Well-known to many people, mostly the elderly, are joint pains. They are caused by malnutrition, physical inactivity, stress, heavy physical exertion and other factors.
Quite often, in the elderly and in a small percentage of young people, osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint occurs - a chronic ailment that causes serious deformations of the cartilage, as well as the tissues adjacent to it, and bones. It has a progressive type, and symptoms may not appear for years, and then sharply worsen.
The most common symptoms are pain in the shoulders after a long stay at low temperatures, as well as after lifting heavy objects.
Do not self-medicate. At the first sign of illness, consult a doctor.
Causes
Deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint occurs due to the process of inflammation that develops in the joints of the hands. Among the main causes of the onset and development of the disease are:
- injuries (dislocations, bruises, fractures);
- excessive physical activity (tennis players, basketball players);
- malnutrition;
- the presence of bad habits;
- infection in the joint cup.
Arthrosis of the shoulder joint is accompanied by the process of inflammation. As a result, the cartilage tissue loses its properties and becomes thinner. Also, the disease in advanced cases contributes to the deformation and even destruction of cartilage tissue, its ingrowth into the bone structure.
Signs of illness
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint usually begins to appear in people over 45 years of age, as this is associated with age-related changes in the body. An important role in the symptoms is played by what profession a person belongs to, what lifestyle he adheres to. Synovial fluid deficiency is one of the main causes of cartilage destruction.
The symptoms of the disease can manifest themselves in different ways: usually at first there is a slight discomfort or aching pain in the shoulder if it takes a certain position. Pain when taking another position usually subsides or disappears, however, if the patient does not consult a doctor to treat the initial symptoms, the disease will progress. The nature of the pain that a person feels with arthrosis is aching. Sometimes they are felt in the back, elbows or throughout the arm (in the first and second degree, then they increase).
The intensity of discomfort can be exacerbated by changing weather conditions or the presence of constant physical exertion. The disease in the initial degree will not bother the patient when the shoulder is at rest. Later, there is a limitation in the number of movements of the joint, which the patient consciously sets. At this time, the cartilage of the joints is destroyed, bone processes (osteophytes) grow, which greatly complicates movement. In the last degree of the disease, the patient can raise his arm no higher than 90 degrees, as the cartilage fuses into a bone formation, making it impossible to move the arm.
Degrees of the disease
There are 4 degrees of this disease:
- Grade 1 is characterized by minor damage to cartilage tissue. The patient may sometimes experience unpleasant pain after holding the shoulder for a long time in one position or lifting heavy objects. At this stage, special exercises and diet can treat emerging symptoms and prevent further stages;
- Grade 2 is characterized by the occurrence of osteophytes, as well as narrowing of the joint space (displayed on an x-ray). Pain in this case are more frequent and acute;
- Grade 3 causes a decrease in the number of hand movements. The x-ray shows the minimum size of the opening between the shoulder joints. The patient constantly feels aching pains that do not go away at rest;
- Grade 4 occurs if the patient did not turn to a specialist in time. At the same time, the fusion of cartilage and bone processes is detected, which makes it impossible to move the hand.
Treatment
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint has several options, depending on the severity of the disease:
- prosthetic surgery;
- medication treatment;
- physiotherapy;
- medical and physical culture complex (LFK);
- traditional medicine;
- diet.
At an early stage of development, the disease can be successfully treated with steroid and non-steroidal medications, as well as drugs that relieve vascular and muscle spasms. The drugs help the patient relieve pain, and also restore damaged cartilage tissue.
If the patient goes to the doctor in time, he can prescribe him a therapeutic form of gymnastics. It helps increase joint mobility. At the initial stage, sometimes it is enough to perform the exercises prescribed by a specialist, and then there is no need for surgery or taking a large amount of medication.
The so-called surgical treatment methods are prescribed by a doctor if conservative methods (gymnastics, medicines) have not helped. The most famous method by which deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint can be cured is arthroplasty. At the same time, the collapsing joint will be replaced by a modern prosthesis, which is designed to perform all the functions of the shoulder joint. Prostheses are designed for several years of work. Surgical intervention is used at the last stage of the development of the disease, when it makes no sense to treat by other methods.
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint with folk remedies, in principle, is not prohibited, but your doctor must approve it. It must also be compatible with other medications. But do not neglect gymnastics and other exercises. Exercise therapy can be carried out in the remission phase, and exacerbation excludes the possibility of any exercise. Wherever the patient finds the exercises, before proceeding with them, he must show them to his doctor, who will confirm or deny their health benefits and treatment. Also contraindications for treatment with gymnastics are fever, lung disease, heart disease and other diseases.
Some of the most effective exercises are:
- in the initial position, the patient's legs are shoulder-width apart, the left arm rises and bends at the elbow joint so that its fingers touch the left shoulder blade. The elbow of the hand should look up. The same procedure is repeated with the right hand. In total, the exercise should be repeated 4 times;
- in the initial position, the patient's legs are shoulder-width apart, arms along the body. To begin with, the right hand is placed on the opposite shoulder and vice versa. Thus, a person hugs himself in the shoulders. At the same time, the elbows are kept at the highest possible height, and the fingers of the person should reach for the shoulder blades. This exercise is performed 8 times.
Diet
Shoulder arthrosis treatment is quite extensive. This also includes a diet, because sometimes being overweight provokes a large load on the joints. Statistics says that the diet helps to significantly alleviate the manifestations of arthrosis, as it helps to reduce the weight of the patient. In addition to overcoming excess weight, the diet should also take into account the need to provide the body with the substances necessary to restore and maintain cartilage elasticity.
Experts, in order to cure deforming arthrosis of the shoulder joint, recommend including slow carbohydrates in the diet, replacing them with fast ones. This means that flour products can be eaten, but products made from white flour (wheat, corn) should be abandoned in favor of products made from rye, oatmeal or buckwheat flour. On a diet, you should eat enough cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, pearl barley), which will give strength and energy, and will nourish cartilage and bones with essential trace elements.
As for the use of meat in a diet, chicken, rabbit and other low-calorie meats should be present in the diet. At the same time, high-calorie pork and lamb should be abandoned. Meat and vegetables should be steamed, boiled or stewed, but not fried. You also need to pay attention to plants of the legume family, as a source of vegetable protein. Another diet tip would be to use unrefined oil instead of refined oil. Aspic from meat and fish will help restore cartilage and promote their development.