Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a fairly common problem that many patients face, especially at an older age.Due to the development of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the cartilage tissue of the head of the humerus and the joint cavity of the scapula articulating with it are affected.Damage and weakening of cartilage tissue leads to changes and deformation of bone structures.
Causes of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
The most common causes of arthrosis of the shoulder joint are increased load on the shoulder joint and previous injuries: intra-articular fractures, dislocations, contusions.The development of arthrosis can be facilitated by vascular diseases and physical inactivity, which disturb the normal nutrition of the joint.
Sometimes arthrosis of the shoulder joint develops as a result of simultaneous diseases: psoriasis, gout, infectious arthritis and others.
Symptoms of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
The development of arthrosis of the shoulder joint can take a long time.In the first stages, the disease is usually not manifested.But at a certain point, the first symptoms still appear.They usually occur after increased load on the joint or hypothermia.
The main symptom is pain, which increases with movement of the shoulder joint.Discomfort can spread to the entire arm.A clicking or crunching sound is often heard during movements in the joint.
At first, the pain is felt only during movement, but in the later stages of arthrosis, it disturbs even at rest.When the disease worsens and in the later stages of arthrosis, the patient cannot freely rotate and abduct the arm.The last stage of arthrosis of the shoulder joint leads to the disability of the patient: the joint is greatly deformed and practically immobile.A person should hold their hands in a forced position, which is the least painful for them.However, this stage is a rare occurrence.
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Shoulder joint arthrosis can be treated with conservative or surgical methods.
Conservative treatment includes the appointment of chondroprotectors, which help restore cartilage tissue and stop its destruction.During exacerbations, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.Corticosteroids, which are injected into the affected area, help to control severe inflammation.Ointments and gels are often used in arthrosis of the shoulder joint.
Special orthoses are also used to immobilize the shoulder joint and provide a gentle regimen.If you continue to burden the shoulder girdle, the development of arthrosis cannot be stopped in the early stages.Important aspects of the treatment are physical therapy, massage and physiotherapy.
Surgical treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint is rarely performed due to the low prevalence of advanced forms of arthrosis.It consists of replacing the shoulder joint and the adjacent shoulder blade joint with a prosthesis.