Arthritis of the shoulder joint is a destructive degenerative disease that causes the destruction of cartilage 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. Here plays a role as a sedentary lifestyle, and excessive physical exertion, which damage the joints of the human body as a whole.
How to treat shoulder arthritis, we learn from this article.
The causes of the pathological process
Arthritis of this joint can be attributed to polyethiological pathologies, which means that there are many reasons for the development of this disease.
Nevertheless, there are several specific factors that can provoke the appearance of a similar pathology in a person. These include:
- Infectious diseases. Shoulder arthritis can occur as complications of these diseases, and it often happens that the main pathology is not healed and the joint bag becomes the focus of inflammation.
- Injuries or injuries. They are the most common cause that leads to post-traumatic arthritis of the shoulder joint. A variety of fractures, bruises, or dislocations can cause the disease. Mechanical effects on the shoulder joint lead to disturbances in its blood supply, destruction of cartilage, as well as bone tissue. The disease can develop immediately or after a certain period of time after injury.
- Old age, when the natural wear of cartilage and bone tissue occurs in the human body, and against the background of a decrease in the tone of the body, the formation of degenerative processes occurs. The main part of patients diagnosed with arthrosis and arthritis of the shoulder joint are elderly people.
- Hard physical labor and sports. For example, movers and weightlifting athletes are the most common category of people with this condition. The first symptoms of pathology are detected, as a rule, already a few years after classes associated with weight lifting.
- Bad habits that greatly weaken the immune system. In addition, the natural metabolism is disrupted, and there is a violation in the functioning of blood vessels. For example, prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to a variety of necrosis and mutations in the cells of the body.
- Irregular and poor quality nutrition. In cases where the body does not receive a sufficient amount of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates, all sorts of pathological changes begin to occur in it, which lead to the occurrence of diseases, including the destruction of joints.
Right and Left 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 is 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-handed people. The symptomatology of the disease is very pronounced and appears already in the early stages of the development of the pathological process. Nevertheless, these manifestations may be weak, but if you seek medical help at this stage, the disease is easily treatable.
Symptoms of Shoulder Arthritis
A common symptom characteristic of all types of arthritis is severe pain, which provides the patient with constant discomfort. The pain gradually increases and begins to impede 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 limb mobility when it is difficult for a patient to lift it. Even light movements can in this case be accompanied by a specific crunch in the area of a given joint.
- Deterioration of general condition, manifestations of chronic weakness.
- An increase in temperature, 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.
- The disease, which proceeds in an acute form, makes itself felt in the form of sharp pain attacks. The chronic form, as a rule, is asymptomatic.
Now we know the symptoms. We will consider the treatment of arthritis of the shoulder joint a little later.
Stages of the disease
When analyzing the manifestations of the disease, its stage must also be taken into account. In total, there are three main degrees of arthritis:
- The first stage, which is characterized by aching pains that increase with physical exertion and subside at rest. Pain syndrome and its intensity often depend on the time of day and atmospheric pressure drops.
- The second stage of the disease is characterized by the constancy of pain in the shoulder joint, the occurrence of which no longer depends on external factors. A persistent feeling of stiffness develops, clicking sounds are possible when performing movements with a limb.
- The third stage, when degenerative changes in the shoulder joint become irreversible and the 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 prescribe optimal methods of its therapy.
When making a diagnosis, as a rule, the following diagnostic procedures are 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. Patient complaints also provide some information about the causes of arthritis and its timing. Important information will also be related to the patient’s lifestyle: the sport he is involved in, or the physical activities that the patient may experience in the course of his work.
- Roentgenography. This study will also help a specialist determine the nature of the changes that have occurred in the area of the diseased shoulder joint.
- Laboratory tests of blood and urine that help 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 an x-ray of the shoulder joint does not give accurate results for determining pathological deformations in the joint.
Based on all the data obtained during the diagnosis, the patient can be given an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment is prescribed.
Treatment of the pathological process
Shoulder arthritis should be managed by an experienced specialist. Drug therapy is selected depending on what 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 plays an important role here.
In medical practice, it is customary to apply the following methods of treatment of shoulder arthritis.
Shoulder fixation
In the process of inflammation, the joint tissue becomes very loose, and even minor loads can lead to serious deformation of the articular cartilage. During the acute period, the patient must wear a special shoulder brace. A variety of fixative will help you choose a qualified orthopedic surgeon.
Medicines
NSAIDs are special medications that have a double effect on the patient's body. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs significantly reduce the manifestations of pain, as well as reduce swelling in the shoulder joint. Anti-inflammatory drugs for moderate pain are usually prescribed in pill form. In cases where they do not give a positive effect, the use of medications for intramuscular administration and lidocaine blockade may be recommended.
Chondroprotectors are medicines 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, such medications can be prescribed as a prophylaxis of arthritis after inflammatory processes in the joints.
Vasodilator drugs for arthritis of the shoulder joint. The lack of movement associated with the occurrence of pathological swelling of the pain area gradually leads to atrophy of muscle tissue. As a result of this, the shoulder joint, which does not have blood vessels and feeds on the surrounding tissues, begins to experience an acute shortage of oxygen, vitamins and minerals. In this regard, vasodilator drugs can be prescribed to the patient, which contribute to the activation of blood circulation in the area of the diseased joint and the synthesis of the substances it needs. What else is used to treat arthritis of the shoulder joint?
Physiotherapy and Homeopathy
Physiotherapeutic procedures that can significantly reduce the rehabilitation period of a patient who is diagnosed with arthritis of the shoulder joint. Ultrasound and paraffin heating, magnetotherapy, etc. are used as traditional methods of physiotherapy. A good effect can also be achieved by means of manual therapy and massage.
Homeopathic preparations, which are usually aimed at restoring the optimal metabolism in the body and eliminating the factors that provoke the onset of the inflammatory process in the shoulder joint.
These are the drugs used to treat arthritis of the shoulder joint.
Surgical treatments
If non-invasive methods for the treatment of shoulder arthritis were ineffective, specialists offer patients the use of a variety of surgical procedures. The most common surgical methods for solving problems with brachial arthritis are the following:
- Interpositional plastic surgery of the shoulder joint, which is used, as a rule, to eliminate the severe effects of arthritis.
- Capsule release.
- Arthroscopic surgery.
- Corrective osteotomy.
- Arthroplasty.
- Hemiartroplasty.
In cases where the degree of pathological damage to the shoulder joint is small, only some parts of the humerus can be replaced, however, if the pathological process has affected most of the joint, then in such situations it must be completely replaced.
Shoulder arthritis treatment at home
Traditional methods of treating an ailment include:
- Compresses made from natural ingredients with an analgesic and sedative effect (cabbage with honey, salt lotions, fresh chopped onions).
- Rubbing with alcohol tinctures (lemongrass, peppermint, wild rose, lavender and elecampane).
- Pork fat and propolis ointment.
- Baths of pine needles, eucalyptus and aloe juice, with a decoction of a string and oak bark.