Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a fairly common problem that many patients face, especially in old age.As a result of the development of arthrosis of the shoulder joint, the cartilage tissue of the head of the humerus and the joint cavity of the scapula, which is connected to it, is 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 promoted by vascular diseases and lack of physical activity, which disrupt the normal nutrition of the joint.
Sometimes arthrosis of the shoulder joint develops as a consequence of concomitant diseases: psoriasis, gout, infectious arthritis, etc.
Symptoms of arthrosis of the shoulder
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.As a rule, they appear after increased load on the joint or hypothermia.
The main symptom is pain that increases with movement in the shoulder joint.Unpleasant sensations can spread over the entire hand.A clicking or crunching sound is often heard when making movements in the joint.
At first, the pain is felt only when moving, but in the later stages of arthrosis it bothers you even at rest.During an exacerbation of the disease and in the later stages of arthrosis, the patient also cannot freely rotate and abduct the arm.The last stage of arthrosis of the shoulder joint leads to damage to the patient: the joint is severely deformed and practically immobile.A person should keep his hand in a forced position that is least painful for him.However, this stage is a rare occurrence.
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint can be carried out by conservative or surgical methods.
Conservative treatment includes the appointment of chondroprotectors, which help restore cartilage tissue and stop its destruction.During exacerbations, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to relieve pain and relieve inflammation.Corticosteroids, which are used as injections into the affected area, help fight severe inflammation.With arthrosis of the shoulder joint, ointments and gels are often used.
Special orthoses are also used to immobilize the shoulder joint and gentle mode.If you continue to load the shoulder girdle, the development of arthrosis in the early stages cannot be stopped.Important aspects of treatment are physical therapy, massage and physiotherapy.
Surgical treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint is performed rarely due to the low prevalence of advanced forms of arthrosis.It consists in replacing the shoulder joint and the adjacent scapular joint with a prosthesis.