Our joints experience constant stress throughout our lives. As a result, the cartilage tissue wears out, the bone tissue is deformed and arthrosis of the shoulder joint appears, which has become one of the most common problems for the elderly and the elderly.
The development of the disease can lead to complete limitation of movements and constant pain in the joints. Therefore, the 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 appears in the acromioclavicular joint of the shoulder, which most often experiences constant stress and severe stress during 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 deposit, accelerating the destructive processes in the cartilage tissue. As a result of such salt deposits, the bone tissue becomes dense and starts to deform and acromioclavicular arthrosis develops.
This process happens slowly and is chronic, at first it is asymptomatic, but gradually the manifestations of the disease increase and over time can lead to complete immobility in the joint area.
The following factors can cause the beginning 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 for a long time - this condition can be caused by vascular disorders.
- Continuous high loads on joints are observed in construction workers, athletes and loaders.
- Congenital joint pathologies.
- Poor nutrition and, as a result, 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 provokes quite frequent joint injuries. Even a small injury to a joint that is repeated regularly and over a long period of time leads to the development of arthrosis. Arthrosis of the right shoulder joint is more common, because the majority of the population are "right-handed" and the load on the right side is always higher.
Causes and factors of disease development
More often, arthrosis is diagnosed in elderly people, and the older the person, the greater the probability of detecting the pathology.
Causes and prerequisites for the development of shoulder arthrosis:
- INJURY. Fractures, bruises and dislocations affect the bone and cartilage tissue of the shoulder joint, causing various complications - damage to the capsule, rupture of ligaments. Timely treatment prevents the development of complications and the appearance of arthrosis.
- Vascular pathologies. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and varicose veins can affect the development of arthrosis. Also, the risk of the disease increases in people who abuse tobacco.
- Physical inactivity. Lack of physical activity, along with overeating, causes extra pounds. As a result, the metabolism is interrupted, which leads to damaged 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 the body to lack 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 a factor; its development is driven by a combination of several causes simultaneously.
Types and symptoms of shoulder arthrosis
Since the development of arthrosis continues for a long time, at first the disease practically cannot appear, only sometimes being 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.The creaking sound when moving . Salt deposits in the shoulder joints cause a characteristic cracking (or clicking) noise in the joint when you move.Movement restrictions . It manifests itself depending on the stage of arthrosis - at the beginning of the disease there are no restrictions, during the deterioration the patient cannot rotate freely and move the arm.
Sometimes the localization of pain can be atypical and can hurt in 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, arthrosis of the first degree does not cause any symptoms. This is due to the lack of nerve endings in the cartilage tissue, as a result of which the disease begins to appear when the pathological process extends far beyond the joints. .
Depending on the nature and degree of damage to bone and cartilage tissue, three stages of arthrosis are distinguished, which are characterized by certain symptoms.
| Pain | It happens rarely - usually in the evening or in the morning, after exercise or hypothermia | Severe pain that occurs with every movement | The pain is constant, even at rest |
| Movement restrictions | slightly | The amplitude of possible movements decreases | A sharp 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 |
| Crackling and cracking in the shoulder joint | Slight popping sound when you move suddenly - no pain | With each movement you hear a clear crackle and crackle | Constant creaking clicks are heard with every movement |
| Local manifestations (redness and swelling in the joint area, increased temperature at the site of the disease) | Not present | Appears during periods of irritation | All the time there is inflammation in the joints |
| Joint stiffness | Not present | It happens rarely | There is stiffness and deformity of the shoulder |
| Changes in joints visible on x-ray | 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 stage can last from several months to several years. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint of the third degree is treated only with the help of surgical measures, because the condition threatens disability.
One of the types of pathology is deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. This condition means the destruction of joint cartilage, causing irreversible changes in the bones of the joint surfaces. In addition to the cartilage tissue, such changes also affect the joint capsule and synovial membrane, which leads to the destruction and deformation of the shoulder joint.
Deformative arthrosis is manifested by pain and 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 the destructive processes in the tissues.
How to cure arthrosis in the shoulder joint
Before treating arthrosis of the shoulders, a series of diagnostic measures are performed aimed at determining the form and stage of arthrosis. Among such measures, it is necessary to carry out laboratory and biochemical blood tests, which can confirm the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
If shoulder arthrosis is suspected, the patient is asked to perform a series of self-diagnostic measures:
- Place your hands between your shoulder blades in the form of a lock;
- Tie a belt at the back of your waist;
- Bend your elbow at shoulder level and brush your hair at the back of your head.
If the patient performs all these activities without difficulty, then he is not at risk of arthrosis. But if performing tasks is difficult and causes pain in the clavicle and shoulder area, a more in-depth study is required - for a more accurate diagnosis, fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance are used.
Arthrosis of the second degree and the first stage of the disease are treated with conservative methods; only if there is no result, surgical measures can be used.
Conservative methods of treating arthrosis are carried out in combination, when the treatment is carried out in several directions at once:
- Treatment with medications;
- 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 becomes easier when arthrosis of the left shoulder joint is observed), and such a gentle regimen should be used even after the end of the course. therapy. If the patient continues to load the shoulder girdle, the disease will progress, which will eventually lead to surgery.
Operative measures include endoprosthetic surgery - replacement of a diseased (tired) joint with its artificial counterpart. This operation is expensive and although it significantly improves the patient's quality of life, it has the disadvantage that the operation must be repeated every 10-15 years.
Drug treatment
Drug treatment has several directions - pain relief, relief of 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;
- Analgesic and antispasmodic.
These drugs can be prescribed either orally or intramuscularly (in the form of injections). They relieve pain well and relieve inflammation, but they cannot be taken for a long time - the treatment is carried out in short courses.
Cartilage tissue destruction 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 total course of treatment is about a year.
During the treatment of arthrosis, it is mandatory to take dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes that contain substances that prevent the demineralization of articular tissues.
For severe inflammatory processes, a method called "intra-articular blockade" is used. The essence of the technique is the introduction of hormonal drugs into the cavity of the acromion joint. Such injections have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, but have many side effects, so they cannot always be used in treatment.
ointment
For external use, ointments that are applied to the skin in the shoulder joint area are used effectively. Ointments for arthrosis have an anesthetic effect, contain substances and anti-inflammatory agents that increase blood circulation.
Important! Ointments for arthrosis help relieve unpleasant symptoms, but they 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 drawback - with the intensity of the pain syndrome, they cannot always relieve the pain quickly.
Physiotherapy
The main method of treating arthrosis in the early stages is taking medications. Physiotherapy procedures can increase 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 age of the patient and other indications.
Treatment at home
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint at home is carried out as an addition to drug therapy, with the permission of the attending physician.
Gymnastics and exercise therapy
Physical therapy for arthrosis of the shoulder joint should be performed only in the remission phase; during exacerbations, gymnastic exercises are contraindicated.
Exercise therapy exercises can be found online, but all of them should be discussed with your doctor.
Important! You cannot choose exercises for arthrosis yourself, regardless of which authoritative places these procedures are described and regardless of what flattering reviews accompany them. Many of them have contraindications and can cause harm rather than benefit - therefore, before starting exercises, you should definitely consult a doctor.
Rules for home exercises for arthrosis:
- Exercise therapy cannot be performed if there are decompensated lung and heart diseases, high fever, or diseases for which any physical activity is contraindicated.
- Exercise should not cause pain. Otherwise, they are chosen incorrectly and can cause complications.
- During the treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, gymnastics requires regularity - it should be done every day. At first, training should last no more than 5 minutes a day, gradually increasing the time to 20 minutes.
- You need to do the exercises gradually - first with a quarter strength, then gradually increasing the load. The intensity of the movements and their amplitude should be increased gradually. The older the age and the longer the duration of a sedentary lifestyle, the slower the process of increasing intensity.
- Exercises are performed in an easy, semi-relaxed state - sitting or lying down.
A number of simple exercises can be done independently every day at any convenient time: raising and lowering the shoulders, swinging the arm back and forth, rolling the shoulders.
Massage
Massage for arthrosis of the shoulder joint is best done immediately after exercise therapy and gymnastics. This will help improve blood circulation in the shoulder joint and promote cartilage tissue restoration.
Massage can be performed only if the acute pain subsides and the inflammatory process decreases.
During the procedure, not only the injured shoulder is massaged, but also the collar area on both sides, as well as the forearm area.
diets
Dietary rules for arthrosis - elimination of factors that influence the development of the disease and metabolic disorders.
Basic principles of the diet:
- Limitation of sweet, starchy, fatty and salty foods.
- Reduce salt intake to a minimum.
- Reduce the amount of portions, but increase the number of meals (eat in small portions, but often).
- Replace the consumption of animal fats with dairy and vegetable fats.
- Increase the amount of dairy foods in your diet, which are sources of calcium, as well as seafood and fish (source of collagen and phosphorus).
- Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
If you have arthrosis, you should never be hungry - the menu should be designed in such a way as to increase the supply of nutrients without harming the body and reduce the amount of harmful foods.
ethnoscience
Doctors recommend home treatment using folk remedies as an addition to medical therapy:
- Pork fat is mixed in equal proportions with propolis. The resulting ointment is rubbed with massage movements in the shoulder joint area.
- To relieve pain, herbal baths with decoction of chamomile, burdock and nettle are recommended.
- A popular remedy for arthrosis is oats. They are boiled in boiling water, after which the decoction is used to make compresses for the shoulders, which are applied at night.
Folk remedies do not cause side effects and have no contraindications for use.
Preventing
Preventive measures to prevent arthrosis include minimizing the factors that cause the disease.
General recommendations:
- Elimination of inadequate loads on joints related to sports 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 perform daily physical activity (gymnastics, walking, swimming).
- In old age, use medications that stimulate the regeneration of cartilage and bone tissue.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a dangerous disease that can lead to complete immobility of the joint and disability. At the first signs of the disease, you should consult a doctor. Treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive and include conservative and alternative methods of therapy.