In everyday life, we often do not attach any importance to occasional pain sensations in the body. We only go to the clinic when the pain becomes excruciating and persistent. This approach is fundamentally wrong because it allows the disease to progress intensely. There are many pathologies of the skeletal system. One of them is osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint.
What is shoulder osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis deformans of the shoulder joint is a chronic disease associated with degenerative cartilage degradation.
The disease tends to progress and exacerbate dysfunctions of the human musculoskeletal system. The influence of pathogenic factors leads to thinning of the cartilage, the appearance of cracks and its subsequent destruction.
Factors for the occurrence of shoulder arthrosis
There are many reasons for the development of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint. The most important are:
- Vascular diseases that lead to disruption of the proper blood supply to the joint,
- Injury,
- heavy physical load on the shoulder joint,
- metabolic disease,
- genetic predisposition,
- diseases of the endocrine system,
- age-related joint changes,
- congenital changes
- extensive diseases of the musculoskeletal system,
- autoimmune diseases.
The risk group includes people over 55 years of age. The reason for this are age-related changes in the form of cartilage wear.
The degree of development of the disease
Depending on the gradual deterioration of a person's well-being against the background of the course of the disease, signs of arthrosis 1, 2, 3 of the shoulder joint are distinguished.
First stage
The initial stage is characterized by minor changes in the joint, the appearance of pain during movement and lifting weights. This is due to a decrease in the elasticity of cartilage tissue. The maneuverability of the joint is limited, which limits the mobility of the patient's hands.
In the pictures, the doctor notes a slight narrowing of the joint space and the appearance of bone outgrowths in places where the cartilage is thinning. With the right treatment, osteoarthritis of the first degree is stopped and the joint is restored to a healthy state.
Second floor
If the patient did not pay attention to the symptoms of arthrosis of the first degree, then the second degree is rapidly progressing, at which it is already problematic to restore the disturbed structure of the joint tissues.
The second degree has more pronounced signs. The joint cavity narrows to a minimum, pain in the area of \u200b\u200bthe scapula and shoulder increases, becomes regular, there is a crunch when moving the hand, the muscles partially atrophy, osteophytes (bone growths) are visible on x-rays.
Third section
The last stage is characterized by changes in bone tissue, there is a pronounced deformity, the joint is almost immobilized, there is constant pain. Without taking any measures to stop the degenerative process in the tissues, there is a high probability of a complete violation of the motor activity of the hand.
Some patients have difficulty taking care of themselves. The degree of the disease under consideration is the most difficult to cure, it requires surgical intervention. The third stage of arthrosis of the shoulder joint is extremely rare. As a rule, it is caused by excessive systemic loads on the damaged joint (e. g. in professional sports).
symptoms
Arthrosis of the scapula joint is asymptomatic for a long time. In most cases, the first sign is acute pain. At the beginning of the disease, pain rarely occurs - due to physical activity, from uncomfortable hand movements.
In the future, the pain increases, beginning at night with sudden movements, an uncomfortable position, and then during the day, annoying more often and becoming systematic.
If treatment is not started on time, the pain will be accompanied by a feeling of stiffness in the movements. There are clicks and crunches in the shoulder joint. This area also often swells, which is accompanied by an increase in temperature throughout the body and in the area of the damaged joint. Redness may appear on the skin.
diagnosis
If you have pain in the shoulder area, contact a doctor who will conduct an initial examination and interview.
To diagnose arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the following methods are used:
- Roentgen,
- laboratory tests,
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),
- computed tomography (CT),
- ultrasound examination (ultrasound),
- Scintigraphy - a method of functional imaging, which consists in introducing radioactive isotopes into the body and obtaining an image by determining the radiation they emit,
- Arthroscopy - a method of visually examining the joint cavity using a special optical device (arthroscope),
- Thermography is a method of detecting infrared radiation from the human body.
treatment
For many people who are faced with the disease in question, the question often arises: can arthrosis of the shoulder joint be cured forever? The therapy of any degenerative diseases of the joints is primarily aimed at relieving the symptoms and combating the complications of the disease. Complete healing is only possible if the affected joint is replaced with an artificial one.
Depending on the severity of arthrosis and the secondary causes of its occurrence, the treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is carried out by a rheumatologist (in the initial stages), an orthopedist or an orthopedic traumatologist, a surgeon, an arthrologist (with advanced forms of arthrosis). These are the key experts.
The auxiliary persons include: a therapist (a general practitioner conducts treatment if it is not possible to get it from a rheumatologist, orthopedist, surgeon), physiotherapist, radiologist. Which doctor treats the patient depends on the stage and cause of the disease.
Important! The disease belongs to the chronic ones, so it is not necessary to speak of a full recovery. So far, there are no drugs that would completely cure them.
Effective treatment consists of the following methods.
medication
Drug treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint reduces the symptoms of inflammatory processes and relieves pain. For this, the following pharmacological groups are used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- chondroprotectors.
- Painkiller.
- Glucocorticosteroid hormone preparations. They are used as part of ointments and injections into the joint in the treatment of shoulder-scapula arthrosis.
In addition, antibiotics, vitamin and mineral complexes and other specific drugs prescribed by the attending physician depending on the clinical picture of the patient are used for treatment.
physical therapy
Physical exercises to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle are an integral part of the complex treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Exercises are performed at the end of the inflammatory process, during the period of remission.
Physiotherapy helps to restore the joint and its mobility, stop the progression of the disease, strengthen the affected apparatus and relieve pain.
Before starting the gymnastics, prepare the muscles for the upcoming loads by warming up and stretching. A simple training complex includes the following exercises:
- In a sitting position, take one hand behind your back, the other - from the side of the waist, straighten. Put your hands on your knees and relax. Run slowly.
- Alternating and simultaneous raising of the shoulders. Perform 10 times.
- Movement of the shoulders forwards and backwards, alternately and simultaneously. run 10 times.
- In a seated position, let your arm hang and relax. Without bending your elbow, perform a swinging motion back and forth. Repeat 10 times with each hand.
The author's methods of treating arthrosis are especially popular. This exercise therapy is carried out in specialized centers, but it is easy to do at home.
Characteristic of physical exercises is the restoration of the entire musculoskeletal system and not just the mobility of individual joints.
physical therapy
Physiotherapy is part of the complex of measures for the treatment of deforming arthrosis. It is effective in the early stages of the disease. Medication and physiotherapy for coxarthrosis, arthrosis of the shoulder joint are prescribed by a doctor after examination and diagnosis.
Physiotherapy treatment includes:
- UV irradiation,
- uhf therapy,
- magnetic therapy,
- ultrasound therapy,
- amplipulse therapy,
- spas,
- medicinal mud.
surgery
If the ongoing therapeutic measures have not brought positive dynamics, and the disease is progressing, then surgical intervention is prescribed.
The following operating modes are possible:
- Puncture of the shoulder joint is a minimally invasive method that allows you to remove the inflammatory fluid from the joint cavity and introduce a drug there.
- Arthroscopy is performed with a video camera by puncturing the joint area. This treatment option relieves symptoms without requiring a long recovery period after surgery.
- Endoprosthetics - replacement of damaged areas of the joint with artificial elements.
home remedies
In the treatment of deforming arthrosis, folk remedies are popular and widely used at home. However, remember that in addition to the main drug therapy, alternative treatments should be used.
The following herbal recipes are effective:
- Elecampane tincture for grinding. Stimulates blood circulation processes, relieves pain. To prepare it, 100 g of dry plant roots are infused with 250 ml of vodka and applied to the affected area no more than five times a day.
- oatmeal compress. Reduces pain syndrome. It is prepared as follows: a full tablespoon of oatmeal is poured into 500 ml of water, put on fire and boiled for about 10 minutes. The prepared mass is cooled to a skin-friendly temperature and applied to gauze. Such a compress is placed on the affected joint for one to two hours.
- Saline compress. Slows down the inflammatory process. Preparation method: dissolve 50 g of salt in two glasses of water. Dip a piece of gauze in the prepared solution for three hours, then squeeze, heat and apply to the sore joint until the bandage cools completely.
prevention
In order to prevent the onset and subsequent progression of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, it is important to follow simple rules for the prevention of the disease. These include:
- maintaining an active lifestyle,
- regular long walks
- training exercises, gymnastics, yoga,
- give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol),
- cold and warm shower,
- Bathe,
- weight control,
- right nutrition,
- timely and thorough treatment,
- Avoiding injuries, excessive physical exertion, hypothermia.
Conclusion
Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint significantly affects the quality of life of a person, reduces the mobility of the musculoskeletal system and causes discomfort with increasing pain. The disease cannot be completely cured, but the use of a whole range of therapeutic and preventive measures makes it possible to keep the disease in remission with a high degree of probability.
The outcome of the joint pathology that has arisen depends entirely on the person, his willingness to regularly engage in therapeutic exercises and adhere to preventive measures. A person with this diagnosis can lead a full life.