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 osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, the cartilaginous tissue of the head of the humerus and the articular cavity of the scapula that articulates with it are affected.Damage and weakening of cartilage tissue causes changes and deformations of bone structures.
Causes of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint.
The most common causes of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint are increased load on the shoulder joint and previous injuries: intra-articular fractures, dislocations, hematomas.The development of osteoarthritis can be favored by vascular diseases and a sedentary lifestyle, which alter the normal nutrition of the joint.
Sometimes osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint develops as a result of concomitant diseases: psoriasis, gout, infectious arthritis and others.
Symptoms of shoulder osteoarthritis.
The development of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint can take a long time.In the early stages, the disease usually does not manifest itself.But, at a certain point, the first symptoms still appear.As a rule, they occur 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 throughout the arm.When performing movements in the joint, a clicking or crackling sound is often heard.
At first, the pain is felt only when moving, but in the later stages of osteoarthritis it bothers even at rest.During exacerbations of the disease and in the later stages of osteoarthritis, the patient is also unable to freely rotate or abduct the arm.The last stage of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint leads to the patient's disability: the joint is greatly deformed and practically immobile.A person has to keep their hand in a forced position, which is less painful.However, this stage is rare.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint can be carried out using conservative or surgical methods.
Conservative treatment involves 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 relieve inflammation.Corticosteroids, used as injections into the affected area, help combat severe inflammation.For osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, ointments and gels are also often used.
Special orthoses are also used to immobilize the shoulder joint and a gentle regime.If you continue to load the shoulder girdle, you cannot stop the development of osteoarthritis in the early stages.Important aspects of treatment are physiotherapy, massage and physical therapy.
Surgical treatment of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is performed infrequently due to the low prevalence of advanced forms of osteoarthritis.It consists of replacing the shoulder joint and the adjacent shoulder blade joint with a prosthesis.