Shoulder osteoarthritis is a widespread chronic disease associated with damage to joint structures. The pathological process is accompanied by degenerative deformation of the articulating surfaces. Not only cartilage tissue is damaged, but also bone tissue. The symptoms of the pathology and methods of treatment depend on the degree of damage to the joints.
The disease can develop over several years without showing itself. At some point, under the influence of unfavorable factors (hypothermia, trauma, severe concomitant disease), the first signs of the disease appear. At this time, it is necessary to consult a doctor, since the fight against dystrophic cartilage changes is especially effective at the onset of the disease.
Causes of shoulder osteoarthritis
The causes of degenerative-dystrophic damage to the joint tissue are numerous and diverse. Among them, the main role is played by injuries, therefore, post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint is considered the most common form of pathology. It can be provoked even by a slight, but repeatedly repeated damage to the cartilage tissue.
In addition, the disease can occur under the influence of the following pathological factors:
- Severe joint damage: synovitis, gout, acute or chronic arthritis, aseptic necrosis of the humerus.
- Regular strain on the joints. Most often observed in athletes in volleyball, tennis, 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 sick are people who do monotonous physical work. Therefore, osteoarthritis 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 adverse factors at once. Based on this, treatment should be comprehensive and aimed not only at fighting the disease, but also at eliminating all the causes that caused it.
Characteristic signs of the disease
Shoulder arthrosis, which begins imperceptibly and develops gradually, can manifest itself suddenly after an injury, hypothermia or heavy physical exertion. In this case, there are symptoms characteristic of damage to the shoulder joints and nearby tissues:
- Pains;
- grinding and clicking during hand movement;
- Stiffness and limited range of motion in the shoulder.
The disease most often occurs in a chronic form. Worsening of the condition can be triggered by excessive stress on the joint or an injury.
The intensity of the manifestation of symptoms largely depends on the severity of damage to cartilage and bone tissue, so it is customary to distinguish between several degrees of the disease. Such systematization greatly facilitates diagnosis and allows you to accurately predict the outcome of the disease.
Shoulder arthrosis grade I
During this period, the tissues of the joint are slightly affected. Pain is observed extremely rarely and only after excessive physical exertion or prolonged monotonous work. The patient most often ignores these symptoms, attributing them to overuse or muscle strain. The defeat of 1 degree is treated only with conservative methods.
At the beginning of the disease, there are no obvious changes in the cartilage tissue on x-rays, only an oval ring is detected around the articular cavity.
Shoulder arthrosis II degree
At this stage, the symptoms of the disease become more pronounced. Cartilage tissues become thinner and deformed, intra-articular ligaments are damaged. During the movement of the hand, a crunch is heard, the inner layer of the articular bag becomes inflamed. Over time, the pain becomes constant. Morning stiffness and restricted mobility occur, which can lead to muscle atrophy.
Shoulder arthrosis III. degrees
During this period, the joint is already significantly deformed, there are practically no movements in it. The patient suffers from acute pain that can radiate to the arm and shoulder blade. If you do not stop the further destruction of tissues, the pathological process can lead to disability.
Third-degree disease is not amenable to conservative treatment and requires surgical intervention.
Shoulder-shoulder osteoarthritis rarely reaches the third phase. Most often, the second stage is diagnosed with the transition to a chronic form.
Which doctor to contact
Often people with joint pain do not know who to turn to. At the first symptoms of the disease, you should consult a rheumatologist. The specialist doctor not only performs a complete physical examination and makes a diagnosis, but also relieves severe pain with the help of an intra-articular injection of an anesthetic if necessary.
In the advanced form of the disease, the rheumatologist should be powerless. In this case, you need a surgeon or orthopedist. In large cities, you can make an appointment with an arthrologist who deals only with diseases of the joints.
How to deal with shoulder osteoarthritis
After a medical examination and diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe specific therapy that will allow you to achieve a long and stable remission of the disease. It is impossible to cure degenerative changes in the joints, but to slow down the course of the destructive process and alleviate the patient's condition is quite a feasible task.
The main goal of antiarthrosis 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 pain and stiffness in the joints. Medication prescribed by a doctor is used to treat arthrosis, in compliance with the recommended dosage and duration of administration. The most effective are the following groups of drugs:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- chondroprotectors;
- corticosteroid medications;
- 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, drugs are taken orally, applied externally, intramuscularly or injected into the cavity of the shoulder joint.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
NSAIDs are contraindicated for a long time due to the presence of side effects from the digestive tract.
It is possible to treat the disease with drugs even at an early stage of the development of the pathological process. The course depends on the patient's condition and the severity of the symptoms. As an independent treatment, ointments included in this group are not prescribed. They are used in combination with similar groups of drugs used intramuscularly or orally. Their task is to reduce inflammation and alleviate the patient's condition.
chondroprotectors
Almost all patients include in the treatment regimen drugs aimed at improving metabolic processes in cartilage tissue. They also increase the elasticity of the cartilage. Chondroprotectors have such properties. These medicinal substances differ depending on the main active substance, on the basis of which they are made:
- hyaluronic acid;
- chondroitin sulfate;
- glucosamine;
- combined funds.
Glucosamine is a substance that plays an important role in the formation of healthy cartilage tissue. Chondroitin sulfate's job is to nourish and cushion the shoulder.
Preparations for monotherapy have proved more effective on the market than a combination of substances.
The polysaccharide contained in the intercellular space is hyaluronic acid. It is also able to reduce the sensitivity of receptors that respond to pain. Combined chondroprotectors, which contain several active substances, have the greatest advantage.
The most effective use of chondroprotectors in the initial stages of the disease. The task of drugs is the synthesis of new cells from healthy cartilage tissue, which will replace the damaged tissue. For pain and swelling, drugs from this group are less effective. Therefore, anti-inflammatory drugs must first be used to alleviate the patient's condition.
To achieve the maximum effect, injectable preparations for intra-articular or intramuscular administration are used. 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 when treating such drugs.
With the beginning of the course of therapy, physical overload, stressful situations should be excluded. The patient will get the greatest effect if he starts taking chondroprotectors, improves nutrition and engages in physical therapy exercises. Many patients with arthrosis of the shoulder joint deal with the method of Dr. Bubnovsky, they perform a specially designed set of exercises to achieve gradual restoration of the joints or stop the progression of the disease.
corticosteroid agents
If severe pain occurs and anti-inflammatory drugs do not have a positive effect, then corticosteroids are prescribed. To alleviate the patient's condition, ointments or injections are prescribed.
analgesics
In the initial stages of the disease, analgesics are prescribed to relieve pain.
Drugs from this group have a less negative effect on the mucous membrane of the digestive tract in comparison with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
With an unspoken anti-inflammatory effect, they effectively fight pain.
vasodilators
Mandatory means in the treatment of arthrosis are vasodilators. They eliminate spasms of vessels, normalize blood flow in the affected area. Many patients complain of the occurrence of night pain, which is effectively treated by drugs from this group.
muscle relaxants
Muscle spasms are a common occurrence in osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, which can be alleviated by muscle relaxants. When prescribing, the principle of complexity is observed, they are used together with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. If necessary, the minimum dosage is initially prescribed with a gradual increase.
surgical treatment
The main goal of the operation is to restore the working capacity of the joint and improve the patient's quality of life. If conservative therapy is ineffective, persistent pain syndrome persists, the joint gradually deforms and the range of motion in it is severely limited, the patient is indicated for surgical intervention.
The orthopedist or traumatologist decides whether an operation is necessary together with the patient. Then the dimensions of the endoprosthesis and the material from which it will be made are determined. Nowadays, implants are made of titanium and high-strength polymers, the weight of which is close to that of a natural joint. The durability and reliability of endoprostheses is beyond doubt.
recovery period
The operation to replace the affected joint is usually uncomplicated. Fixation with a support bandage is required for the first 14 days. Early passive implementation of a complex of physical exercises on special devices and devices is allowed. Current loads are allowed after 45-60 days.
physical therapy
Any complex of anti-arthritis exercises is useful only during remission. With an increase in temperature, pain and other symptoms of exacerbation of the disease, charging is contraindicated.
Exercise therapy should not cause pain or discomfort. At the slightest feeling of discomfort, the exercise should be abandoned.
Charging should be done daily. After the load, it makes sense to do self-massage with a healing cream in the area of \u200b\u200bthe affected joint and nearby muscles, the choice of which the attending physician will help you.
physical therapy
Physiotherapy allows you to enhance the effect of drugs, reduce their dosage and minimize 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 concomitant diseases.
The following physiotherapeutic procedures are most often used in treatment:
- magnetotherapy;
- ultrasound with hydrocortisone;
- Electrophoresis with anti-inflammatory and analgesic substances;
- UV irradiation
- Treatment with laser and infrared rays.
Physiotherapy is carried out several times a year in courses of 10-15 sessions.
Treatment with folk methods
By combining folk remedies with drug therapy, exercise therapy, proper nutrition and physical therapy, you can achieve a long and stable remission.
One of the best recipes is a compress with birch leaves, which have anti-inflammatory and warming effects. Young leaves are best suited, as closer to autumn their beneficial properties decrease. Before the compress, a small massage of the affected limb is necessary. Then the leaves are applied to the skin, fixed with cling film and a bandage. The compress is left overnight. The duration of treatment is 10 days.
Brine baths have a healing effect. Before the procedure, the crystals are pre-dissolved in hot water. Then the resulting solution is poured into the bath. The process requires approximately 3 kg of salt. Additionally, you can add a few drops of any essential oil. It is best to take a bath before going to bed, the bath time should not exceed 30 minutes.
Hot oatmeal compress helps a lot. They should be poured with boiling water, insisted and used for its intended purpose. It is recommended to carry out such procedures at night.
No less useful herbal packs. Crushed plants with anti-inflammatory effects (yarrow, ginger, turmeric, cinquefoil, calamus) are brewed with boiling water, kept under a lid for 10 minutes and applied to a sore spot. After the procedure, the affected shoulder should be smeared with a healing cream and put to bed.
Inside it is recommended to take an infusion of corn stigmas. A teaspoon of raw materials or 1 filter bag is brewed with 200 ml of boiling water, leave under the lid for 30 minutes and consume 1 tbsp. spoon half an hour before meals.
Prevention of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Disease prevention can be primary and secondary. Primary prevention includes the following activities:
- regular exercise - jogging or brisk 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 provoke shoulder arthrosis;
Secondary prevention aims at the early detection and treatment of osteoarthritis.
Conclusion
Restoring joint function 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 capacity.