Throughout the life of the joints in our body are constantly exposed to stress. One of the most well-known diseases faced by both athletes and people engaged in heavy physical labor is arthrosis of the shoulder joint. In our article we will tell about the causes of its occurrence, symptoms, methods of treatment.
What is arthrosis, what are its causes
Osteoarthritis is a disease that is caused by changes in cartilage or bone tissue. As a rule, he has a progressive chronic course, as a result of which the cartilage becomes thinner even more, bone growths are formed.
In the absence of proper treatment over time, the joint can completely lose its mobility.
The main reason for the occurrence of arthrosis of the shoulder joint is the deterioration of the cartilage tissue supply, which may be caused by the following factors:
- Injuries, strong physical exertion.
- Inadequate nutrition.
- Metabolic disorders.
- Heredity.
It is important to note that the most common cause of osteoarthritis is injury. Even small and constantly repeated shoulder trauma can lead to this disease.
Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis
The disease first develops very slowly and practically does not manifest itself, but after a sharp overcooling or physical exertion it can very sharply remind of itself. This is due to the fact that there are no nerve endings and blood vessels in the cartilage, which is why the symptoms appear only when the pathology goes beyond its "limits".
The most well-known symptoms of this disease:
- Severe pain in the shoulder, which may increase with the abstraction of the arm.
- Pain on palpation of the clavicle or scapula.
- Swelling of the joint, its redness.
- A slight increase in body temperature.
- Crunch in the joints.
And the sooner you go to the doctor, having found these signs, the easier and faster the treatment will be.
How is the diagnosis and treatment of the disease
To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor prescribes a series of studies and tests. For example, a blood test is submitted on a mandatory basis, due to the results of which one can detect the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. It is also mandatory to conduct x-rays - with its help in the early stages you can detect the deformation of the joints. And to get the most accurate images, the doctor sends an MRI.
Treatment of arthrosis of the shoulder joint is carried out with the help of conservative treatment, and only in the absence of positive dynamics can surgical treatment be prescribed. First of all, the affected joint should be provided with maximum comfort and peace.
Drug treatment
The use of drugs is an integral part of the treatment of arthrosis of all forms and types. And to achieve the effect, drugs can be prescribed in any form: in the form of tablets, injections, ointments.
The first thing to do is to stop the attacks of pain, reduce inflammation, because only after that you can begin to restore the damaged cartilage. For these purposes, drugs of the following groups can be prescribed:
- Analgesics.
- NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory).
- Chondroprotectors.
The most popular and effective anti-inflammatory drugs are Diclofenac and Aceclofenac. Such funds are in the form of tablets or injections. Their main advantage is that they quickly relieve pain, eliminate inflammation. However, they prescribe such drugs in small courses.
To restore the cartilage tissue, prescribe drugs from the group of chondroprotectors. Most often, doctors prescribe drugs such as Don and Struktum.
They will help to restore cartilage tissue more quickly, since such materials contain the necessary "building materials" for this. It is worth noting that they can only help in mild cases, and the treatment itself is quite long - the first results will be noticeable at least three months after the start of treatment.
Ointment
Ointments reduce pain, stop inflammation. But their main advantage is that when they are applied, the stomach is not exposed to the harmful effects. The most effective drugs include:
- Voltaren;
- Quick Gel;
- cream is long.
Injections
If the replenishment is too strong, then an intra-articular block is prescribed: introduction of special hormonal preparations into the joint cavity, for example, Kenaloga. With their help, it is possible to stop inflammation as quickly as possible. However, due to a number of side effects, this technique is used very rarely.
Surgical intervention
If drug treatment has not brought results, prescribe surgery. In this case, the shoulder and scapula joint is replaced with a special prosthesis. This is the only option for a very advanced disease.
We carry out treatment at home
The use of traditional medicine is especially important in cases when combined with drug treatment. However, there is a very important point - you should first consult with your doctor.
In the treatment of osteoarthritis, the following recipes have proven themselves well:
- Take a ball of propolis weighing up to 3 g, chop it, mix with 50 g of pork fat. Apply the resulting ointment on the shoulder overnight.
- Take therapeutic baths with the addition of mustard, nettle, burdock infusions. The water temperature should be no more than +40 degrees.
- Make compresses on the legs on the basis of oatmeal. Take 30 g of flakes, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes. Apply the resulting mass on the sore spot for half an hour.
Gymnastics, massage against arthrosis, nutrition issues
After removing the pain and inflammation, recovery of the joint, you need to start developing the damaged area. To do this, you need to engage in physical therapy, and the exercises must pick up the attending physician. Also, do not immediately "lean" on their implementation: conduct gymnastics first for 2-3 minutes, gradually increasing the duration of classes to 20 minutes.
There is one very simple exercise, which is a simple hand swing. Just sit on a chair with your arm hanging - it should be in a relaxed state. Without bending the elbow, simply move the arm back and forth. Repeat this exercise 10 times for each hand.
You will also need to go for a massage, because it will help restore movement, accelerate the resorption of muscle seals.
It is also important to adhere to the correct diet, which is aimed at eliminating the factors that caused the metabolic disorder during this period. You should not starve, because in this case you will lose many of the vitamins and minerals that are required to repair the joint.
Food for arthrosis should be balanced, but with a minimum inclusion of harmful products.
If you suffer from arthrosis, remember the following:
- In the obligatory case of the fight with extra pounds.
- Minimize the consumption of fatty and sweet foods.
- Reduce the amount of salt.
- Do not use animal fats - replace them with vegetable or dairy.
- Enter into the diet of foods with a high content of collagen, such as jelly.
- Increase the amount of dairy products, because it contains the necessary calcium for the body.
Prevention Tips
It is not for nothing that this disease is called “weightlifting disease”, since physical labor, especially lifting weights, leads to the development of arthrosis.
If you are on duty, do hard work, you need to be sure to remember about safety.
But there are several general rules for prevention:
- If you need to move something heavy, spend 5-7 minutes to warm up the joint.
- If you have to do sports in the absence of physical activity for a long time before that, you need to perform exercises in doses, not forgetting about the rest.
- If you are injured, you should immediately consult a doctor - lack of treatment can cause serious consequences.
If you go to a doctor in time, then arthrosis can be cured quickly enough, but if you delay the visit to the doctor or self-medicate, you can please the surgeon under the knife.
