Shoulder arthrosis is a widespread chronic disease associated with damage to joint structures. The pathological process is accompanied by degenerative deformation of the joint surfaces. In this case, not only the cartilage tissue is damaged, but also the bone tissue. Pathology symptoms and treatment methods depend on the degree of joint damage.
The disease can develop over several years without showing itself. At some point, under the influence of harmful factors (hypothermia, trauma, severe accompanying illness), the first signs of the disease appear. At this moment, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because the fight against dystrophic changes in the cartilage is especially effective at the beginning of the disease.
Causes of shoulder arthrosis
The causes of degenerative-dystrophic joint tissue damage are numerous and varied. Among them, injuries play a major role, so post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint is considered the most common form of pathology. It can be caused even by mild but repeated damage to cartilage tissue.
In addition, the disease can appear under the influence of the following pathological factors:
- Severe joint damage: synovitis, gout, acute or chronic arthritis, aseptic necrosis of the humerus.
- Regular overstrain of the joints. It is most often observed in athletes who play volleyball, tennis, and basketball.
- Congenital pathology of the shoulder joint.
- Endocrine diseases.
- Elderly and senile age.
- Overweight (obesity).
- Avitaminosis.
- Autoimmune lesions and weakening of the immune system.
- genetic predisposition.
Most of the patients are people who engage in monotonous physical work. Therefore, arthrosis of the right shoulder joint is diagnosed much more often than the left.
The disease usually develops under the influence of not one, but several harmful factors at once. Based on this, the treatment should be comprehensive and aimed not only at fighting the disease, but also at removing all the causes that caused it.
Characteristic signs of the disease
Shoulder arthrosis, which begins imperceptibly and develops gradually, can suddenly manifest itself after an injury, hypothermia or serious physical exertion. In this case, there are symptoms characteristic of damage to the shoulder joints and nearby tissues:
- pain;
- crunching and clicking during hand movements;
- stiffness and reduced range of motion in the shoulder.
The disease most often occurs in a chronic form. Aggravation of the disease can be caused by excessive load on the joint or injury.
The intensity of symptom manifestation largely depends on the severity of cartilage and bone tissue damage, so it is common to distinguish between several stages of the disease. Such systematization significantly facilitates the diagnosis and allows you to accurately predict the outcome of the disease.
Shoulder arthrosis I degree
During this period, the tissues of the joint are slightly affected. Pain is observed extremely rarely and only after excessive physical effort or long-term monotonous work. The patient usually does not pay attention to these symptoms, attributing them to excessive work or muscle strain. Defeat of 1 degree is treated only with conservative methods.
At the beginning of the disease, there are no obvious changes in the cartilage tissues on the X-ray, only an oval ring around the joint cavity is observed.
Arthrosis of the shoulder II degree
In this phase, the symptoms of the disease become more pronounced. Cartilage tissues become thinner and deformed, intra-articular ligaments are damaged. When you move your hand, you hear a crunch, the inner layer of the joint bag is inflamed. Over time, the pain becomes constant. Morning stiffness and limited movement appear, which can lead to muscle atrophy.
Shoulder arthrosis III degree
During that period, the joint is already significantly deformed, there is practically no movement in it. The patient suffers from acute pain that may radiate to the arm and shoulder blade. If you do not stop further tissue destruction, the pathological process can lead to disability.
Third degree disease is not amenable to conservative treatment and requires surgical intervention.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder and shoulder rarely reaches the third stage. Most often, the second stage is diagnosed with the transition to a chronic form.
Which doctor to contact
Often people dealing with joint pain do not know who to turn to. At the first symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to visit a rheumatologist. The specialist will not only conduct a complete physical examination and make a diagnosis, but also, if necessary, relieve severe pain with the help of an intra-articular anesthetic injection.
With an advanced form of the disease, the rheumatologist will probably be powerless. In that case, you will need a surgeon or orthopedist. In big cities, you can make an appointment with an arthrologist who only deals with joint diseases.
How to deal with shoulder arthritis
After a medical examination and diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a specific therapy that enables achieving a long-term and stable remission of the disease. It is impossible to cure degenerative changes in the joints, but slowing down the course of the destructive process and alleviating the patient's condition is quite a feasible task.
The main goal of anti-arthrosis therapy is pain relief and restoration of joint mobility.
Modern drug therapy
In some patients, it is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis in the early stages of the disease. At this stage, the pain is not pronounced and does not force patients to seek help from specialists. Most often, they are treated independently with folk remedies. Some patients engage in therapeutic exercises to reduce joint pain and stiffness. Medicines prescribed by a doctor are used for the treatment of arthrosis, while respecting the recommended dose and duration of use. The following groups of drugs are the most effective:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- chondroprotectors;
- corticosteroid drugs;
- non-narcotic analgesics;
- vasodilators;
- muscle relaxants.
Many drugs for this pathology are sometimes prescribed for a long time. Depending on the severity of the disease, the drugs are taken orally, used externally, injected intramuscularly or into the cavity of the shoulder joint.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are contraindicated for long-term use due to the presence of side effects from the digestive tract.
It is possible to treat the disease with drugs already at an early stage of the development of the pathological process. The course is determined based on the patient's condition and severity of symptoms. As an independent treatment, ointments included in this group are not prescribed. They are used in combination with similar groups of drugs that are used intramuscularly or orally. Their task is to reduce inflammation and ease the patient's condition.
Chondroprotectors
Almost all patients include in their treatment regimen drugs aimed at improving metabolic processes in cartilage tissue. In addition, they increase the elasticity of the cartilage. Chondroprotectors have such properties. These medicinal substances differ depending on the main active ingredient on the basis of which they are made:
- hyaluronic acid;
- chondroitin sulfate;
- glucosamine;
- combined means.
Glucosamine is a substance that plays an important role in the formation of healthy cartilage tissue. The task of chondroitin sulfate is to nourish and cushion the shoulder.
Preparations for monotherapy have proven themselves better on the market compared to the combination of substances.
The polysaccharide found in the intercellular space is hyaluronic acid. Additionally, it is able to reduce the sensitivity of receptors that respond to pain. Combined chondroprotectors that contain several active ingredients have the greatest advantage.
The most effective use of chondroprotectors in the initial stages of the disease. The task of the drugs is the synthesis of new cells of healthy cartilage tissue, which replace the damaged tissue. In the presence of pain and swelling, drugs from this group will be less effective. Therefore, it will first be necessary to use anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate the patient's condition.
To achieve maximum effect, injectable preparations are used for intra-articular or intramuscular administration. The course of treatment with chondroprotectors lasts up to six months, some patients notice the first results after 3 months of therapy. It is important to follow some rules in the treatment of such drugs.
Physical overload and stressful situations should be excluded at the beginning of the therapy. The patient will get the greatest effect if he starts taking chondroprotectors, improves his diet and engages in physiotherapy exercises. Many patients with arthrosis of the shoulder joint deal with the method of dr. Bubnovski, perform a specially designed set of exercises to achieve a gradual restoration of the joints or stop the progression of the disease.
Corticosteroid agents
When severe pain occurs, if anti-inflammatory drugs do not give a positive effect, corticosteroids are prescribed. To ease the patient's condition, ointments or injections are prescribed.
Analgesics
In the initial stages of the disease, analgesics are prescribed to reduce pain.
Compared to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs from this group have a less negative effect on the mucosa of the digestive tract.
Having a mild anti-inflammatory effect, they effectively fight against pain.
Vasodilators
Vasodilators are a mandatory tool in the treatment of arthrosis. They remove vascular spasms, normalize blood flow in the affected area. Many patients complain of the occurrence of night pains, which are effectively treated with drugs from this group.
Muscle relaxants
When osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is affected, muscle spasms, which are relieved by muscle relaxants, are considered a common occurrence. When prescribing them, the principle of complexity is respected, they are used together with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. If necessary, the minimum dose is initially prescribed with a gradual increase.
Surgical treatment
The main goal of the operation is to restore the working ability of the joint and improve the patient's quality of life. If conservative therapy is ineffective, the persistent pain syndrome persists, the joint is gradually deformed, and the range of motion in it is sharply limited, the patient is indicated for surgical intervention.
The decision on the need for surgery is made by an orthopedist or a traumatologist together with the patient. Then the dimensions of the endoprosthesis and the material from which it will be made are determined. Today, implants are made of titanium and high-strength polymers, close in weight to the natural joint. The durability and reliability of endoprostheses is beyond doubt.
Recovery period
Surgery to replace the affected joint usually passes without complications. For the first 14 days, fixation with a support bandage is required. Early passive performance of a complex of physical exercises on special equipment and devices is allowed. Heavy loads are allowed after 45-60 days.
Physiotherapy
Any complex of exercises against arthritis is useful only during remission. If there is an increase in temperature, pain and other symptoms of worsening of the disease, filling is contraindicated.
Exercise therapy should not cause pain or discomfort. At the slightest feeling of discomfort, exercise should be abandoned.
Charging should be done daily. After loading, it is useful to do a self-massage in the area of the affected joint and nearby muscles, using a medicinal cream, which the doctor will help you choose.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy allows you to improve the effect of drugs, reduce their dosage and reduce the risk of complications. The type of physiotherapy is determined by the doctor, guided by the patient's condition, neglect of the process and possible contraindications due to accompanying diseases.
The following physiotherapy procedures are most often used in treatment:
- magnetotherapy;
- ultrasound with hydrocortisone;
- electrophoresis with anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances;
- ultraviolet radiation
- laser and infrared treatment.
Physiotherapy is carried out in courses of 10-15 sessions several times a year.
Treatment with folk methods
By combining folk remedies with drug therapy, exercise therapy, proper nutrition and physiotherapy, you can achieve a long and stable remission.
One of the best recipes is a compress made of birch leaves, which have an anti-inflammatory and warming effect. Young leaves are the most suitable, because closer to autumn, their beneficial properties decrease. Before making the dressings, a small massage of the affected limb is necessary. Then the leaves are applied to the skin, reinforced with transparent film and a bandage. The compress is left overnight. Duration of treatment is 10 days.
Salt baths have a healing effect. Before the procedure, the crystals are first dissolved in hot water. Then the resulting solution is poured into the bath. About 3 kg of salt will be needed for the procedure. Additionally, you can add a few drops of any essential oil. It is best to take a bath before going to bed, the duration of the bath should not exceed 30 minutes.
A hot oatmeal poultice helps a lot. They should be poured with boiling water, insisted and used for the intended purpose. Such procedures are recommended to be done at night.
Herbal wraps are no less useful. Crushed plants with anti-inflammatory effects (yarrow, ginger, turmeric, marigold, calamus) are boiled in boiling water, kept for 10 minutes under the lid and applied to the painful area. After the procedure, the affected shoulder should be smeared with medicinal cream and go to bed.
Inside, it is recommended to take an infusion of corn stigmas. One teaspoon of raw materials or 1 filter bag is boiled with 200 ml of boiling water, insists under the lid for 30 minutes and consumes 1 tablespoon. spoon half an hour before meals.
Prevention of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
Disease prevention can be primary and secondary. Primary prevention includes the following activities:
- regular exercise - jogging or fast walking, exercises for the muscles of the shoulder girdle;
- cold and hot shower;
- elimination of excessive loads and avoidance of traumatic situations.
- timely treatment of diseases that can cause shoulder arthrosis;
Secondary prevention focuses on early diagnosis and treatment of arthritis.
Conclusion
The recovery of joint functions is a long and difficult process. Treatment of shoulder arthrosis should primarily be aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the disease. Only complex therapy, combining medical and folk methods, will bring relief and restore working ability.