Arthritis of the shoulder joint is a devastating degenerative disease that causes destruction of cartilage tissue and inflammation in the surrounding muscle structures. There are a huge number of diseases, the occurrence of which is due to the rhythm of human life. Both a sedentary lifestyle and excessive physical activity play a role here, which damage the joints of the human body as a whole.
How to treat shoulder arthritis, learn from this article.
Causes of the pathological process
Arthritis of this joint can be attributed to polyetiological pathologies, which means that there are many reasons for the development of this disease.
However, there are several specific factors that can provoke the occurrence of such a pathology in a person. These include:
- Infectious diseases. Shoulder-shoulder arthritis can occur as a complication of these diseases, and it often happens that the underlying pathology is notis cured to the end and the joint bag becomes the focus of inflammation.
- Injured or injured. They are the most common cause that leads to post-traumatic arthritis of the shoulder joint. The disease can cause a variety of fractures, bruises or dislocations. Mechanical effects on the shoulder joint lead to disturbances in its blood supply, destruction of cartilage and bone tissue. The disease can develop immediately or some time after the injury.
- Older age, when the natural wear of cartilage and bone tissue occurs in the human body, and against the background of a decrease in body tone, the formation of degeneration processes occurs. The majority of patients diagnosed with arthrosis and arthritis of the shoulder joint are elderly people.
- Hard physical labor and sports. For example, loaders and athletes involved in weightlifting are the most common category of people suffering from a similar disease. The first symptoms of pathology are detected, as a rule, already a few years after classes associated with lifting a lot of weight.
- Bad habits that greatly weaken the immune system. In addition, the natural metabolism is disturbed, and there is a violation in the work of blood vessels. For example, long-term alcohol abuse can lead to a variety of necrosis and mutations in the cells of the body.
- Irregular and poor quality food. In cases where the body does not receive enough vitamins, proteins andcarbohydrates, all kinds of pathological changes begin to occur in it, which lead to the occurrence of diseases, including the destruction of the joints.
Right-sided and left-sided arthritis
The most common clinical case is the development of arthritis of the right shoulder joint, and there is a logical explanation for this phenomenon. Due to the fact that the main physical load falls on the right hand, its shoulder joint is destroyed much faster. Arthritis of the left shoulder joint is much less common, and this phenomenon is observed mainly in left-handers. The symptomatology of the disease is very pronounced and appears already in the early stages of the development of the pathological process. However, these manifestations may be mild, but if you seek medical help at this stage, the disease is easily treatable.
Shoulder Arthritis Symptoms
A common symptom, characteristic of all types of arthritis, is severe pain that provides the patient with constant discomfort. The pain gradually increases and begins to interfere with the movements of the hand.
There are also other signs that suggest the development of arthritis of the shoulder joint. These include:
- A sharp reduction in the mobility of a limb when it is difficult for the patient to lift it. Even light movements can in this case be accompanied by a specific crunch in the area of \u200b\u200bthis joint.
- Deterioration of general condition, manifestations of chronic weakness.
- Increasetemperature, most often - to subfebrile marks.
- The occurrence of swelling in the area of the diseased joint. This phenomenon is especially characteristic of such a pathology as rheumatoid arthritis.
- A disease that occurs in an acute form, makes itself felt in the form of sharp pain attacks. The chronic form is usually asymptomatic.
Now we know the symptoms. Shoulder arthritis treatment will be discussed later.
Stages of disease
When analyzing the manifestations of a disease, its stage should also be taken into account. In total, there are three main degrees of development of arthritis:
- The first stage, which is characterized by aching pains that increase with physical exertion and subside at rest. The pain syndrome and its intensity often depend on the time of day and changes in atmospheric pressure.
- The second stage of the disease is characterized by persistent pain in the area of the shoulder joint, the occurrence of which no longer depends on external factors. A persistent feeling of stiffness develops, clicking sounds are possible when moving the limb.
- The third stage, when degenerative changes in the shoulder joint become irreversible and development of shoulder deformities is observed.
Diagnostic Methods
Comprehensive diagnosis of arthritis of the shoulder joint is necessary in order to reliably establish the stage of the current pathology and prescribethe best methods of her therapy.
When making a diagnosis, the following diagnostic procedures are generally used:
- Examination by a doctor. At the same time, the appearance of the shoulder joint and the level of pain help to establish the stage of progression of the pathological process. The patient's complaints also provide some information about the causes of arthritis and its timing. Important information will also be that regarding the lifestyle of the patient: the type of sport he is engaged in, or the physical exertion that the patient may experience in the course of his work.
- X-ray. This study will also help the specialist determine the nature of the changes that have occurred in the area of the diseased shoulder joint.
- Laboratory tests of blood and urine, which help to establish the presence of inflammatory processes in the body or any foci of infection.
- Examination by specialized doctors. The patient must undergo an examination of the cardiovascular and endocrine system, gastrointestinal tract, etc.
- Magnetic resonance imaging. This method is used only in cases where the X-ray of the shoulder joint does not give accurate results for determining pathological deformities in the joint.
Based on all the data obtained during the diagnosis, the patient can be accurately diagnosed and adequately treated.
Treatment of pathological process
Treatment of arthritis of the shoulder joint should be under the guidance of an experienced specialist. Medical therapy is selected independing on which form of the disease is diagnosed in each case. In addition, the stage of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathologies and side effects from the body on the components of drugs prescribed as therapy play an important role here.
In medical practice, it is customary to use the following methods of treating arthritis of the shoulder joint.
Shoulder fixation
In the process of inflammation, the articular tissue becomes very loose, and even minor loads can lead to serious deformities of the articular cartilage. During the acute period, the patient must wear a special shoulder brace. A variety of retainer will help you choose a qualified orthopedist.
Medicines
NSAIDs are special medications that have a dual effect on the patient's body. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs significantly reduce the manifestations of pain, and also reduce swelling in the shoulder joint. Anti-inflammatory drugs for moderate pain syndrome are prescribed, as a rule, in the form of tablets. In cases where they do not give a positive effect, the use of drugs for intramuscular injection and lidocaine blockades may be recommended.
Chondroprotectors are drugs that, in the early stages of the disease, with prolonged use, are able to completely restore the structural characteristics of cartilage tissue. In some cases, these drugs maybe prescribed as a prophylaxis for arthritis after inflammatory processes in the joints.
Vasodilator drugs for arthritis of the shoulder joint. The lack of movements associated with the occurrence of pathological swelling of the painful area gradually leads to atrophy of muscle tissue. As a result, the shoulder joint, which does not have blood vessels and is fed by surrounding tissues, begins to experience an acute shortage of oxygen, vitamins and minerals. In this regard, the patient can be prescribed vasodilating drugs that help to activate blood circulation in the area of the diseased joint and the synthesis of the substances it needs. What else is used to treat shoulder arthritis?
Physiotherapy and Homeopathy
Physiotherapeutic procedures that can significantly reduce the rehabilitation period for a patient diagnosed with arthritis of the shoulder joint. As traditional methods of physiotherapy, ultrasonic and paraffin heating, magnetotherapy, etc. are used. A good effect can also be achieved with the help of manual therapy and massage.
Homeopathic preparations, which are usually aimed at restoring optimal metabolism in the body and eliminating factors that provoke the occurrence of an inflammatory process in the shoulder joint.
Here are the drugs used to treat arthritis of the shoulder joint.
Surgical treatments
If non-invasive methodstherapy for arthritis of the shoulder joint turned out to be ineffective, experts offer patients the use of a variety of surgical interventions. The most common surgical methods for solving a problem with shoulder arthritis are the following:
- Interpositional plasty of the shoulder joint, which is usually used to eliminate the severe consequences of arthritis.
- Casule release.
- Arthroscopic surgery.
- Corrective osteotomy.
- Arthroplasty.
- Hemiarthroplasty.
In cases where the degree of pathological damage to the shoulder joint is small, only some parts of the humerus can be replaced, but if the pathological process has affected a large part of the joint, then in such situations it must be completely replaced.
Treatment of arthritis of the shoulder joint at home
Folk methods of treating the disease include:
- Compresses with natural ingredients with analgesic and sedative effect (cabbage with honey, saline lotion, fresh minced onion).
- Rubbing with alcohol tinctures (lemongrass, peppermint, rosehip, lavender and elecampane).
- Ointment from pork fat and propolis.
- Baths of pine needles, eucalyptus and aloe juice, with decoction of string and oak bark.
