Periarthritis of the shoulder joint

2023 Author: Alfred Shackley | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 13:14

Periarthritis of the shoulder is an inflammatory process in which the shoulder-shoulder joint is affected. In this case, the inflammation spreads to the tendons and muscles surrounding the joint.

The inhabitants call the shoulder the place on which shoulder straps are worn; the medical concept of the shoulder is the area from the elbow to the shoulder joint. This must be taken into account when evaluating your own feelings.

The disease is very painful, as the joint is highly mobile. The pain radiates to the upper extremities, under the scapula, and can cause symptoms characteristic of heart disease.

Shoulder periarthritis - symptoms

The main symptom by which it becomes clear that not everything is in order in the body is pain.

It occurs in the area of the scapula, shoulder, is given to the neck, to the arm, due to constant pain, movements are limited. It hurts to stretch your hand up, rotate it, wind it behind your back.

A characteristic feature is local pain along the anterior surface of the joint.

Low-grade fever can be maintained, insomnia appears - every movement causes pain. The blood formula changes - the level of leukocytes increases, the ESR rises.

Symptoms depend on the type of disease.

• Simple periarthritis: mild pain when trying to raise the arm, limiting the range of motion - it is impossible to get the arm behind the back. If you ensure the rest of the affected upper limb, then the discomfort recedes.
• Acute periarthritis. Now, when you give up the movement that caused the pain, the pain intensifies. Movements are limited, the hand only rises forward up to 50º, it is already difficult to take it to the side.
• If the treatment of the disease is neglected, it takes on a chronic form. In this case, the patient instinctively presses the bent arm to the body to reduce pain.

However, a change in position does not mean that the structure of the tendons is restored - the symptoms are aggravated:

1. "lumbago" appears with awkward movements.
2. severe discomfort when changing position, in the morning or after being in a static position;
3. against the background of an increase in painful sensations, the range of motion is limited;

Ankylosing brachial periarthritis. At this stage of the inflammatory process, pain at rest decreases, but since the cartilage is almost completely destroyed, the joint is deformed, and mobility is blocked. Each attempt to raise the arm causes severe pain. There is even a concept - "frozen shoulder"

Symptoms increase gradually:

• at first it is impossible to stretch the arm forward - 20-30º it does not rise anymore;
• then - it is impossible to touch your own back, bring your elbows behind your back;
• rotational movements are blocked.

The cause of painful symptoms is the introduction of an infectious agent through the lymph and bloodstream. Also, with open injuries, pathogenic microorganisms from the outside can enter the joint.

The activity of microorganisms stimulates shoulder injuries, overload, decreased immunity caused by diseases of various kinds. That is, pathogenic microorganisms can remain in a latent state for a long time, and when the above reasons appear, they begin to actively multiply. The ending "it" in the name of the joint disease indicates the presence of an inflammatory process.

Periarthritis of the shoulder joint significantly affects the quality of life, reduces it. In order to prevent disability, it is necessary to start treatment at the first symptoms.

Shoulder periarthritis treatment

For the treatment of periarthritis, you must contact a neurologist or surgeon.

Complex modern therapeutic methods allow to eliminate an acute process of a simple nature completely, and for a long time lead to remission of the chronic form. The greatest difficulty is the treatment of ankylosing type disease.

With diagnostic measures (blood and urine tests, X-rays, ultrasound, CT or MRI), you can find out the cause of the shoulder joint periarthritis and determine the methods for its elimination.

For example, prescribe a massage of the collar zone to relieve the symptoms of cervical osteochondrosis, prescribe angioprotectors to restore peripheral circulation, recommend getting rid of carious cavities in the teeth or leading to remission of chronic tonsillitis.

With a simple form of periarthritis of the shoulder joint, which does not cause acute pain, it is enough to use non-steroidal topical agents - Voltaren-gel, Diclofenac ointment - or a compress with Dimexidum or Bischofite.

If the pain is severe and the disease is in an acute form, then a different method of treatment is used:

1. Oral or injectable non-steroidal medications. The course of treatment is no more than 5 days.
2. In case of acute pain, novocaine blockade is performed (you can use "Lidocaine" or "Ultracaine"). In most cases, the blockade is combined with treatment with hormonal drugs - they are injected directly into the articular cavity. This method quickly relieves inflammation, reduces swelling and reduces pain. In the course of treatment, corticosteroids are injected no more than 2 times. 80% of patients experience significant relief after the procedure, and the pain does not return.
3. Antibiotics are used to eliminate the infectious agent. They can be used orally, intramuscularly, if the shoulder joint is punctured, then antibacterial agents are injected directly into the articular cavity.

Currently, for the treatment of periarthritis of the shoulder joint, along with medications, the method of post-isometric relaxation - PIR is used. This is the name of special gymnastics, in which isometric muscle work with minimal intensity is combined with passive stretching.

The PIR program was developed by American orthopedists back in 1979, previously it was intended to unblock joints. The effectiveness of treatment increases with a combination of PIR with laser exposure, manual therapy, against the background of the administration of corticosteroids - 1-2 days after the procedure.

At home, treatment of periarthritis of the shoulder joint can be supplemented with folk remedies.

For external use, a horseradish compress is used - a warm gruel of the crushed root is applied at night to a sore spot, or the shoulder is rubbed with alcohol tincture of calendula, propolis, hot pepper.

It is simple to make alcoholic tinctures at home: with alcohol - a glass approximately, pour pounded propolis - half a tablespoon, a tablespoon of calendula, 2 pods of hot pepper. Insist in a dark place for 10-12 days, shaking occasionally.

It is possible to make preparations for internal use, which help to prevent the deposition of salts in the joints, eliminate inflammation and increase the general immunity of the body.

1. Water tinctures of nettle or St. John's wort. A tablespoon of plant materials is poured with boiling water, brought to a boil, insisted. Take a tablespoon 4 times a day.
2. Aqueous tincture of black currant. A tablespoon of dried or fresh leaves is brewed like tea. Drink a glass a day in equal portions.

When treating periarthritis of the shoulder joint, it is imperative to perform special exercises, otherwise the mobility of the joint will not be restored. The intensity of the load and the types of exercise largely depend on the clinical picture. To eliminate the ankylosing form of the disease, surgical intervention may be required.