Symptoms and treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint

Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a common pathology, especially in elderly patients. This disease is chronic and progresses rapidly. It is diagnosed equally often in patients of both sexes. As a result of degenerative disorders, damage not only occurs to joint cartilage tissue, but also to bone tissue. The cause of the problem is microtraumatic injuries of the shoulder joint and the inflammatory process developing in it. Cartilage tissue gradually becomes thinner, microcracks appear on it, in which salt deposits accumulate. Then the destructive processes gradually affect the bones, which become denser, grow, and ultimately change their anatomical shape. The disease develops over a long period of time, without causing discomfort to a person in the initial stages of the disease. Actually, this is where the danger lies. Let's dwell in more detail on the causes, symptoms, as well as how and how to treat deforming arthrosis.

Why does pathology occur?

Among the causes of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, experts name the following conditions and factors.

Traumatic injury

Shoulder injuries include intra-articular fractures, dislocations, and contusions. Fractures are characterized by the fact that the fracture line is located in the articulation cavity. In addition to bones, it also affects cartilage, causing additional injuries: torn ligaments, damaged capsules.

Shoulder dislocation is one of the most common injuries, often leading to complications, joint deformity and the development of arthrosis. As a result, the joint may lose mobility completely.

Right shoulder dislocation is more common in right-handed people, and left dislocation in right-handed people.

Bruises occur as a result of hard blows, for example due to accidents, falls, or playing sports. As a result of a bruise, the bones do not shift, the cartilage tissue is not damaged, but its normal nutrition is disrupted, which can also cause post-traumatic arthrosis.

Increased load

Excessive load on the shoulder joint is observed in several groups of people:

• Professional athletes: volleyball players, tennis players, track and field athletes.
• Builder, plasterer, loader.
• summer resident.

They all had to do the same type of movement with their arms raised for a long time. Therefore, they experience microcracks and injuries, ligaments are sprained, muscles are overstrained, and the function of blood vessels is impaired. Joints lack nutrition and become deformed.

If a person does not monitor the load and does not take preventive measures, then glenohumeral arthrosis may occur.

Joint pathology

Some articular pathologies can trigger the development of deforming arthrosis.

• Synovitis. The cause is an infection that causes intensive formation of intra-articular fluid. Due to fluid buildup, the joints swell and start to hurt. Most often, this problem is observed in connection with shoulder injuries. If synovitis is not treated, complications are likely. This disease is treated with therapeutic agents. Pain is relieved with NSAIDs. In addition, the patient will undergo a puncture to pump out the fluid accumulated in the joint. The shoulder is then fixed in a stationary position. Synovitis of an infectious nature is treated with antibiotics. In the most difficult situations, surgical treatment is performed.
• Arthritis of the shoulder joint of various origins. Signs: swelling of the shoulders and severe pain in the joints.
• Bone necrosis also causes arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Triggered by injury or genetics, it is characterized by the fact that bone cells begin to die. Medicine offers therapeutic or surgical correction of the condition, depending on the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the body. Chondroprotectors restore bone tissue, and NSAIDs help with pain. The use of medications is complemented by physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy.

Hereditary, congenital, acquired pathology

Various abnormalities in the structure of the shoulder (congenital or acquired) almost always damage it. The consequence of muscular dystrophy is insufficient nutrition of the joint tissues, and then shoulder arthrosis.

If a person lacks collagen, this will also trigger the development of pathology.

The probability of developing shoulder arthrosis is much higher in people whose relatives have similar problems, including coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, becauseunderdevelopment of cartilage tissue is inherited.

Vascular disease

Conditions in which the likelihood of arthrosis of the shoulder joint increases are considered to be various disorders in the function of blood vessels.

• Lack of physical activity also significantly increases the likelihood of developing pathology. This is caused by lack of physical activity. This disease is characterized by apathy, drowsiness, decreased appetite, and insomnia. One of the most common complications of physical inactivity is cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. This disease is treated conservatively, diet and exercise therapy also need to be followed.
• Eliminates endarteritis. Pathology occurs due to impaired blood circulation, which results in a lack of oxygen supply to the vascular tissue. Thus, its performance is limited and then it shuts down.
• Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are conditions for obesity and metabolic disorders which cause difficulty in blood circulation in joint tissue. The result of this process is the development of arthrosis.
• Varicose veins, where blood flow in the veins slows down, is also one of the conditions that triggers degenerative changes in the joints.

Hormonal imbalance and weakened immunity

Disrupted hormonal levels and reduced immunity can be factors causing destructive tendencies in joint tissue.

• The changes that occur in a woman's body due to menopause are characterized by metabolic disorders. The lack of calcium in the bones in this period is caused by a decrease in estrogen levels in the woman's body. The consequence of this process is the possibility of joint arthrosis.
• Psoriasis is a non-infectious chronic pathology caused by various reasons (stress, decreased immunity, metabolic disorders, etc. ). This disease is systemic, so that under certain conditions not only the skin, but also internal organs, bones and joints can be affected.
• Men often suffer from arthrosis due to gout. This occurs due to the accumulation of excess uric acid in the form of small crystals in the joints. Signs of pathology include joint swelling and pain. Externally, its manifestations can be noticed during paroxysmal exacerbations of gout. Most often this happens at night. The shoulders feel hot and the skin becomes red. In advanced situations, gout can become a provoking factor in the development of pathology. To avoid complications, gout should be treated with medication, not forgetting about diet and exercise therapy.
• Reduced immunity may be the cause of arthrosis due to exacerbation of the inflammatory process in the joint cavity.

Metabolic disorders

Insufficient intake of various vitamins and microelements into the body (especially calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D) often leads to a lack of nutrition in the intra-articular fluid, cartilage and bone tissue of the joints, which in turn leads to degenerative diseases. dystrophic changes in them.

As a result of diabetes, blood vessels become thinner, blood flow through them decreases, and periarticular tissues do not receive sufficient nutrition. All this causes arthrosis.

Age-related changes

As we age, bones and cartilage tissue become thinner and weaker. The chance of developing shoulder arthrosis after age 50 increases sharply.

Most often, shoulder arthrosis is observed due to exposure to the complex of conditions listed.

Symptom

Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint is characterized as a disease that develops gradually over a long period of time. Initially, it does not show anything, but at later stages of development, the following symptoms are observed.

1. Shoulder pain. Its nature, most often aches, pulls, bothers a person in the morning, after a night's rest. Can occur before weather changes. If physical activity is required on the affected shoulder, the pain becomes intense and severe. As the situation worsens, pain syndrome appears even at rest. Wearing an orthosis helps overcome these problems.
2. Disruption of motor activity in the affected arm occurs due to severe pain. Exacerbations often occur due to hypothermia or sprained ligaments. The patient cannot raise his arm or make normal movements. He experiences unbearable pain when making twisting movements in the shoulder or when trying to move his arm behind his back. If therapy is not started on time, complete immobilization of the upper extremities may occur.
3. Crackling and creaking joints are not very noticeable at first and may be barely noticeable. Then it becomes intense and can be heard not only by the patient, but also by people around him.
4. Inflammation of the joints is manifested by swelling, swelling, local increase in temperature of the skin and redness.
5. The feeling of hardening in the joints is caused by the growth of bone tissue - osteophytes, which manifests itself if the disease is advanced.

Disease progression

This disease goes through three stages in its development. The symptoms at each stage are similar to each other, but their intensity is very different.

Grade 1 arthrosis

Grade 1 shoulder joint arthrosis is characterized by mild pain in the morning and evening. The patient "inflates" the joint with effort before performing the movement. A slight crack in the shoulder is possible if a person jerks his hand sharply. At rest, no pain is felt.

Level two

Grade 2 arthrosis of the shoulder joint is manifested by more severe pain, a crunching sound in the shoulder is clearly audible. Hand mobility is still maintained, but has been reduced significantly. Destructive processes are already present, the joint tissue gradually becomes thinner, and dystrophy is observed. Ligaments, cartilage and bones are affected. Wearing special orthopedic devices - orthoses or bandages - helps reduce the intensity of pain.

Arthrosis 3 degrees

The third degree of disease is the most severe. Symptoms of arthrosis significantly change a person's quality of life. The patient is only able to rotate his arm slightly, he constantly experiences acute pain in the shoulder, and joint deformation occurs. Some muscles atrophy. The problem is solved with surgery. If it is absent, there is a high probability of complete immobility and disability.

Treatment

It is absolutely impossible to cure arthrosis deformans. You can only slow down its development and influence the symptoms. Doctors offer two types of treatment for deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint: therapeutic and surgical.

Therapeutic treatment

As a therapeutic correction of the patient's condition, doctors recommend using the following groups of drugs.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The main goal at this stage of treatment is to relieve inflammation and pain. Such drugs suppress the inflammatory process and relieve pain. It is important to remember that NSAIDs are used for a limited time. They are prescribed in the form of tablets and injections.
• Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint involves the use of corticosteroids. They help relieve inflammation, thereby stopping the development of pathology.
• Chondroprotectors for arthrosis are prescribed in the non-acute stage to restore damaged cartilage and bone tissue. This drug is based on various active substances: glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid. They help stop the destruction of cartilage tissue and restore it. But the effectiveness of the use of chondroprotectors can be expected only in the early stages of the disease, becauseFor their action, the main condition is necessary - cartilage tissue must remain in the affected joint. Otherwise, these medicines will not help. All these drugs are prescribed by a doctor. You can expect positive results from its use as early as six months of use.
• External agents (ointments, gels, creams) are also widely used in the treatment of arthrosis.
• Analgesics also relieve pain and are used inconsistently.

Operation

This operation is performed at the third degree of development of pathology. It consists of a prosthetic replacement of the shoulder and shoulder blade. Surgical treatment has contraindications, most often in elderly patients.

The decision on how to treat arthrosis of the shoulder joint will be made by an orthopedist or traumatologist.

Additional methods of conservative treatment of shoulder arthrosis include exercise therapy, massage, and traditional medicine. A prerequisite for this method is that it cannot be used during periods of exacerbation.

With shoulder arthrosis, physical therapy can significantly alleviate the patient's condition. In the set of exercises, you need to choose simple movements (circular movements, lifting, flexion-extension of the arms). Gymnastics is performed at a calm pace, without excessive load.

Self-care

For home treatment, you can use traditional recipes. But its use must be approved by the treating doctor.

• Rubbing sore joints really helps with arthrosis. The rub is prepared from 50 g of elecampane root and 125 ml of vodka. The tincture is left for two weeks in a dark place, then used to rub the shoulders before bed.
• Oatmeal compress is easy to make yourself. Take 30 g of flakes per half liter of water and boil for 8-10 minutes. The concoction is moistened with gauze folded several times, then applied to the affected joint for half an hour.

• You can use cabbage leaves as a compress (at night). They handle pain well.
• Herbal baths are recommended for the treatment of arthrosis deformans. Mustard, mint and burdock are used to prepare it.

Arthrosis of the shoulder joint, like other joint diseases, cannot be ignored. The treatment should be approached comprehensively, follow the doctor's orders: take medications in a disciplined manner, carry out complex exercise therapy. To prevent arthrosis, you should not overload the joints, avoid hypothermia, and watch your diet.