Deformed arthrosis of the shoulder joint is a common pathology, especially in elderly patients. The disease is chronic and develops rapidly. It is equally often diagnosed in patients of both sexes. Damage due to degenerative disorders 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 of the shoulder joint and inflammatory processes developed in it. Cartilage tissue gradually thins, microcracks appear on it, in which salt deposits accumulate. Then the destructive processes gradually affect the bones, which become denser, grow and finally change their anatomical shape. The disease progresses for a long time, without any discomfort in the initial stage of the disease. In fact, this is where its danger lies. Let's talk in more detail about the causes, symptoms, as well as how and with what to treat deformed arthrosis.
Why does pathology appear?
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 contusions. Fractures are characterized by the fact that the fracture line is located in the joint cavity. In addition to bone, cartilage is also damaged, causing additional injuries: ligaments break, capsule is damaged.
Dislocation of the shoulder is one of the most common injuries, which often leads to complications, joint deformation and the development of arthrosis. As a result, the joint can completely lose its mobility.
Dislocation of the right shoulder is observed more often in right-handed people, and left - in left-handed people.
Bruises occur as a result of a strong impact, such as from an accident, fall or playing sports. Due to a bruise, the bones do not move, the cartilage tissue is not destroyed, but its normal nutrition is disturbed, which can also cause 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 do the same type of movement with their raised hand for a long time. Therefore, they have micro-cracks and injuries, stretching of ligaments, over-stretching of muscles and impaired functioning of blood vessels. The joint lacks nutrients and becomes deformed.
If a person does not control the load and does not take preventive measures, then glenohumeral arthrosis may occur.
Joint pathologies
Some joint pathologies can provoke the development of deformed arthrosis.
- synovitis. Its cause is an infection that causes intense formation of intra-articular fluid. Due to the accumulation of fluid, the joint becomes swollen and starts to hurt. Most often, this problem is observed in connection with a shoulder injury. If synovitis is not treated, the likelihood of complications is high. The disease is treated with therapeutic means. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain. In addition, the patient will undergo a puncture in order to pump out the fluid accumulated inside the joint. Then the shoulder is fixed in a stationary position. Infectious synovitis 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. Caused by injury or genetics, it is characterized by bone cells starting to die. Medicine offers therapeutic or surgical correction of the condition, depending on the stage of the disease and individual characteristics of the body. Chondroprotectors restore bone tissue and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help relieve pain. Physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy are added to the use of medication.
Hereditary, congenital, acquired pathologies
Various abnormalities in the structure of the shoulder (congenital or acquired) almost always deform it. The result of muscular dystrophy is insufficient nutrition of the joint tissues, and then arthrosis of the shoulder.
If a person has a lack of collagen, this will also provoke the development of pathology.
The probability of developing shoulder arthrosis is much higher in people whose relatives had similar problems, including coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, because the underdevelopment of cartilage tissue is hereditary.
Diseases of blood vessels
The condition in which the probability of arthrosis of the shoulder joint increases is considered to be a different disorder of blood vessels.
- Physical inactivity also significantly increases the possibility of developing pathology. This is caused by insufficient physical activity. The disease is characterized by apathy, drowsiness, loss of appetite and insomnia. One of the most common complications of physical inactivity is cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. The disease is treated conservatively, it is also necessary to follow a diet and exercise.
- obliterative endarteritis. The pathology occurs due to a blood circulation disorder, which causes a lack of oxygen supply to the tissues of the vessel. Thus, their performance is limited and then they die.
- Poor nutrition and insufficient physical activity are conditions for obesity and metabolic disorders, which lead to difficulty in blood circulation in joint tissues. The result of the process is the development of arthrosis.
- Varicose veins, during which the blood flow in the blood vessels slows down, is also one of the conditions that cause degenerative changes in the joints.
Hormonal imbalance and weakened immunity
Disturbed hormonal levels and reduced immunity can become a factor causing destructive tendencies in joint tissues.
- Changes that occur in a woman's body due to menopause are characterized by metabolic disorders. During this period, the lack of calcium in the bones is the result of a decrease in the level of estrogen in the woman's body. Arthrosis of the joints is the result of these processes.
- Psoriasis is a chronic non-infectious pathology caused by various reasons (stress, decreased immunity, metabolic disorders, etc. ). The disease is systemic, therefore, under certain conditions, not only the skin can be affected, but also internal organs, bones and joints.
- Men often suffer from arthrosis due to gout. This happens due to excessive accumulation of uric acid in the form of small crystals in the joints. Signs of pathology are joint swelling and pain. Externally, their manifestation is observed during 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 factor in provoking the development of pathology. In order to avoid complications, gout should be treated with medication, not forgetting diet and exercise therapy.
- Decreased immunity may be the cause of arthrosis due to exacerbation of inflammatory processes in joint cavities.
Disturbance of metabolism
The lack of various vitamins and microelements (especially calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D) in the body often leads to a lack of nutrition of the joint fluid, cartilage and bone tissue, which in turn causes degenerative-dystrophic changes in them.
Due to diabetes, the blood vessels become thinner, the blood circulation in them decreases, and the periarticular tissues do not receive enough nutrients. All this leads to arthrosis.
Age-related changes
As we age, bones and cartilage become thinner and weaker. After the age of 50, the probability of developing shoulder arthrosis increases sharply.
Most often, arthrosis of the shoulder is observed due to the influence of a complex of the listed conditions.
symptoms
Deformed arthrosis of the shoulder joint is characterized as a disease that develops gradually over a long period of time. Initially, it shows practically nothing, but in the later stages of development, the following symptoms are observed.
- shoulder pain. Its character, most often painful, stretching, bothers a person in the morning, after a night's rest. May occur before the weather changes. If physical activity is necessary on the injured shoulder, the pain becomes intense and pronounced. As the situation worsens, the pain syndrome appears even at rest. Wearing an orthosis helps to solve the problem.
- Violation of the motor activity of the injured arm occurs due to severe pain. Exacerbations often occur due to hypothermia or sprained ligaments. The patient cannot raise his arm or perform normal movements. He experiences excruciating pain in the shoulder when performing circular movements or moving the arm back. If therapy is not started in time, complete immobilization of the upper limbs may occur.
- Cramping and cracking in the joint is not very noticeable at first and may be barely noticeable. Later they become intense and understand not only the patient, but also the people around him.
- Inflammation in the joint is manifested by swelling, swelling, a local increase in skin temperature and redness.
- The feeling of joint stiffness is caused by formations of bone tissue - osteophytes, which appear in case of progression of the disease.
disease development
The disease goes through three stages of development. The symptoms in each stage are similar to each other, but they differ sharply in intensity.
Arthrosis 1 degree
Arthritis of the 1st degree of the shoulder joint is characterized by mild pain in the morning and evening. Before performing movements, the patient "develops" the joint with effort. A slight cramp in the shoulder is possible if the person shakes the hand sharply. Pain is not felt during rest.
second degree
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint of the 2nd degree is manifested by stronger pain, the sound of cramping in the shoulder is clearly heard. The mobility of the hand is still preserved, but already noticeably reduced. The destructive process is already underway, joint tissues are gradually thinning and dystrophy is observed. Ligaments, cartilage and bones are damaged. Wearing a special orthopedic device - an orthosis or a bandage helps to 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 can only slightly bend the arm, constantly experiences severe pain in the shoulder area, and deformation of the joint is observed. Muscles are partially atrophied. The problem is solved by surgery. In its absence, complete immobility and disability are likely.
treatment
Deformation of arthrosis cannot be cured. You can only slow down its progress and affect the symptoms. Doctors offer two types of treatment for deformed arthrosis of the shoulder joint: therapeutic and surgical.
therapeutic treatment
As a therapeutic correction of the patient's condition, doctors recommend the use of the following groups of drugs.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The main goal at this stage of treatment is to relieve inflammation and pain. Medicines 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.
- In case of arthrosis, chondroprotectors are prescribed to restore damaged cartilage and bone tissue in the non-acute stage. These preparations 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 is expected only in the initial stages of the disease, because the main condition is required for their action - the cartilage tissue must remain in the damaged joint. Otherwise, these medicines will not help. All these drugs are prescribed by a doctor. You can expect positive results after six months of using them.
- External agents (ointments, gels, creams) are also widely used for 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 shoulder and scapula. Surgical treatment has contraindications, most often the old age of the patient.
An orthopedist or a traumatologist will decide on the treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint.
Additional methods of conservative treatment of shoulder arthrosis include exercise therapy, massage and traditional medicine. The prerequisite for these methods is their use during the exacerbation period.
Physiotherapy for shoulder arthrosis can significantly alleviate the patient's condition. In the set of exercises, you should choose simple movements (circular movements, lifting, arm flexion-extension). Gymnastics is performed at a calm pace, without overloading.
Self-medication
You can use folk recipes for treatment at home. But their use must be agreed with the attending physician.
- Rubbing a painful joint in arthrosis helps a lot. 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 it is used to rub the shoulder before going to bed.
- Oat compresses are easy to make with your own hands. Take 30 g of flakes for half a liter of water and boil for 8-10 minutes. The decoction is moistened with gauze folded several times, and then applied to the affected joint for half an hour.
- Cabbage leaves can be used as a compress (at night). They handle pain well.
- Herbal baths are recommended for the treatment of arthrosis deformation. Mustard, mint and burdock are used for their preparation.
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint, like other joint diseases, cannot be ignored. We should approach its treatment comprehensively, follow the doctor's orders: take medicines in a disciplined manner, implement a complex of exercise therapy. To prevent arthrosis, you should not stress the joints, avoid excessive cooling and watch your diet.