Shoulder disease isArthropathy, which is characterized by the degeneration, wear and tear of cartilage and adjacent bone tissue. This condition is also known as capsular adhesions, polyarthropathy of the scapula, frozen shoulder.
The disease belongs to the category of chronic and progressive. At first, the disease often develops without the patient noticing. At this time, the diagnosis can only be made by taking X-rays. Then comes the first mild symptoms: pain when trying to put a spoon in your mouth, for example. Symptoms worsen, followed by severe or complete limitation of mobility in the affected arm. A person's quality of life declines and sleep deteriorates because it is nearly impossible to choose a location for pain relief.
There are two main manifestations of this disease. The first is pain (observed first during exercise and later at rest). The second manifestation is muscle restriction (contracture). For example, the patient cannot raise or retract the arm.
Cartilage problems occur in many people. According to statistics, 7% of the population is diagnosed with arthropathy. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder is less dangerous than hip joints, etc. , but the consequences are still frightening. We're talking about complete immobility of the hand, which is a catastrophic inconvenience in everyday life and not suitable for most types of work.
The danger of this disease is that the damage it causes cannot be corrected. It is important to recognize arthropathy in the early stages of development, so start monitoring your shoulder carefully if the slightest discomfort occurs.
For the first time, pain that has already occurred can be tried with medication. For example, clumsy movements, weight lifting, or sports may cause pain. If the pain does not go away after 3-4 days, see your doctor. You can test the flexibility of the joints first: do an apron-like movement (put your hands behind your back). If you experience pain at the same time, you should never delay seeing your doctor. Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a "latent" disease that can only be stopped in time with vigilance.
Causes of shoulder osteoarthritis
- Natural wear and tear of cartilage. The high-risk group consists of people over the age of 50, but joint conditions after age 40 deserve special attention. At this age, it's better to lighten their load.
- Hurt. The degradation process of cartilage and bone tissue can cause mechanical damage. It can be not only one serious injury, but also several microtraumas, which occur in athletes, for example.
- Do an exercise that puts a lot of stress on the shoulder joint. We're talking about tennis, rowing, swimming, handball, volleyball.
- Shoulder circulation disorders. It can be caused by disease, genetic factors or trauma.
- Work related to weight transfer. Arthropathy develops due to constant tension in the muscles of the shoulder joint.
- Rheumatoid polyarthritis, although uncommon, can still lead to the development of shoulder arthropathy.
- Autoimmune disease.
- endocrine system diseases.
- Some metabolic diseases, gout, etc.
- Genetic susceptibility. If there is a case of shoulder osteoarthritis in the family, a person needs to limit the load on the joint and get checked by a specialist.
Developmental stages of shoulder joint disease
- The first stage. Joints may occasionally burst. Pain occurs in the morning and evening. Pain occurs when the weather is bad. Discomfort during movement is present, but after the hand "grows" everything goes back to normal.
- second stage. The mobility of the hand is significantly reduced. At this stage, a person begins to "adapt" to his movements to accommodate existing inconveniences: for example, when putting on a jacket, one must avoid throwing strong arms behind the back when putting on a jacket. Symptoms in the first stage are exacerbated.
- The third phase. The joint is completely immobilized. The range of hand movements is limited to a few degrees. Pain is constantly felt. Due to the immobility of the joint, the muscles of the shoulder girdle begin to atrophy.
- Fourth stage. The hands are completely motionless. The joints stiffen and the bones grow together because there is no cartilage between them. The pain is intense. It is not always removed by pain relievers.
Already in the second stage, the symptoms of the disease are clearly visible, so the disease rarely reaches the third and fourth stages. This can happen if the patient ignores the problem entirely or tries to get rid of it with the help of self-medication. Shoulder joint disease is a complex disease that only a doctor can eliminate.
Frozen shoulder symptoms
- Pain when resting or exercising.
- Feeling uncomfortable in changing weather conditions.
- Pain after prolonged exercise that lasts a day or more.
- crunch.
- Stiffness of movement caused by pain.
- Swelling in the joint area.
- A feeling of increased temperature in the area (a sign of an inflammatory process).
- Sleep problems caused by not being able to lie on the painful side for long periods of time.
Symptoms vary from patient to patient. Much depends on the cause of the disease and its course. We talked about the main signs that the idea of seeing a doctor should be brought up in the first place: these are pain and stiffness. If you notice these symptoms, you should definitely see a specialist. Intervention by a doctor with such severe symptoms is required, even if it is not arthropathy, but something else.
Diagnosis of shoulder osteoarthritis
Diagnosis begins with taking a medical history. The patient informs the specialist of the symptoms and when the signs of the disease first appeared. The patient needs to remember if the discomfort was preceded by an injury, bruise, dislocation.
Next, the doctor performs a visual inspection of the affected area. At this stage, swelling and other visible manifestations of the shoulder joint can be identified. To assess the mobility of the joints, doctors ask patients to perform primitive tests. For example, put your hand on the lock behind you. It is very likely that the disease has "manifested" at this stage.
Experts use hardware diagnostic methods.
- radiography. Confirm or refute the diagnosis. Allows you to determine the localization of lesions, the inflammatory process. Provides information about the distance between the bones: if they are too close to each other, the cartilage has started to wear down.
- nuclear magnetic resonance. Provides information on tendon and cartilage conditions.
- CT scan. Provides a 3D X-ray of the examined area, allowing you to assess the overall situation.
Modern diagnostic methods not only identify arthropathy of the shoulder joint, but also provide information on the stage of the disease and its course. This allows doctors to design therapy accurately.
Treatment of Shoulder Osteoarthritis
The main task is to stop the progression of the disease, improve the range of motion of the joints, reduce pain and improve the patient's quality of life. Consider the methods doctors use to treat osteoarthritis of the shoulder.
- drug. Pain relievers are used to relieve pain. Medications to improve circulation are also used (if necessary).
- Gentle driving mode.
- diet.
- massage. Metamerism (point) massage is particularly effective.
- Metamerism. Designed by Vladimir Andreevich Bersenev. It means effects on affected neurons and ultimately on affected joints. The main procedure is a metameric injection into the affected area. They stop the process of degeneration and destruction and improve joint mobility.
As in the case of knee or hip arthropathy, treatment is only effective if it is tailored to the patient's individual characteristics, symptoms and disease stage. There is no template that works in all cases.
in conclusion
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is a complex disease, but with prompt treatment, the prognosis is good. If you find yourself with the above symptoms, don't put off seeing a specialist. Every day of delay complicates the treatment process and worsens the prognosis. Contact a specialized medical center, where your doctor will develop an individual treatment plan to help overcome this disorder.