Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a common pathology, especially in older patients. The disease is chronic and rapidly developing. It is equally often diagnosed in patients of both sexes. Due to degenerative disorders, damage is observed not only in the cartilage tissue of the joint, but also in the bone tissue. The causes of the problem are microtraumatic injuries to the shoulder joint and inflammatory processes developing in it. The cartilage tissue gradually becomes thinner, microcracks appear on it, in which salt deposits accumulate. Then destructive processes gradually affect the bones, which become denser, grow, and ultimately change their anatomical shape. The disease progresses over a long period of time, without causing any discomfort in a person in the initial stages of the disease. Actually, this is where its danger lies. Let us dwell in more detail on the causes, symptoms, as well as how and with what to treat deforming arthrosis.
Why does pathology occur?
Among the causes of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, experts name the following conditions and factors.
Traumatic injuries
Shoulder injuries include intra-articular fractures, dislocations, and bruises. Fractures are characterized by the fact that the fracture line is located in the articulation cavity. In addition to the bone, it also affects the cartilage, causing additional injuries: ligaments are torn, the capsule is damaged.
Shoulder dislocation is one of the most common injuries, often leading to complications, joint deformation, and the development of arthrosis. As a result, the joint may completely lose mobility.
Dislocations of the right shoulder are observed more often in right-handers, and of the left in left-handers.
Bruises occur as a result of a strong blow, for example due to an accident, fall or playing sports. Due to a bruise, the bones do not shift, the cartilage tissue is not destroyed, but its normal nutrition is disrupted, which can also lead to post-traumatic arthrosis.
Increased load
Excessive load on the shoulder joint is observed in some groups of people:
- Professional athletes: volleyball players, tennis players, track and field athletes.
- Builders, plasterers, loaders.
- Dachnikov.
They all have to make the same type of movements with their raised hand for a long time. Therefore, they experience microcracks and injuries, sprained ligaments, muscles are overstrained, and the functioning of blood vessels is disrupted. The joint lacks nutrients and becomes deformed.
If a person does not monitor the load and does not take preventive measures, then glenohumeral arthrosis may occur.
Joint pathologies
Some articular pathologies can provoke the development of deforming arthrosis.
- Synovitis. Its cause is an infection that causes intense formation of intra-articular fluid. Due to the accumulation of fluid, the joint swells and begins to hurt. Most often this problem is observed in connection with shoulder injury. If synovitis is not treated, there is a high probability of complications. The disease is treated with therapeutic agents. Pain is relieved by NSAIDs. In addition, the patient will undergo a puncture to pump out the fluid accumulated inside the joint. The shoulder is then fixed in a stationary position. Synovitis of an infectious nature is treated with antibiotics. In the most difficult situations, surgical treatment is performed.
- Arthritis of the shoulder joint of various origins. Its signs: swelling of the shoulder and pronounced pain in the joints.
- Bone necrosis also causes arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Triggered by injury or genetics, it is characterized by the fact that bone cells begin to die. Medicine offers therapeutic or surgical correction of the condition, depending on the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the body. Chondroprotectors restore bone tissue, and NSAIDs help cope with pain. The use of medications is supplemented by physiotherapy, massage, and exercise therapy.
Heredity, congenital, acquired pathologies
Various anomalies in the structure of the shoulder (congenital or acquired) almost always deform it. The consequence of muscular dystrophy is insufficient nutrition of the tissues of the joint, and then shoulder arthrosis.
If a person has a lack of collagen, this will also provoke the development of pathology.
The likelihood of developing shoulder arthrosis is much higher in those people whose relatives had similar problems, including coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, becauseunderdevelopment of cartilage tissue is inherited.
Blood vessel diseases
The condition under which the likelihood of arthrosis of the shoulder joint increases is considered to be various disturbances in the functioning of blood vessels.
- Physical inactivity also significantly increases the possibility of developing pathology. It is caused by insufficient physical activity. The disease is characterized by apathy, drowsiness, decreased appetite, and insomnia. One of the most common complications of physical inactivity are cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis. The disease is treated conservatively; it is also necessary to follow a diet and exercise therapy.
- Obliterating endarteritis. The pathology occurs due to impaired blood circulation, which results in a lack of oxygen supply to the tissues of the vessel. Thus, their performance is limited, and then they die off.
- Poor nutrition and insufficient physical activity are conditions for obesity and impaired metabolism, which leads to difficult blood circulation in the joint tissues. The result of the process is the development of arthrosis.
- Varicose veins, in which blood flow in the vessels slows down, is also one of the conditions that provoke degenerative changes in the joints.
Hormonal imbalances and weakened immunity
Disturbed hormonal levels and reduced immunity can become a factor causing destructive tendencies in joint tissues.
- The changes that occur in a woman’s body due to menopause are characterized by metabolic disorders. The lack of calcium in the bones during this period is the result of a decrease in estrogen levels in the female body. The consequence of these processes is possible arthrosis of the joints.
- Psoriasis is a chronic non-infectious pathology caused by various reasons (stress, decreased immunity, impaired metabolism, etc. ). The disease is systemic, therefore, under certain conditions, not only the skin, but also internal organs, bones, and joints can be affected.
- Men often suffer from arthrosis due to gout. It occurs due to excess accumulation of uric acid in the form of small crystals in the joints. Signs of pathology include swelling of the joints and pain. Externally, their manifestation can be noticed at the time of paroxysmal exacerbation of gout. Most often this happens at night. The shoulder feels hot and the skin turns red. In an advanced situation, gout can become a provoking factor for the development of pathology. To avoid complications, gout must be treated with medication, not forgetting about diet and exercise therapy.
- Reduced immunity may be the cause of arthrosis due to exacerbation of inflammatory processes in the joint cavities.
Impaired metabolism
The lack of intake of various vitamins and microelements into the body (especially calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D) often causes a lack of nutrition of the intra-articular fluid, cartilage and bone tissue of the joint, which, in turn, causes degenerative-dystrophic changes in them.
Due to diabetes, blood vessels become thinner, blood flow through them decreases, and periarticular tissues do not receive enough nutrients. All this leads to arthrosis.
Age-related changes
With age, bones and cartilage tissue become thinner and weaker. The likelihood of developing shoulder arthrosis after the age of 50 increases sharply.
Most often, shoulder arthrosis is observed due to exposure to a complex of the listed conditions.
Symptoms
Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint is characterized as a disease that develops gradually over a long period of time. Initially, it shows practically nothing, however, at later stages of development the following symptoms are observed.
- Shoulder pain. Its character, most often aching, tugging, bothers a person in the morning, after a night's rest. May occur before a weather change. If physical activity is necessary on the affected shoulder, the pain becomes intense and pronounced. As the situation worsens, the pain syndrome manifests itself even at rest. Wearing an orthosis helps solve the problem.
- Impaired motor activity of the affected arm occurs due to severe pain. Exacerbation often occurs due to hypothermia or sprained ligaments. The patient cannot raise his arm or perform the usual movements. He experiences unbearable pain when performing circular movements in the shoulder or trying to move his arm behind his back. If therapy is not started in a timely manner, complete immobilization of the upper limbs may occur.
- Crunching and creaking in the joint are initially not very noticeable and may be barely noticeable. Later they become intense and can be heard not only by the patient, but also by the people around him.
- Inflammation in the joint is manifested by edema, swelling, local increase in skin temperature and redness.
- The feeling of hardening of the joint is caused by growths of bone tissue - osteophytes, which manifests itself if the disease is advanced.
Development of the disease
The disease goes through three stages in its development. The symptoms at each stage are similar to each other, however, they differ markedly in intensity.
Arthrosis 1st degree
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint 1st degree is characterized by slight pain in the morning and evening. The patient "develops" the joint with effort before performing movements. A slight crunch in the shoulder is possible if a person jerks his hand sharply. At rest, no pain is felt.
Second degree
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint of the 2nd degree is manifested by more severe pain, a crunching sound in the shoulder is clearly audible. The mobility of the hand is still preserved, but is already noticeably reduced. The destructive process is already present, the tissues of the joint gradually become thinner, and dystrophy is observed. Ligaments, cartilage, and bones are affected. Wearing a special orthopedic device - an orthosis or bandage - helps reduce the intensity of pain.
Arthrosis 3 degrees
The third degree of the disease is the most severe. Symptoms of arthrosis significantly change a person’s quality of life. The patient is only able to turn his arm slightly, he constantly experiences acute pain in the shoulder, and deformation of the joint is observed. The muscles partially atrophy. The problem is solved with surgery. In its absence, complete immobility and disability are likely.
Treatment
It is completely impossible to cure arthrosis deformans. You can only slow down its progression and influence the symptoms. Doctors offer two types of treatment for deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint: therapeutic and surgical.
Therapeutic treatment
As a therapeutic correction of the patient’s condition, doctors suggest using the following groups of medications.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The main goal at this stage of treatment is to relieve inflammation and pain. The drugs suppress inflammatory processes and relieve pain. It is important to remember that NSAIDs are used for a limited time. They are prescribed both in the form of tablets and injections.
- Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint involves the use of corticosteroids. They help relieve inflammation, thereby stopping the development of pathology.
- Chondroprotectors for arthrosis are prescribed in the non-acute stage to restore damaged cartilage and bone tissue. These drugs are based on various active substances: glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid. They help stop the destruction of cartilage tissue and restore it. But the effectiveness of the use of chondroprotectors can be expected only in the initial stages of the disease, becauseFor their action, the main condition is necessary - cartilage tissue must remain in the affected joint. Otherwise, these medications will not help. All these drugs are prescribed by a doctor. You can expect positive results from their use no earlier than after six months of use.
- External agents (ointments, gels, creams) are also widely used in the treatment of arthrosis.
- Analgesics also relieve pain and are used inconsistently.
Surgery
The operation is performed in the third degree of development of the pathology. It consists of prosthetic replacement of the shoulder and scapula. Surgical treatment has contraindications, most often the patient's advanced age.
The decision on how to treat arthrosis of the shoulder joint will be made by an orthopedist or traumatologist.
Additional methods of conservative treatment of shoulder arthrosis include exercise therapy, massage, and traditional medicine. A prerequisite for these methods is that they cannot be used during an exacerbation period.
With shoulder arthrosis, physical therapy can significantly alleviate the patient’s condition. In the set of exercises, you need to select simple movements (circular movements, lifting, flexion-extension of the arm). Gymnastics is carried out at a calm pace, without overload.
Self-treatment
For treatment at home, you can use folk recipes. But their use must be agreed upon with the attending physician.
- Rubbing the sore joint helps a lot with arthrosis. The rub is prepared from 50 g of elecampane root and 125 ml of vodka. The tincture is left for two weeks in a dark place, then used to rub the shoulder before bed.
- Oatmeal compresses are easy to make yourself. Take 30 g of flakes per half liter of water and boil for 8-10 minutes. The decoction is moistened with gauze folded several times, then applied to the affected joint for half an hour.
- You can use cabbage leaves as a compress (at night). They cope well with pain.
- Herbal baths are recommended for the treatment of arthrosis deformans. Mustard, mint, and burdock are used to prepare them.
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint, like any other joint disease, cannot be ignored. Its treatment must be approached comprehensively, follow the doctor’s orders: take medications in a disciplined manner, perform a complex of exercise therapy. To prevent arthrosis, you should not overstrain your joints, avoid overcooling, and watch your diet.