Arthropathy of the shoulder joint

Shoulder arthropathy is a chronic condition in which the articular cartilage and adjacent bone tissue degrades, wears out and breaks down.If you treat this disease negligently and do not start treatment in time, the consequences can be quite disastrous, including the loss of motor functions of the hand.

Why does shoulder arthropathy develop?

The impetus for the development of shoulder arthropathy is inflammation in the joint.It can appear for several reasons:

• Injuries.Shoulder arthropathy can develop due to a previous shoulder injury or a constant, microtrauma to the shoulder typical of athletes.
• Vascular diseases.With vascular pathologies, blood circulation is usually impaired, which leads to insufficient blood supply to the joints.As a result, the synovial tissues undergo degenerative changes, i.e. arthropathy develops.
• Excessive load.This is often associated with the patients' work activities (loaders, builders).
• Hormonal or autoimmune disorders.They often significantly affect the tissues of the joints, having a destructive effect on them.These are diseases such as psoriasis, gout, etc.
• Heredity.It has been shown that children of parents with arthropathy of the shoulder joint are more prone to developing joint defects than others.This also includes people already born with joint defects.Both perceive the usual load placed on their hands as excessive, and therefore the cartilage wear process occurs much faster.
• Failures in metabolic processes and the endocrine system.Because of this, salts begin to accumulate in the joints and cartilage tissues stop receiving proper nutrition (phosphorus, calcium, etc.) and begin to deteriorate.
• Diseases of the joints.A condition for the development of joints can be joint pathologies such as arthritis, bone necrosis, arthritis, etc.
• Age.The elderly (50 and over) are particularly at risk, as joint tissues wear out with age, which in itself leads to the development of pathology.

Signs of shoulder joint

Arthropathy is characterized by long development, sometimes not manifesting in any way in the initial stages.Therefore, you should be very wary of the slightest symptomatic manifestations.Shoulder arthropathy is usually indicated by:

1. Pain is considered the main symptom of the disease.Pain often bothers patients in the morning.Pain syndromes are also more likely with sudden weather changes.If you subject your shoulder pain to any load, for example, lifting something heavy, then the pain will also remind you of itself.The patient feels pain even when feeling the shoulder.With the development of shoulder arthropathy, pain begins to appear even in a quiet position.This fact should be taken into account - with arthropathy of the shoulder joint, pain can appear not only in the affected joint, it can be located in the hand, elbow or back.
2. Motor dysfunction.Because of the pain, it becomes difficult for the patient to cope with seemingly simple tasks on his own, for example, combing his hair.By the way, this action is one of the test movements for the diagnosis of arthropathy.Rotational movements and attempts to move the arm backwards are also difficult.If treatment is not started in time, then gradually the shoulder joint and, consequently, the arm stops moving completely and contracture develops.
3. Painful tingling, grinding in the joint.It usually occurs due to salts deposited in the affected joint (osteophytes).Initially, a weak creaking sound appears in the affected joint.As the disease progresses, it turns into distinct crisp clicks, audible even at some distance from the patient.
4. Swelling, increased general temperature and redness at the site of the affected joint.These signs confirm the presence of inflammation in the affected joint.
5. Joint stiffness.This symptom occurs when the disease is advanced due to bony growths covering the joint.

You should not postpone a visit to the clinic if you suddenly start to feel pain in your shoulder, especially after a bruise or dislocation.Indeed, in the later stages, arthropathy is practically untreatable.Keep in mind that some patients may have no signs of the disease at all.

The symptoms of shoulder arthritis depending on the stage of the disease:

1. The first degree of shoulder arthrosis is characterized by morning and evening pains.The patient must "grow" the joint before it can move without stiffness.A sharp movement of the shoulder or arm is accompanied by a slight, still painless cracking sound.At rest no pain is observed.X-ray shows no significant changes in the joint.
2. Shoulder arthropathy in the second stage is accompanied by more intense pain and a clear cracking sound.The range of possible movements of the hand is reduced, but the joint is still mobile.The joint has already begun to collapse and deform.
3. The third degree is a serious, advanced stage of the disease.Patients can only move their arm slightly.sharp pain torments them constantly.The joint itself becomes inflamed and greatly deformed.There is even partial atrophy of the muscles around the shoulder joint.The joint can only be cured by surgery.Osteoarthritis rarely develops at this stage.It occurs only in patients who do not take care of the affected joint and subject it to unbearable overloads.
4. Stage four – complete destruction of the joint and fusion of the bones.Even strong painkillers do not relieve the pain syndrome.This stage occurs mainly in elderly patients.

Treatment of shoulder arthropathy

Medical treatment of shoulder arthritis is aimed, first of all, at destroying the source of the inflammatory process and pain.Usually, your doctor will prescribe NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).First of all, they stop inflammation and relieve pain.

Often, with severe inflammation, doctors resort to corticosteroids.These are anti-inflammatory drugs used to block joints.This procedure is an injection into the joint itself.This method is a non-invasive method of treatment, that is, neither the skin nor the mucous membranes are damaged.As a rule, it involves the use of ointments, gels, creams, etc.

Chondroprotectors are also prescribed for shoulder arthropathy - drugs that can restore damaged cartilage, based on hyaluronic acid, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.

In addition to drug therapy, exercise therapy, sanatorium therapy, massage and physiotherapy are also used.The latter refers to ultrasound treatment procedures, laser treatment, mud therapy, cryotherapy and magnetic therapy.Recently, the treatment of arthropathy with leeches (hirudotherapy) has become quite popular due to its effectiveness.Therapeutic gymnastic exercises, without overloading the joint, stimulate the muscles to the required degree, as a result of which the joint develops and recovers.

In addition, the patient is prescribed a therapeutic diet based on avoiding very spicy and salty foods.Doctors advise eating more foods that contain collagen: turkey, seafood, greens and salmon fish.

In cases where shoulder arthropathy has led to complete destruction of the articular cartilage, a surgical procedure called endoprosthetic is performed, in which a ceramic, plastic or metal prosthesis is implanted in the place of the affected joint.

Traditional medicine has also shown effectiveness in the fight against shoulder arthrosis.

Folk remedies are usually effective as an additional pain reliever.Remember, they are not able to restore the shoulder joint affected by arthropathy.This requires medical treatment under the guidance of a doctor.

Compresses

Boil the oatmeal (30 g) in two glasses of water for about 10 minutes.Soak a piece of gauze folded in several layers with the resulting solution and apply to the sore spots for at least half an hour.

A cabbage juice compress has been shown to be a good pain reliever.It is usually done every night, leaving it on the painful joint until morning.

You can simply apply cabbage leaves smeared with honey on the affected joint at night.

Rubbing

Infuse elecampane roots (50 g) with vodka (125 ml) for a few weeks.The mixture should be rubbed into painful joints.

Leave the angelica roots (15 g) for half an hour, pour boiling water over them.The strained solution should be rubbed into the affected areas 3-5 times a day.

Herbal baths

You can add various teas and herbal teas to a bath filled with water.Connoisseurs note the special effect of baths with infusions of mustard, hay powder, mint and burdock.Such baths should be done before the body is thoroughly steamed, and then, after rubbing the joints, the patient should lie down, covered with a warm blanket, so that the body retains the heat longer.

Ointments

To the regular petroleum jelly you need to add 15 grams of sweet clover, hops and St. John's wort.The resulting mixture should be regularly rubbed into the joint area.