Deforming osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a common pathology, especially in elderly patients. The disease is chronic and develops quickly. It is equally often diagnosed in patients of both sexes. Due to degenerative disorders, damage is observed not only in the cartilaginous tissue of the joint, but also in bone tissue. The causes of the problem are microtraumatic lesions of the shoulder joint and inflammatory processes developing there. 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 eventually change their anatomical shape. The disease progresses over a long period of time, without causing any discomfort to a person in the early stages of the disease. In fact, this is where the danger lies. Let's dwell in more detail on the causes, symptoms, as well as how and with what to treat deforming osteoarthritis.
Why does pathology appear?
Among the causes of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, experts cite 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 joint cavity. In addition to the bone, it also affects the cartilage, causing additional injuries: the ligaments are torn, the capsule is damaged.
Shoulder dislocation is one of the most common injuries, often leading to complications, joint deformity and the development of osteoarthritis. As a result, the joint may completely lose mobility.
Dislocations of the right shoulder are more common in right-handed people and of the left shoulder in left-handed people.
Bruises occur following a violent blow, for example following an accident, a fall or playing a sport. Due to a bruise, the bones do not move, the cartilage tissue is not destroyed, but its normal nutrition is disrupted, which can also lead to post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
Increased load
Excessive load on the shoulder joint is observed in certain groups of people:
- Professional athletes: volleyball players, tennis players, track and field athletes.
- Builders, plasterers, loaders.
- Dashnikov.
They all have to do the same type of movements with their hand raised for a long time. As a result, they experience microcracks and injuries, sprains of ligaments, muscles are overworked, and the functioning of blood vessels is disrupted. The joint lacks nutrients and becomes deformed.
If a person does not monitor the load and take preventive measures, glenohumeral osteoarthritis may occur.
Joint pathologies
Certain joint pathologies can cause the development of deforming osteoarthritis.
- 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 seen in connection with a shoulder injury. If synovitis is left untreated, the risk of complications is high. The disease is treated with therapeutic agents. Pain is relieved by NSAIDs. Additionally, 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 carried out.
- Arthritis of the shoulder joint of various origins. Its signs: swelling of the shoulder and pronounced pain in the joints.
- Bone necrosis also causes osteoarthritis 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 disease, depending on the stage of the disease and the individual characteristics of the body. Chondroprotectors restore bone tissue, and NSAIDs help to cope with pain. The use of medications is complemented 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 joint tissues, then osteoarthritis of the shoulder.
If a person lacks collagen, this will also provoke the development of pathology.
The likelihood of developing shoulder osteoarthritis is much higher in people whose relatives have had similar problems, including coxarthrosis, gonarthrosis, becauseunderdevelopment of cartilage tissue is hereditary.
Blood vessel diseases
The condition in which the risk of osteoarthritis 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. This is due to insufficient physical activity. The disease is characterized by apathy, drowsiness, decreased appetite and insomnia. Cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, are one of the most common complications of physical inactivity. The disease is treated conservatively, it is also necessary to follow a diet and exercise therapy.
- Obliterative endarteritis. The pathology occurs due to impaired blood circulation, which leads to a lack of oxygen supply to the tissues of the vessel. So their performance is limited and then they die.
- Poor diet and insufficient physical activity are conditions conducive to obesity and impaired metabolism, which leads to difficult blood circulation in joint tissues. The result of the process is the development of osteoarthritis.
- Varicose veins, in which blood flow in the vessels slows down, are also one of the conditions that cause degenerative changes in the joints.
Hormonal imbalances and weakened immunity
Disturbed hormonal levels and reduced immunity can become a factor provoking 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 osteoarthritis 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 osteoarthritis due to gout. This occurs due to excessive buildup of uric acid in the form of small crystals in the joints. Signs of pathology include joint swelling and pain. Externally, their manifestation can be noted 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 provoking factor in the development of pathology. To avoid complications, gout must be treated with medications, not forgetting about diet and exercise therapy.
- Reduced immunity can cause osteoarthritis due to an exacerbation of inflammatory processes in the joint cavities.
Impaired metabolism
Lack of intake of various vitamins and microelements into the body (especially calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D) often causes a lack of nutrition of intra-articular fluid, cartilage and bone tissue of the joint, which, in turn, causes degenerative diseases. 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 osteoarthritis.
Age-related changes
With age, bones and cartilage tissues become thinner and weaker. The probability of developing shoulder osteoarthritis after the age of 50 increases sharply.
Most often, shoulder osteoarthritis is observed due to exposure to a complex of the listed conditions.
Symptoms
Deforming osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is characterized as a disease that develops gradually over a long period of time. At first it practically shows nothing, but at later stages of development the following symptoms are observed.
- Shoulder pain. Its character, most often painful, pulling, bothers a person in the morning, after a night's rest. May occur before a change in weather. If physical activity is required 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 is due to severe pain. Exacerbation often occurs due to hypothermia or sprained ligaments. The patient cannot raise the arm or perform usual movements. He experiences unbearable pain when he makes circular movements at the shoulder or when he tries to move his arm behind his back. If treatment is not started in time, complete immobilization of the upper limbs may occur.
- Popping and cracking sounds in the joint are initially inconspicuous and may be barely noticeable. Later, they become intense and can be heard not only by the patient, but also by those around him.
- Inflammation of the joint is manifested by edema, swelling, local increase in skin temperature and redness.
- The feeling of hardening of the joint is caused by a growth 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, but their intensity differs markedly.
1st degree osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis 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 cracking of the shoulder is possible if a person shakes his hand sharply. At rest, no pain is felt.
Second degree
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint of the 2nd degree is manifested by more intense pain, a crunch in the shoulder is clearly audible. Hand mobility is still preserved, but it 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.
Osteoarthritis 3 degrees
The third degree of the disease is the most serious. The symptoms of osteoarthritis significantly change a person's quality of life. The patient can only slightly turn the arm, he constantly feels sharp pain in the shoulder, and deformation of the joint is observed. The muscles partially atrophy. The problem is solved by surgery. In its absence, total immobility and disability are likely.
Treatment
It is completely impossible to cure deforming osteoarthritis. You can only slow down its progression and influence the symptoms. Doctors offer two types of treatment for deforming osteoarthritis 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 drugs.
- Non-steroidal 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 osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint involves the use of corticosteroids. They help relieve inflammation, thereby stopping the development of pathology.
- Chondroprotectors for osteoarthritis are prescribed in the non-acute stage to restore damaged cartilage and bone tissue. These medications 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 early stages of the disease, becauseFor their action, the main condition is necessary: cartilaginous tissue must remain in the affected joint. Otherwise, these medications will be of no use. All of these medications 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 osteoarthritis.
- Painkillers also relieve pain and are used irregularly.
Surgery
The operation is carried out at the third degree of development of the pathology. This involves prosthetic replacement of the shoulder and scapula. Surgical treatment has contraindications, most often due to the advanced age of the patient.
The decision on how to treat arthrosis of the shoulder joint will be made by an orthopedist or traumatologist.
Other methods of conservative treatment of shoulder osteoarthritis include exercise therapy, massage and traditional medicine. A prerequisite for these methods is that they cannot be used during a period of exacerbation.
In cases of shoulder osteoarthritis, physiotherapy can significantly improve the patient's condition. In the set of exercises, you should select simple movements (circular movements, lifting, flexion-extension of the arm). Gymnastics is practiced at a calm pace, without overload.
Self-treatment
For treatment at home, you can use folk recipes. But their use must be agreed with the attending physician.
- Rubbing the painful joint helps a lot against osteoarthritis. 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 going to bed.
- Oatmeal compresses are easy to prepare 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 (in the evening). They tolerate pain well.
- Herbal baths are recommended for the treatment of deforming osteoarthritis. Mustard, mint and burdock are used to prepare them.
Shoulder osteoarthritis, like any other joint disease, cannot be ignored. Its treatment should be approached comprehensively, follow the doctor's prescriptions: take medications in a disciplined manner, carry out a set of exercise therapies. To prevent osteoarthritis, you should not overload your joints, avoid overcooling and monitor your diet.