Our joints experience constant stress throughout life. As a result, there is wear and tear of cartilage tissue, deformation of bone tissue and arthrosis of the shoulder joint, which has become one of the most common problems of the elderly and the elderly.
The development of the disease can lead to a complete restriction of movement and constant pain in the joints. Therefore, the treatment of arthrosis should be started 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 strong 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 appear in the cartilage where salts begin to settle, accelerating the destructive processes in the cartilage tissues. As a result of such salt deposits, bone tissue becomes dense and begins to deform, and acromioclavicular arthrosis develops.
This process takes place slowly and is chronic, initially 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 appearance of a pathological process:
- Shoulder injuries that led to joint deformation and inflammation.
- Insufficient blood supply to the shoulder joint, which lasts for a long time - this condition can be caused by vascular disorders.
- Construction workers, athletes and loaders experience constant heavy loads on their joints.
- 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 causes quite frequent joint injuries. Even a small joint injury that is repeated regularly and over a long period of time leads to the development of arthrosis. The most common is arthrosis of the right shoulder joint, the majority of the population is "right-handed" and the load on the right side is always greater.
Causes and factors for the development of the disease
Most often, arthrosis is diagnosed in older people, and the older the person, the greater the probability of detecting the pathology.
Causes and prerequisites for the development of shoulder arthrosis:
- Injuries. 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 onset of arthrosis.
- Vascular pathologies. Diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and varicose veins can affect the development of arthrosis. Also, there is an increased risk of disease in people who abuse smoking.
- Physical inactivity. Lack of physical activity, along with overeating, causes excess weight. As a result, the metabolism is disturbed, which leads to disturbed 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 a lack of vitamins and minerals needed for joint health (such as calcium and phosphorus). This has a negative effect on the condition of the joints and complicates the recovery process in them.
Most often, arthrosis does not occur under the influence of one factor, but its development is stimulated by a combination of several causes at the same time.
Types and symptoms of shoulder arthrosis
Since the development of arthrosis continues for a long time, in the beginning the disease practically cannot be manifested, only sometimes it is felt after severe physical overload or hypothermia.
Main symptoms of arthrosis:
Shoulder pain. This is the main sign of arthrosis - the pain is of a different nature, it usually increases with movement and loading of the shoulder joint. The pain causes discomfort that limits shoulder mobility.A crunching sound when moving . Salt deposits in the shoulder joints cause a characteristic creaking (or clicking) sound in the joint when moving.Movement restrictions . It manifests itself depending on the stage of arthrosis - at the beginning of the disease there are no restrictions, during exacerbation the patient cannot freely rotate and move the arm.
Sometimes the localization of pain can be atypical and it can hurt in the hand or elbow. By palpation, you can determine the main sources of pain - the lower edge of the scapula and collarbone.
Note! In the initial stage, arthrosis of the 1st degree does not cause any symptoms. This is due to the absence of nerve endings in the cartilage tissue, which is why the disease begins to manifest itself when the pathological process extends far beyond the joints. .
Depending on the nature and extent of bone and cartilage tissue damage, there are three stages of arthrosis characterized by certain symptoms.
| Pain | It occurs rarely - usually in the evening or morning, after exercise or hypothermia | Intense pain that occurs with any movement | The pain is constant, even at rest |
| Movement restrictions | A little bit | The amplitude of possible movements decreases | Severe and sometimes complete limitation of mobility. Abduction of the arm and its lifting become impossible. The hand has to be held in a forced position, which is very painful |
| Grinding and grinding in the shoulder joint | Slight creaking with sudden movement - no pain | With every movement you hear a creaking and a distinct crunch | Constant creaky clicks heard with any movement |
| Local manifestations (redness and swelling in the joint area, increased temperature at the site of the disease) | Not here | Appears in periods of exacerbation | Inflammation is constantly present in the joint |
| Joint hardening | Not here | It occurs rarely | Hardening and deformation of the shoulder occurs |
| Changes in the joint visible on the X-ray | Not here | 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 phase can last from several months to several years. Arthrosis of the shoulder joint of the 3rd degree is treated only with surgical measures, because the condition threatens with disability.
One of the types of pathology is deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. This condition means the destruction of articular cartilage, which causes irreversible changes in the bones of the articular surfaces. In addition to cartilage tissue, such changes also affect the joint capsule and synovial membrane, which leads to destruction and deformation of the shoulder joint.
Deforming arthrosis is manifested by painful and dull pain in the shoulder joint, which increases with the change of weather and at night. The pathology is chronic, which does not allow it to be completely cured, but it will help alleviate unpleasant symptoms and stop destructive processes in the tissues.
How to cure arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Before treating shoulder arthrosis, a series of diagnostic measures aimed at determining the form and stage of arthrosis are carried out. 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 shape of a lock;
- Tie the belt at the back of the waist;
- Bend your elbow at shoulder level and comb the 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 collarbone and shoulder area, deeper research is needed - for a more accurate diagnosis, fluoroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging are used.
Arthrosis of the 2nd degree and the first stage of the disease are treated with conservative methods, only if there are no results, 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:
- Drug treatment;
- 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 peace of the shoulder joint (this is easier to do when arthrosis of the left shoulder joint is noticed), and such a mild regimen should be applied even after the end of the course. therapy. If the patient continues to stress the shoulder girdle, the disease will progress, eventually leading to surgery.
Operative measures include endoprosthetic surgery - replacement of the diseased (worn) 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 - alleviation of pain, alleviation of inflammatory processes and direct restoration of cartilage tissue.
Medicines and pills
The following groups of drugs are used to eliminate inflammation and pain:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Analgesics and antispasmodics.
These drugs can be prescribed orally or intramuscularly (in the form of injections). They relieve pain and relieve inflammation well, but they cannot be taken for a long time - treatment is carried out in short courses.
Destruction of cartilage tissue is treated with drugs from the group of chondroprotectors, which include 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 phases. The first results of the application of chondroprotectors are observed only 3 months after use, and the general course of treatment is about a year.
During the treatment of arthrosis, it is mandatory to take food supplements and vitamin-mineral complexes that contain substances that prevent the demineralization of joint tissue.
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 they have many side effects, so they cannot always be used in treatment.
Fats
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.
Important! Ointments for arthrosis help relieve unpleasant symptoms, but they cannot cure the disease.
The advantages of ointments compared to painkillers are that they have a local anesthetic effect without damaging 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 first stages is taking medication. Physiotherapy procedures can improve the effect of medication and reduce the likelihood of side effects.
The following therapeutic methods are used in the treatment of arthrosis:
- Electrophoresis;
- Exposure to magnetic field;
- Exposure to radiation (ultraviolet, infrared, laser);
- Ultrasound.
Physiotherapy activities are carried out several times a year - courses. The type and method of treatment are selected individually for each patient, depending on the degree of the disease, the patient's age and other indications.
Home treatment
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint at home is carried out in addition to drug therapy, with the permission of the doctor.
Gymnastics and exercise therapy
Physical therapy for arthrosis of the shoulder joint should be carried out only in the phase of remission, and during exacerbations, gymnastic exercises are contraindicated.
Exercise exercises can be found on the Internet, but all must be agreed with your doctor.
Important! You cannot choose exercises for arthrosis on your own, regardless of the authoritative pages on which these procedures are described and regardless of the flattering reviews that accompany them. Many of them have contraindications and can cause harm, not 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, there is a high temperature or there are diseases in which any physical activity is contraindicated.
- Exercise should not cause pain. Otherwise, they are chosen incorrectly and can cause complications.
- When treating arthrosis of the shoulder joint, gymnastics requires regularity - it should be done daily. In the beginning, training should not last more than 5 minutes a day, gradually increasing the time to 20 minutes.
- You must do the exercises gradually - first at a quarter of the strength, and then gradually increasing the load. The intensity of the movements and their amplitude should gradually increase. The older the age and the longer the duration of the sedentary lifestyle, the slower the process of increasing the intensity.
- The exercises are performed in a light, semi-relaxed state - sitting or lying down.
You can do a few simple exercises on your own every day at any convenient time: raising and lowering your shoulders, swinging your arms back and forth, rotating your 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 regeneration.
Massage can be performed only if the acute pain subsides and the inflammatory process decreases.
During the procedure, not only the painful shoulder is massaged, but also the neck area on both sides, as well as the forearm area.
Diet
Nutritional rules for arthrosis - elimination of factors that influence the development of the disease and metabolic disorders.
Basic principles of nutrition:
- Limiting sweet, starchy, fatty and salty foods.
- Reduce salt intake to a minimum.
- Reduce portion sizes, but increase the number of meals (eat in small portions, but often).
- Replace consumption of animal fats with dairy and vegetable fats.
- In your diet, increase the amount of dairy foods that are a source of calcium, 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 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 treatment at home using folk remedies in addition to medical therapy:
- Pork fat is mixed in equal proportions with propolis. The obtained fat is rubbed into the area of the shoulder joint with massaging movements.
- Herbal baths with decoctions of chamomile, thistle and nettle are recommended for pain relief.
- Folk remedy for arthrosis is oatmeal. They are boiled in boiling water, after which the decoction is made into shoulder pads, which are put on 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 associated with sports or professional activities.
- Minimizing the risk of shoulder joint injury.
- Mandatory consultation with a therapist in case of injury or pain in the shoulder joint to reduce the risk of complications.
- Prevent excess weight - control your diet and do daily physical activity (gymnastics, walking, swimming).
- In old age, use medicines that promote 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 illness, you should consult a doctor. Treatment of arthrosis must be comprehensive and include conservative and alternative treatment methods.