with the intensity of the pain syndrome, they cannot always quickly relieve the pain.
Physiotherapy
The main method of treating arthrosis in the early stages is taking medications. Physiotherapeutic procedures can improve the effect of taking medications and also reduce the likelihood of side effects.
The following therapeutic methods are used in the treatment of arthrosis:
- Electrophoresis;
- Exposure to a magnetic field;
- Exposure to radiation (ultraviolet, infrared, laser);
- Ultrasound.
Physiotherapy activities are carried out several times a year - in courses. The type and method of treatment is selected individually for each patient, depending on the degree of the disease, the patient's age and other indications.
Home treatment
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint at home is carried out in addition to drug therapy, with the permission of the attending physician.
Gymnastics and physical therapy
Physical therapy for arthrosis of the shoulder joint should be carried out only in the remission phase, during exacerbations gymnastic exercises are contraindicated.
Physical therapy exercises can be found on the Internet, but all of them must be agreed with the doctor.
Important!It is not possible to select exercises for arthrosis on your own, regardless of the authoritative sites on which these procedures are described and the flattering reviews that accompany them. Many of them have contraindications and can cause harm rather than benefit, therefore, before starting the exercises, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Rules for home exercises for arthrosis:
- Physical therapy cannot be performed if there are decompensated diseases of the lungs and heart, if there is high fever or if there are diseases for which any physical activity is contraindicated.
- The exercise should not cause pain. Otherwise, they are chosen incorrectly and can cause complications.
- When treating arthrosis of the shoulder joint, gymnastics requires regularity: it must be performed daily. Initially, training should last no more than 5 minutes a day, gradually increasing the time up to 20 minutes.
- You need to perform the exercises gradually: first with a quarter strength, then gradually increasing the load. The intensity of the movements and their amplitude should increase gradually. The older the age and the longer the duration of a sedentary lifestyle, the slower the process of increasing intensity.
- The exercises are performed in a light, semi-relaxed state, sitting or lying down.
A set of simple exercises can be performed independently every day at any convenient time: raising and lowering the shoulders, swinging the arm back and forth, rotating the shoulders.
Massage
Massage for arthrosis of the shoulder joint is best done immediately after physical therapy and gymnastics. This will help improve blood circulation in the shoulder joint and promote the restoration of cartilage tissue.
Massage can be performed only if the acute pain subsides and the inflammatory process decreases.
During the procedure, not only the painful shoulder is massaged, but also the collar area on both sides and the forearm area.
Diet
Dietary rules for arthrosis: elimination of factors influencing the development of the disease and metabolic disorders.
Basic principles of the diet:
- Limit sweet, starchy, fatty and salty foods.
- Minimize salt intake.
- Reduce portion size, but increase the number of meals (eat in small portions, but often).
- Replace the consumption of animal fats with vegetable and dairy fats.
- Increase the amount of dairy products in your diet, which are sources of calcium, as well as seafood and fish (a source of collagen and phosphorus).
- Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
If you suffer from arthrosis, you should never go hungry: the menu should be designed in such a way as to increase the intake of nutrients without harm to the body and reduce the amount of harmful foods.
ethnoscience
Doctors recommend home treatment using folk remedies in addition to medical therapy:
- Pork fat is mixed in equal proportions with propolis. The resulting ointment is rubbed with massage movements into the area of \u200b\u200bthe shoulder joint.
- To relieve pain, herbal baths with decoctions of chamomile, burdock and nettle are recommended.
- A folk remedy for arthrosis is oatmeal. They are prepared in boiling water, after which the decoction is used to make shoulder compresses, which are applied overnight.
Folk remedies do not cause side effects and have no contraindications for use.
Prevention
Preventive measures to prevent osteoarthritis involve minimizing the factors that cause the disease.
General recommendations:
- Elimination of inappropriate loads on the joint associated with sporting or professional activities.
- Minimizing the risk of injury to the shoulder joint.
- Mandatory consultations with a therapist in case of injury or pain in the shoulder joint to minimize the risk of complications.
- Prevent the appearance of excess weight - control your diet and carry out daily physical activity (gymnastics, walking, swimming).
- In old age, use drugs that promote the regeneration of cartilage and bone tissue.
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a dangerous disease that can lead to complete immobility of the joint and disability. You should consult a doctor at the first signs of illness. Treatment of osteoarthritis must be comprehensive and include both conservative and alternative therapeutic methods.