Compared to arthrosis of the hip or knees, classic arthrosis of the shoulder joint is quite rare, but the symptoms of this disease can cause great discomfort to the patient, therefore it requires comprehensive treatment.Shoulder osteoarthritis (oarthrosis) is most often diagnosed in patients over fifty years of age.Its development is associated with the deterioration in the quality of the cartilaginous tissue covering the surfaces of the joints.Cartilage plays the role of shock absorber;It is thanks to him that the individual bone components slide perfectly within the shoulder joint.When the cartilage becomes thinner and its integrity is compromised, the bones in the joint begin to come into contact with each other.This is a painful process that leads to limited joint mobility.The progression of the disease provokes the formation of osteophytes - abnormal growth of bone tissue at the edges of the shoulder joint.
Causes of the development of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
In the vast majority of cases, osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint develops with age due to natural wear and tear on the joint.After all, this part of the body is a very complex structure;if it is regularly subjected to severe stress, the likelihood of pathological changes increases.
There are cases when arthrosis of the shoulder joint occurred in younger people.A similar situation is possible if the cartilaginous tissue was damaged in an accident (forceful fall, traffic accident, etc.).If a person does not receive adequate treatment after an injury, the cartilage is not used correctly and this can lead to osteoarthritis.
Sometimes loss of cartilaginous tissue in the shoulder joint is the result of systemic diseases, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.
Symptoms
There are several typical symptoms of shoulder osteoarthritis.Among them:
- shoulder pain, especially when starting to move;
- morning stiffness, as well as limited movement after prolonged “inactivity”;
- popping, clicking or rubbing sensation in the shoulder joint during movement;
- limited mobility of the shoulder joint, which is progressive.
Sometimes pain due to osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint occurs only after prolonged stress on this area.The intensity of the symptoms of the disease, as well as their combination with each other, may differ in different patients.However, pain, as a rule, remains a stable symptom of the disease.
If you ignore the unpleasant symptoms, your arm will hurt even more and the disease will progress.The joint cavity will shrink to a minimum and the inflammatory process will begin.In such a situation, the patient will be bothered by more obvious symptoms of the disease:
- joint swelling;
- intense and continuous pain;
- forced restriction of movements (up to complete immobility of the joint).
A long course of the disease can lead to muscle atrophy due to refusal from usual activities.In such a situation, only surgery will help to cope with the disease.
Treatment
Unfortunately, the wear of cartilaginous tissue is an irreversible process.If osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is at an early stage of development, the symptoms are transient and mild, conservative treatment aimed at restoring the functions of the joint is recommended for the patient with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint.Typically, therapy includes:
- limit activity and cool the joint until the inflammation is eliminated;
- the use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to relieve pain and inflammation;
- use of hormonal drugs for intra-articular administration (if the above drugs do not have the expected effect).
After suppressing the inflammatory process, osteoarthritis treatment usually includes:
- massages;
- regular gymnastics (physiotherapy);
- physiotherapeutic procedures (shock wave therapy, laser therapy, myostimulation, phonophoresis, ozone therapy, etc.).
In addition, patients with arthrosis of the shoulder joint are often prescribed medications designed to stimulate the restoration of cartilaginous tissue.These are chondroprotective drugs.
Modern methods of conservative treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint
To treat destructive processes in the cartilage joint, doctors can use several new techniques.
Autoplasmotherapy
With this intervention, the patient receives their own platelet-rich plasma.It is believed that the growth factors present in platelets are capable of stimulating the activity of fibroblasts - the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin.Thanks to this process, a new intercellular matrix is built and small blood vessels grow, which, in turn, helps to restore metabolism, activate local immunity, improve microcirculation and normalize tissue respiration.According to doctors, autoplasmatherapy allows you to start the full functioning of the synovial membrane of the joint, reduce the intensity of pain and increase the range of motion of the joint.
Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections
The effectiveness of hyaluronic acid of non-animal origin in omarthrosis is still being studied by scientists worldwide.In 2019, an article was published by American experts (Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA), which described the results of a preliminary study of the effectiveness of this procedure.It has been established that hyaluronic acid can reduce the intensity of pain for more than six months and increase the range of motion of the affected joint.
When is surgery necessary?
If conservative treatment for osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint does not produce the expected results and the symptoms of the disease significantly interfere with the patient's quality of life, doctors may suggest surgery to restore activity to the affected area.Today, endoprosthesis – the installation of an artificial joint (bioprosthesis) – can solve this problem.This is a relatively new type of surgical intervention, which allows you to completely eliminate the problem of arthrosis: restore the function of the joint and the entire upper limb, neutralize painful sensations and preserve performance as much as possible.