Compared to osteoarthritis of the hip or knee, classic osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is quite rare, but the symptoms of this disease can cause severe discomfort for the patient and therefore require comprehensive treatment.Shoulder osteoarthritis (oarthrosis) is most often diagnosed in patients over the age of fifty.Its development is associated with a deterioration in the quality of the cartilaginous tissue that covers the surface of the joints.Cartilage acts as a shock absorber;it is thanks to it that the different bone components slide optimally inside the shoulder joint.When the cartilage becomes thin and its integrity is compromised, the bones of the joint begin to come into contact with each other.This is a painful process that results in limited joint mobility.The progression of the disease causes the formation of osteophytes - an abnormal growth of bone tissue at the edges of the shoulder joint.
Causes of the development of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint
In the vast majority of cases, osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint develops with age due to natural wear and tear of the joint.After all, such a part of the body is a rather complex structure;if regularly subjected to severe stress, the risk of pathological changes increases.
There are cases when osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint occurred in younger people.A similar situation is possible if the cartilage tissue was damaged during an accident (bad fall, road accident, etc.).If a person does not receive proper treatment after an injury, the cartilage is not used properly, which can lead to osteoarthritis.
Sometimes the loss of cartilage 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 at the beginning of the movement;
- morning stiffness, as well as limitation of movements after prolonged “inactivity”;
- cracking, popping, or rubbing sensation in the shoulder joint when moving;
- limited mobility of the shoulder joint, which is progressive.
Sometimes pain from 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 between patients.However, pain generally 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 illness:
- swelling of the joint;
- severe, continuous pain;
- forced restriction of movements (up to complete immobility of the joint).
A prolonged course of the disease can lead to muscle atrophy due to refusal of usual activities.In such a situation, only surgery will help to cope with the disease.
Treatment
Unfortunately, the wear and tear of cartilage 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 suffering from osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint.Typically, therapy includes:
- limit activity and cool the joint until 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 give the expected effect).
After suppressing the inflammatory process, treatment of osteoarthritis usually includes:
- massages;
- regular gymnastics (physiotherapy);
- physiotherapeutic procedures (shock wave therapy, laser therapy, myostimulation, phonophoresis, ozone therapy, etc.).
In addition, patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint are usually prescribed medications designed to stimulate the restoration of cartilage tissue.These are chondroprotective drugs.
Modern methods of conservative treatment of shoulder osteoarthritis
To treat destructive processes in the cartilaginous joint, doctors can use several new techniques.
Autoplasmotherapy
With this procedure, the patient receives an injection of their own platelet-rich plasma.It is believed that growth factors present in platelets are able to stimulate the activity of fibroblasts - the production of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin.Through this process, a new intercellular matrix is built and small blood vessels develop, which helps restore metabolism, activate local immunity, improve microcirculation and normalize tissue respiration.According to doctors, autoplasmic therapy helps to restart the full functioning of the synovial membrane of the joint, reduce the intensity of pain and increase the range of movement of the joint.
Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections
The effectiveness of hyaluronic acid of non-animal origin against osteoarthritis is still being studied by scientists around the world.In 2019, an article was published by American specialists (Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA), describing the results of a preliminary study on 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 of shoulder osteoarthritis does not produce the expected result and the symptoms of the disease significantly interfere with the patient's quality of life, doctors may offer surgical intervention to restore activity to the affected area.Today, endoprostheses, that is to say the installation of an artificial joint (bioprosthesis), make it possible to solve this problem.This is a relatively new type of surgical intervention, which allows you to completely eliminate the problem of osteoarthritis: restore the function of the joint and the entire upper limb, neutralize painful sensations and preserve performance as much as possible.