When confirming such a diagnosis as arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the symptoms and treatment are largely interconnected. This pathology refers to degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This disorder is characterized by gradual wear and tear of cartilage tissue and the main elements of the joint. According to statistics, more than 45% of modern elderly have pronounced manifestations of this disease of the shoulder joint. This pathology is extremely dangerous, as it can lead to early disability. Initially, the shoulder joints crackle, but then more pronounced symptoms appear.
Primary signs of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
In relatively young people, traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint is most often observed. The causes of this pathological condition lie in tissue damage. Even minor injuries can provoke the development of the disease. In this case, the pathology manifests itself faster and proceeds more acutely than with tissue damage against the background of the natural aging process. Therefore, when the characteristic symptoms of this pathological condition appear, targeted treatment is required to prevent the problem from worsening.
In most cases, this disorder is asymptomatic for a long time. First of all, arthrosis of the right shoulder can be manifested by a slight decrease in the mobility of the joint after significant physical exertion. There are also short-term bouts of dull pain. Such signs of the development of pathology can be ignored by a person for a long time.
It should be noted that deforming arthrosis (DOA) of the left shoulder joint is observed several times less often than the right one. This is due to the peculiarities of load distribution when lifting weights in everyday life. However, in this case, the symptoms are much more intense even in the early stages of the development of the pathological process. Certain hand movements often result in a characteristic crunch in the shoulder. Painful sensations in this case may be completely absent. Shoulder-shoulder arthrosis of the left shoulder joint, as well as the right shoulder joint, can manifest itself for a long time as minor morphological changes in the structure of tissues.
In this pathological condition, severe stiffness may be present even after a short period of rest. It becomes difficult to fully move your hand. In some cases, complaints may persist. Hand with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint has difficulty obeying in the morning. Severe deafness may be present. In addition, with this disease, even in the early stages of its development, there is a violation of muscle tone in the affected area. In the future, with arthrosis, the shoulder joint will crunch with various hand movements. In this case, too, intense painful sensations may be absent.
Many shoulder diseases are a contraindication for urgent military service. However, changes must be clearly expressed. Young people with severe post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder are often not visited by the Bundeswehr. This must be taken into account when passing a medical examination.
The main symptoms of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
If the primary signs of the acromioclavicular joint were ignored by the patient himself, then in the future the situation may worsen. The acromion is an element of the shoulder complex, consisting of the bones of the shoulder, the shoulder blade and the collarbone. It is this element that is affected against the background of significant thinning and destruction of cartilage tissue. At stages 2 and 3 of the development of such a pathological condition as arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the symptoms become very clear.
In this case, changes in tissue structure are pronounced. Already at the 2nd stage of the pathological process, when the arm is raised and moved to the side, the shoulder clearly crackles. The joint is gradually deformed, which is accompanied by episodes of the inflammatory process. In this case, when lifting even a small weight, pain may appear. Tension in the neck muscles often occurs. The temperature in the area of the affected joint is increased. In addition, swelling and swelling are observed.
A crunch in the shoulder joint and pain at the 3rd stage of the development of the pathological process constantly exist. Gradually, the limitation of the mobility of the joint increases. Shoulder osteoarthritis is associated with increased sensitivity to weather changes. In cold and rainy weather, the patient may complain of pain in the shoulders. Raising the arm increases the symptoms of the disease in a person. In women, the aggravation of the manifestations of this pathology is observed in the postmenopausal period. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder leads to the complete destruction of the articular surfaces and bone elements. This leads to immobilization of the limb. Such an unfavorable course is extremely rare. Usually the causes of its development lie in the lack of proper treatment and the presence of increased physical stress on the joint.
Diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
If characteristic signs of a pathological condition appear, you should contact a specialist as soon as possible. When considering which doctor will treat arthrosis, it is necessary to take into account that in some highly specialized centers this disease is stopped under the control of an arthrologist. In most cases, patients are cared for by a traumatologist, rheumatologist or orthopedist. A comprehensive diagnosis of diseases of the shoulder joint is carried out under the supervision of several doctors. It should be borne in mind that such a pathological condition as arthrosis progresses slowly, but without targeted therapy, the result can be extremely unfavorable.
The specialist takes the most precise anamnesis and evaluates the patient's symptoms. A physical examination is performed.
This allows the doctor to suspect a pathology when finding out the reason why the joints crunch during rotation.
Limited mobility and other symptoms may indicate a problem. However, in order to understand what to do to get rid of the symptoms, a number of studies and analyzes are required. In order to make an accurate diagnosis of DOA of the shoulder joint, it is necessary to perform a conventional radiograph in two projections. In rare cases, doctors have to resort to more specific research methods that make it possible to obtain accurate data on the condition of the joint. A comprehensive examination may require:
- ultrasound of the affected area;
- MRI;
- scintigraphy;
- CT;
- thermography;
- arthroscopy.
When diagnosing the pathology, general blood and urine tests are performed. Such studies can reveal signs of the inflammatory process. In addition, indicators of changes from laboratory tests can indicate the addition of arthritis, which is often observed in this case.
Medical treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
After a comprehensive examination of the condition of the shoulder joint, the doctor selects an adequate therapy. If the disease is in the acute phase of development, then when treating arthrosis of the shoulder joint, external fixation of the joint with an incision or an elastic bandage can be prescribed. This reduces the intensity of symptomatic manifestations. During this period, the use of a number of drugs is shown to eliminate the bright signs of pathology.
With a pronounced pain syndrome, drugs from the group of analgesics are usually prescribed. In addition, injections of corticosteroids into the joint cavity may be recommended. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are effective. They are used for long courses, because they help eliminate not only the inflammatory process, but also edema. They also reduce tension in the neck muscles.
With arthrosis, chondroprotectors are often used. These drugs help reduce the rate of destruction of cartilage tissue. Such funds are especially effective if a patient at the initial stage of its development was diagnosed with post-traumatic arthrosis of the shoulder joint. Often glucocorticosteroid hormonal drugs are introduced into the therapy regimen. These drugs are used to treat osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, which is associated with severe tissue inflammation. In addition, these drugs have a pronounced immunosuppressive and antiallergic effect. Therefore, if the question arises of how to cure arthrosis, which is accompanied by an autoimmune reaction, then one cannot do without such drugs.
To suppress arthrosis, drugs are selected by the doctor individually for each patient. This will give you the best effect. However, treating osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint with medication alone is not advisable in most cases. To eliminate the manifestations and prevent the exacerbation of this pathological condition, it is necessary to use physiotherapeutic methods, adhere to a diet and certain rules of conduct. The answer to the question of whether arthrosis of the shoulder joint can be cured is currently negative. With the right holistic approach, however, it is possible to achieve a significant improvement in the condition.
Physiotherapy to eliminate arthrosis of the shoulder joint
There are a number of procedures and exercises that can alleviate the condition of people suffering from this disease. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that physiotherapeutic manipulations must be agreed with the doctor, since under certain circumstances they can aggravate the course of such a pathology as arthrosis of the ACS. Often, treatment for DOA of the right shoulder joint includes:
- massage course;
- paraffin therapy;
- exercise therapy;
- UHF;
- hydrogen sulfide and radon baths;
- exposure to ultrasound;
- electrophoresis;
- magnetotherapy.
In addition, manual therapy can be recommended. How many sessions the osteopath should have depends largely on how quickly the DOA syndrome progresses. It often takes a long time to reach out to get a positive result. In most cases, a significant improvement can be achieved with osteopathic treatment and the joints stop creaking. To recover from this disease, you need to learn how to properly conduct a complex of exercise therapy. In order to maintain the normal functioning of the joint in the future, it is necessary to perform such exercises for the rest of your life.
Both with damage to the knee joint and with a violation of the integrity of the scapula joint, therapeutic exercises are first learned under the supervision of a physiotherapist. This will avoid overloading the joint while strengthening the muscles that act as a frame. Such damage in the region of the clavicle and shoulder-shoulder joint stays with the patient forever, but their manifestations are effectively treated with an integrated approach.
Diet therapy to alleviate the manifestation of the disease
Equally important is proper nutrition for arthritis. It should be aimed at reducing body weight. At the same time, it is very important that the products included in the daily diet fully meet the body's needs for proteins, vitamins and minerals. Diet for osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint should be aimed at reducing the amount of salt consumed. When choosing foods that can be eaten, you must take into account the doctor's recommendations.
With a deformed shoulder, it is recommended to include dishes with a lot of collagen in the diet. These include jellies, jellies, and strong bone broths. In such diseases of the musculoskeletal system, it is desirable to increase the consumption of high-fat dairy products, as they contain a high content of calcium, which is necessary for the repair of damaged cartilage tissue.
In the presence of such a disease as shoulder arthrosis, it is imperative to include in the diet oatmeal, buckwheat and barley porridge. Diet for osteoarthritis has certain limitations. Products made from white flour and sweets should be discarded. The diet for this pathology involves the use of a large number of vegetables and fruits. These products help to accelerate metabolic processes and are characterized by an increased content of vitamins and minerals. Their use helps to quickly cope even with such a disease as deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. When planning meals for arthrosis, semi-finished products, canned goods and marinades should be completely abandoned.
Vegetables and meat should be stewed or stewed. It is also allowed to bake dishes in the oven. To suppress arthrosis of the clavicle, as well as coxarthrosis, it is very important to get used to eating food in small portions. Systematic overeating contributes to an increase in body weight and negatively affects the speed of metabolic processes.
Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
Surgical intervention is usually prescribed at stage 3 of the development of the pathological process, and additionally, when the disease is rapidly progressing and cannot be suppressed by conservative methods. Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint can be used in the presence of a severe deformity. In this situation, the installation of an endoprosthesis is indicated, the damaged joint elements are replaced with artificial ones.
This is the only way to suppress the disease when the joint is too deformed, which impairs the mobility of the hand.
Proper surgical intervention, and then a rehabilitation course, allows you to bring a person back to normal life.
If the deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint was treated without complications, the patient can long forget about pain and discomfort, raise his arm and perform other movements with it. Modern endoprostheses consist of high-strength polymers and titanium. They are characterized by a long service life.
Folk remedies for osteoarthritis of the shoulder
Various recipes based on herbs and other natural ingredients can be used only as an additional method of exposure and after consulting the attending physician about the appropriateness of such therapy. When the problem arises, how to treat arthrosis of the shoulder joint with folk remedies, they often use a mixture of propolis and pork fat. To prepare this composition, these components must be taken in equal proportions. In order for them to mix well, they must first be melted in a water bath. The resulting composition should be rubbed into the affected area.
To eliminate inflammation and painful manifestations, it is necessary to take a decoction of corn stigmas. To prepare it, you need to take about 2-3 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials and brew with boiling water. It is required to insist the remedy for 5-10 minutes. Before each meal you need to take 1 tbsp. l. Liquids. The course of treatment can be continued until the acute symptoms of joint damage disappear.
Herbal baths can have a certain positive effect. To prepare them, you need to add a cool decoction of medicinal plants such as chamomile, burdock and nettle to hot water. After the procedure, be sure to rub with a dry towel.
In addition, oatmeal compresses can eliminate acute manifestations of deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint. First, this herbal product should be brewed and removed to infuse for 15-20 minutes. The finished product must be laid out on gauze folded several times and fixed on the shoulder with a bandage and adhesive tape. It is necessary to hold the compress all night.
In folk medicine, burdock leaves are often used to eliminate the manifestations of this disease. They need to be attached to the shoulder blade and left overnight. The duration of treatment with this agent is about 2 weeks.