Our joints experience constant stress in our lives. As a result, the cartilage tissue wears out, the bone tissue is deformed, and arthrosis of the shoulder joint occurs, which has become one of the most common problems faced by elderly and elderly people.
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 medically defined as arthrosis of the shoulder joint ICD-10 - M19. 91. Most often, arthrosis occurs 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, becomes fragile and thin. Cracks form in the cartilage, where salts begin to settle, accelerating destructive processes in the cartilage tissues. As a result of such salt deposits, the bone tissue becomes dense and begins to deform, acromioclavicular arthrosis develops.
This process occurs slowly and becomes chronic, at first it is asymptomatic, but gradually the manifestations of the disease increase and over time can cause complete immobility in the joint area.
The following factors can cause the pathological process to begin:
- Shoulder injuries that cause joint deformation and inflammation.
- There is insufficient blood supply to the shoulder joint for a long time - this condition can lead to vascular disorders.
- Constantly high loads are observed in joints among construction workers, athletes and loaders.
- Congenital joint pathologies.
- Poor nutrition and resulting metabolic disorders.
It is important! The most common form of the disease is post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint with the ICD-10 code. M19. 91.
The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in humans, which causes the joint to be damaged quite often. Even small damage to the joint, repeated regularly and over a long period of time, leads to the development of arthrosis. Arthrosis of the right shoulder joint is the most common, because the majority of the population is "right-handed" and the load on the right side is always higher.
Causes and factors of disease development
Often, arthrosis is diagnosed in elderly people, and the older the person, the higher the probability of detecting the pathology.
Reasons and preconditions for the development of shoulder arthrosis:
- Injuries. Fractures, bruises and sprains 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 occurrence of arthrosis.
- Vascular pathologies. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and varicose veins can affect the development of arthrosis. Also, the risk of disease increases in people who abuse cigarettes.
- Physical inactivity. Lack of physical activity, along with overeating, leads to extra pounds. As a result, the metabolism is disturbed, which leads to a violation of 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 lead to a lack of vitamins and minerals (such as calcium and phosphorus) needed for joint health. This has a negative effect on the condition of the joints and complicates their recovery processes.
Often, arthrosis does not occur under the influence of a single factor, but a combination of several reasons contributes to its development.
Types and symptoms of shoulder arthrosis
Since the development of arthrosis takes a long time, the disease may not manifest itself at first, only sometimes it is felt after heavy physical exertion or hypothermia.
The main symptoms of arthrosis:
Shoulder pain. This is the main symptom of arthrosis - the pain is of a different nature, usually aggravated by movement and load on the shoulder joint. Pain causes discomfort that limits shoulder mobility.A creaking sound when moving . Salt deposits in the shoulder joints cause a characteristic crunching (or clicking) sound in the joint when moving.Movement restrictions . It manifests itself depending on the stage of arthrosis - there are no restrictions at the beginning of the disease, during an exacerbation, the patient cannot freely rotate and move the arm.
Sometimes the localization of pain can be atypical and it can be pain in the arm or elbow. By palpation, you can determine the main sources of pain - the lower edge of the scapula and collarbone.
Note! At the initial stage, grade 1 arthrosis 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 manifest itself when the pathological process extends far beyond the joints. .
Depending on the nature and degree of bone and cartilage tissue damage, there are three stages of arthrosis characterized by certain symptoms.
| Pain | It happens rarely - usually in the evenings or mornings, after exercise or hypothermia | Severe pain with any movement | The pain is constant, even at rest |
| Movement restrictions | A little | The amplitude of possible movements decreases | Sharp and sometimes complete restriction of movement. It becomes impossible to miss the arm and raise it. It is necessary to hold the hand in a forced position, it is very painful |
| Crackling and creaking in the shoulder joint | Slight cracking sound when moving suddenly - no pain | With each movement, you hear a creak and a distinct creak | Constant crunching clicks heard with any movement |
| Local manifestations (redness and swelling in the joint area, increased temperature at the site of the disease) | Does not exist | Appears during periods of exacerbation | There is always inflammation in the joint |
| Joint hardening | Does not exist | It rarely happens | There is stiffness and deformity in the shoulder |
| Changes in the joint visible on X-ray | Does not exist | Signs of joint deformation, narrowing of the joint space, the appearance of osteophytes appear | Traces of joint destruction are visible |
The duration of the first stage can last from several months to several years. arthrosis of the shoulder joint of the 3rd degree is treated only with the help of surgical measures, because the condition threatens disability.
One of its pathological types is deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. This condition means the destruction of the articular cartilage, which causes 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.
Deforming arthrosis manifests itself with painful and dull pains in the shoulder joint, which intensify when the weather changes and at night. The pathology is chronic in nature, which does not allow its complete treatment, but it will help to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop the destructive processes in the tissues.
How to treat arthrosis in the shoulder joint
Before treating shoulder arthrosis, a number of diagnostic measures aimed at determining the form and stage of arthrosis are carried out. Among such measures, it is necessary to conduct laboratory and biochemical blood tests that can confirm the presence of an inflammatory process in the body.
If shoulder arthrosis is suspected, the patient is asked to perform a number of self-diagnostic measures:
- Place your hands in a lock between your shoulder blades;
- Tie a belt behind your waist;
- Bend your elbows at shoulder level and comb the hair at the back of your head.
If the patient does all these things without difficulty, then there is no risk of arthrosis. However, if it is difficult to perform tasks and causes pain in the collarbone and shoulder area, a deeper investigation is required - fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging are used for a more accurate diagnosis.
2nd degree arthrosis and the first stage of the disease are treated with conservative methods, only if there is no result, surgical methods can be used.
Conservative methods of treatment of arthrosis are carried out in combination when the treatment is carried out in several directions at once:
- Treatment with drugs;
- Physiotherapy;
- Treatment with traditional methods;
- Therapeutic gymnastics and acupuncture;
- Special diet;
- Spa treatment.
It is important! An important condition for the treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder is to ensure rest of the shoulder joint (this is easier to do when arthrosis of the left shoulder joint is observed), and such a gentle regimen should be used even after the course is over. therapy. If the patient continues to load the shoulder girdle, the disease will progress and eventually lead to surgery.
Operative measures include endoprosthetic surgery - replacement of a diseased (worn) joint with an artificial counterpart. Although this operation is expensive and significantly improves the patient's quality of life, it has the downside of repeating the operation every 10-15 years.
Drug treatment
Treatment with drugs has several directions - pain relief, elimination of inflammatory processes and direct restoration of cartilage tissue.
Medicines and pills
The following drug groups are used to relieve inflammation and pain:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Analgesics and antispasmodics.
These drugs can be prescribed orally or intramuscularly (in the form of injections). They relieve pain well and relieve inflammation, but they cannot be taken for a long time - treatment is carried out in short courses.
The destruction of cartilage tissue is treated with drugs from the group of chondroprotectors with active ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid.
Chondroprotectors are a valuable building material for cartilage tissue, but drugs have a regenerative effect only in the first two stages. The first results of the use of chondroprotectors are observed only after 3 months of use, and the total course of treatment is about a year.
When treating arthrosis, it is mandatory to take dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes, which 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 strong anti-inflammatory effect, but have many side effects, so they cannot always be used in treatment.
Ointments
For external use, ointments applied to the skin in the area of the shoulder joint are effectively used. Ointments for arthrosis have an anesthetic effect, contain anti-inflammatory substances and agents that increase blood circulation.
It is important! Ointments for arthrosis help to relieve unpleasant symptoms, but they cannot cure the disease.
The advantage of ointments over painkillers is that they have a local anesthetic effect without harming the gastrointestinal tract. But they also have one drawback - with the intensity of the pain syndrome, they cannot always relieve the pain quickly.
Physiotherapy
The main method of treatment of arthrosis in the first stages is to take medicine. Physiotherapy procedures can increase the effect of medication and also reduce the possibility 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 conducted 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 patient's age and other indicators.
Treatment at home
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint at home is carried out in 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 carried out only in the remission phase, gymnastics exercises are contraindicated during exacerbations.
Exercise therapy exercises can be found on the Internet, but they should all be approved by your doctor.
It is important! You cannot choose exercises for arthrosis yourself, regardless of what authoritative websites describe these procedures and what flattering reviews accompany them. Many of them have contraindications and can do more harm than good - so you should definitely consult a doctor before starting exercises.
Home exercise rules for arthrosis:
- Exercise therapy cannot be performed if there are decompensated diseases of the lungs and heart, high temperature or diseases for which any physical activity is a contraindication.
- Exercise should not cause pain. Otherwise, they are chosen incorrectly and may cause complications.
- When treating arthrosis of the shoulder joint, gymnastics requires regularity - it must be done daily. At first, exercise should not exceed 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 increase the load. The intensity of movements and their amplitude should gradually increase. As age increases and the longer the duration of a sedentary lifestyle, the process of increasing intensity becomes slower.
- Exercises are performed in a light, semi-relaxed position - sitting or lying down.
A number of simple exercises can be done independently at any convenient time every day: raising and lowering the shoulders, swinging the arm back and forth, rotating 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 the regeneration of cartilage tissue.
Massage can be performed only when acute pain subsides and the inflammatory process subsides.
During the procedure, not only the painful shoulder is massaged, but also the collar area on both sides, as well as the arm area.
Diet
Dietary rules for arthrosis - elimination of factors affecting the development of the disease and metabolic disorders.
The main principles of the diet:
- Limitation of sweet, starchy, fatty and salty foods.
- Minimize salt intake.
- Reduce the size of portions, but increase the number of meals (eat in small portions, but often).
- Replace the consumption of animal fats with milk and vegetable oils.
- Increase the amount of dairy foods that are sources of calcium in your diet, as well as seafood and fish (a source of collagen and phosphorus).
- Include more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.
If you have arthrosis, you should never go hungry - the menu should be designed in such a way as to increase the supply of food without harming the body and reduce the amount of harmful foods.
ethnoscience
In addition to medical treatment, doctors recommend home treatment with folk remedies:
- Pork fat is mixed with propolis in equal proportions. The resulting ointment is rubbed into the area of the shoulder joint with massage movements.
- To relieve pain, herbal baths using decoctions of chamomile, burdock and nettle are recommended.
- Oatmeal is a folk remedy for arthrosis. They are brewed in boiling water, after which the decoction is used to prepare shoulder compresses that are applied at night.
Folk remedies do not cause side effects and have no contraindications for use.
Prevention
Preventive measures to prevent arthrosis include minimizing the factors that cause the disease.
General recommendations:
- Elimination of inadequate loads on the joint related to sports or professional activities.
- To minimize the risk of injury to the shoulder joint.
- Mandatory consultation 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).
- Use drugs that promote the regeneration of cartilage and bone tissue in old age.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a dangerous disease that can lead to complete immobility of the joint and disability. You should consult a doctor at the first signs of illness. Treatment of arthrosis should be comprehensive and include both conservative and alternative therapy methods.