Shoulder osteoarthritis is a chronic pathology in which joint cartilage and adjacent bone tissue breaks down, wears and breaks down.If you treat this disease carelessly and do not start treatment in time, the consequences can be quite catastrophic, including the loss of motor functions of the hand.
Why does shoulder arthrosis develop?
The driving force for the development of shoulder arthrosis is inflammation of the joint.It can occur for various reasons:
- Injuries.Shoulder osteoarthritis can develop due to a previous shoulder injury or constant, minor microtrauma to the shoulder, typical of athletes.
- Vascular diseases.With vascular pathologies, blood circulation is usually impaired, which leads to insufficient blood supply to the joints.As a result, articular tissue undergoes degenerative changes, i.e.osteoarthritis develops.
- Excessive load.This is often associated with the patients' work activities (loaders, builders).
- Hormonal or autoimmune disorders.Often they significantly affect joint tissue and have a destructive effect on them.These are diseases such as psoriasis, arthritis etc.
- Heredity.It has been proven that children of parents with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint are more likely to develop joint defects than others.This also includes people who are already born with any joint defects.Both perceive the usual load on their hands as excessive, and therefore the wear process of the cartilage occurs much faster.
- Failure of metabolic processes and the endocrine system.Because of this, salts begin to accumulate in the joints, and cartilage tissue ceases to receive proper nutrition (phosphorus, calcium, etc.) and begins to deteriorate.
- Joint diseases.Joint pathologies such as arthritis, bone necrosis, synovitis etc. can be a prerequisite for the development of arthrosis.
- Age.Elderly people (50 and older) are particularly at risk, as joint tissue wears down with age, which in itself leads to the development of pathology.
Signs of shoulder arthrosis
Osteoarthritis is characterized by a long development, sometimes not manifesting itself in any way in the initial stages.Therefore, you should be very careful with the slightest symptomatic manifestations.Shoulder osteoarthritis is usually indicated by:
- Pain is considered the main symptom of the disease.Pain often bothers patients in the morning.Pain syndromes are also more possible with sudden changes in the weather.If you subject your sore shoulder to any strain, for example lifting something heavy, then the pain will also remind you of itself.The patient feels pain even when feeling the shoulder.With the development of shoulder arthrosis, pain begins to occur even in a quiet position.This fact should be taken into account - with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, pain can occur not only in the affected joint, it can be localized in the arm, elbow or back.
- Motor dysfunction.Because of the pain, it becomes difficult for the patient to cope with apparently simple tasks, for example combing his hair.By the way, this action is one of the test movements for diagnosing osteoarthritis.Rotational movements and attempts to move the arm back are also difficult.If treatment is not started in time, the shoulder joint gradually stops moving, and thus the arm completely, and contracture develops.
- Painful crunching, creaking in the joint.It usually occurs due to salts deposited in the diseased joint (osteophytes).At first there is a faint, creaking rattle in the diseased joint;as the disease progresses, it turns into distinct crunching clicks, audible even at some distance from the patient.
- Swelling, increased general temperature and redness at the site of the affected joint.These signs confirm the presence of inflammation in the diseased joint.
- Curing of the assembly.This symptom appears when the disease is advanced due to bony growth covering the joint.
You should not delay going to the clinic if you suddenly start having pain in your shoulder, especially after a bruise or sprain.In fact, osteoarthritis in the later stages is practically untreatable.Please note that some patients have no signs of the disease at all.
Symptoms of shoulder arthrosis depending on the stage of the disease:
- The first degree of shoulder arthrosis is characterized by morning and evening pain.The patient must "develop" the joint before it begins to move without stiffness.A sharp movement of the shoulder or arm is accompanied by a light, yet painless crunching sound.At rest, no pain is observed.X-ray examination shows no significant changes in the joint.
- Shoulder arthrosis in the second stage is accompanied by more intense pain and a clear crunching sound.The amplitude of possible hand movements is reduced, but the joint is still mobile.The assembly has already begun to collapse and deform.
- The third degree is a seriously advanced stage of the disease.Patients can only shake their hand slightly;the sharp pain torments them constantly.The joint itself becomes very inflamed and deformed.There is even partial atrophy of the muscles around the shoulder joint.The joint can only be cured by surgery.Osteoarthritis rarely progresses to this stage.It occurs only in patients who do not take care of the affected joint and expose it to unbearable overloads.
- Stage four - absolute destruction of the joint and fusion of bones.Even strong painkillers do not relieve the pain syndrome.This stage occurs mainly in elderly patients.
Treatment of shoulder arthrosis
Drug treatment of shoulder arthrosis is primarily aimed at destroying the source of the inflammatory process and pain.Typically, your doctor will prescribe NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).First of all, they stop inflammation and relieve pain.
Often, with severe inflammation, doctors resort to corticosteroids.These are anti-inflammatory drugs used for joint blockage.This procedure is an injection given into the joint itself.This method is a non-invasive treatment method, meaning that neither skin nor mucous membranes are damaged.As a rule, it involves the use of ointments, gels, creams, etc.
Chondroprotectors are also prescribed for shoulder arthrosis - drugs that can restore damaged cartilage, based on hyaluronic acid, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.
In addition to drug treatment, exercise therapy, sanatorium treatment, massage and physiotherapy are also used.The latter refers to ultrasound treatment procedures, laser therapy, mud therapy, cryotherapy and magnetic therapy.Recently, the treatment of osteoarthritis using leeches (hirudotherapy) has become quite popular due to its effectiveness.Therapeutic gymnastic exercises, without overloading the joint, stimulate the muscles to the necessary extent, as a result of which the joint is developed and restored.
In addition, the patient is prescribed a therapeutic diet based on avoiding too spicy and salty food.Doctors advise eating more collagen-rich foods: turkey, shellfish, greens and salmon.
In cases where shoulder arthrosis has led to complete destruction of the joint cartilage, a surgical operation called endoprosthetics is performed, in which a ceramic, plastic or metal prosthesis is implanted in place of the affected joint.
Traditional medicine has also shown effectiveness in the fight against shoulder arthrosis.
Folk remedies are usually effective as an additional pain reliever.Remember that they are not able to restore a shoulder joint affected by osteoarthritis.This requires medical treatment under the guidance of a doctor.
Compresses
Boil oatmeal (30 g) in two glasses of water for about 10 minutes.Soak a piece of gauze folded in several layers with the resulting solution and apply to the sore spots for at least half an hour.
A cabbage juice compress has been shown to be a good pain reliever.It is usually done every night, leaving it on the sore joint until the morning.
You can simply apply cabbage leaves smeared with honey on the affected joint at night.
Friction
Infuse elecampane roots (50 g) with vodka (125 ml) for a few weeks.The mixture should be rubbed on sore joints.
Leave angelica roots (15 g) for half an hour, pour boiling water over them.The strained solution should be rubbed into the affected areas 3-5 times a day.
Herbal baths
You can add various herbal decoctions and infusions to a bath filled with water.Knowledgeable people note the special effect of baths with decoctions of mustard, hay dust, mint and burdock.Such baths should be taken before the body is thoroughly steamed, and then, after rubbing the joints, the patient should lie down, covered with a warm blanket, so that the body retains the heat longer.
Ointments
To regular vaseline, add 15 g of sweet clover, hops and St. John's wort.The resulting mixture should be rubbed into the joint area regularly.