Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint (another name - omarthrosis) is a disease characterized by damage to the joint in this area. The damaged joint is gradually destroyed, giving the patient not only pain, but also significantly restricts the movement of the hand as a whole.
Doctors recommend treatment in the early stages of the disease at home, the consumption of large amounts of drugs has a detrimental effect on the body, while folk remedies show excellent results without causing side effects. These are home remedies for the disease, which will be discussed later.
Causes of the disease
In most cases, the elderly suffer from osteoarthritis. According to statistics, about 10% of people under the age of 65 suffer from the disease; in patients over 75 years of age, the incidence of osteoarthritis is about 90%. The aspect is related to age-related changes in tissues, cartilage, joint wear.
Doctors have identified several possible causes of osteoarthritis of the shoulder:
- genetic factor. Scientists tend to believe that some people who have relatives with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joints are many times more susceptible to such a disease than people who do not have such family ties;
- autoimmune diseases. The body's defense is a complex system, failures in its work provoke aggressive destruction of its own cells, including joints;
- excessive physical activity. The disease is often the result of professional sports activities;
- various injuries. Even small damages over time can lead to catastrophic consequences;
- circulatory disorders. Lack of nutrients adversely affects the functioning of the joint;
- old age. Older people more often than others suffer from diseases of the musculoskeletal system. This is due to the physiological process of aging, the exhaustion of the joints.
Important!Whatever the cause of the arthrosis of the shoulder joint, solve the problem immediately. Neglected cases do not lend themselves to conservative methods, surgery is required.
Characteristic signs and symptoms
The progression of the symptoms of the disease can take years or even decades, but eventually osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint leads to inability to move the arm and severe pain.
The clinical picture of osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint appears gradually. The course of the disease is long, at the beginning of its development the patient may not feel anything or the symptoms are successfully disguised as simple fatigue.
If you notice any of the symptoms described below, see a doctor and correct the problem immediately.
Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint is most often indicated by the following signs:
- pain. It is usually boring, the attacks are felt at night or after exercise. Sometimes the pain syndrome manifests itself in a sharp change in weather conditions;
- characteristic crisis. It is associated with the deposition of salts in the diseased joint. Initially the sound is quiet, over time it becomes distinct, accompanied by pain;
- difficulties with motor function. Patients find it difficult to cope with daily duties, over time it becomes more difficult to move the shoulder;
- swellingThis is the result of the inflammatory process, the beginning of the course of osteoarthritis. There is also hardening of the joint, slight reddening of the skin around it.
Methods of home treatment
How and how to treat osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint? The initial stages of the disease are subject to home therapy. Before that, do not forget to consult an experienced specialist, follow his recommendations. You can independently resort to special methods that are used as adjunctive therapy to drug treatment, physiotherapy.
There are many different techniques that quickly deal with the pain syndrome, speed up the healing process and restore the mobility of the diseased joint. The required course of home therapy is selected individually by an experienced specialist. Doctors do not recommend making such decisions alone.
Gymnastics
Special exercises are aimed at training the muscles, restoring the motor activity of the injured shoulder. All manipulations are performed after consultation with a doctor. To get the desired result, follow special rules:
- sparing mode is a prerequisite;
- exercise regularly. Only 10 minutes a day spent in gymnastics will pay off with interest;
- during exercise relax the muscles as much as possible, this aspect will avoid injuries and microdamages to the joints;
- the low frequency of movements will provide a quick result without injuries;
- swing amplitude - small (for safety reasons);
- gradually increase the load;
- pain is an alarm signal. It is forbidden to drink painkillers for gymnastics. Take good care of the inflamed joint, do not overload it;
- do all manipulations in front of the mirror. So you can control the desired lifting of the shoulders without exceeding the specified limit;
- almost all exercises are performed in a sitting or lying position. An excellent option is water gymnastics, thus removing the load from the inflamed joint, training is extremely useful.
All the above recommendations help to properly perform gymnastics and exercises to treat osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, prevent re-injury of the affected area. Regular exercise will give ease of movement, return to normal life.
Approximate training scheme (specific exercises should be discussed with your doctor):
- sit on the couch, gradually lower and raise your shoulders, the amplitude should not exceed 2 centimeters. Do not try to move only the diseased shoulder, there is a high probability of damaging it, do all the exercises symmetrically;
- sit on a flat surface, relax your palms slightly on your knees, slowly begin to swing your shoulders back and forth. Make sure that the work is done with the shoulder blades and shoulder joint, it is not recommended to move your arms too much;
- slowly turn your shoulders clockwise and against two minutes, the range of motion should not exceed two centimeters;
- sit on a chair, place your palms on your knees. Start moving backwards, gradually bending your elbows until you need to remove your palms from your knees. Repeat the exercise 20 times, starting with 10 repetitions;
- place your palms on the back of your head, cross your arms. Smoothly bring and spread your elbows, do the manipulations to tolerable pain, it is strictly forbidden to overload;
- place your feet shoulder-width apart, take a small weight in your hand with an inflamed joint (a bottle of water or a dumbbell weighing 0, 5 kg is suitable). Lean forward slightly, begin to swing the weight with your hand if the sensations are acceptable, then make circular motions, developing the inflamed joint.
The above exercises are simple, do not require special physical training and can be performed by patients of any age. If any manipulations bring unbearable pain, give up gymnastics, visit a doctor, maybe the situation is so neglected that conservative methods do not have the desired effect.
Folk remedies and recipes
Traditional remedies for osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint, which have long been used by healers, can still be used today, but only as an adjunct to treatment prescribed by a doctor.
Natural remedies sometimes provide better analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects than conventional drugs.
But it is impossible to completely rule out taking medication, the orthopedist will tell you the basic rules for using folk remedies.
A wide selection of recipes will allow you to choose the ideal drug for yourself to treat osteoarthritis with folk remedies:
- high efficiency is shown by an ointment based on propolis. Take 50 grams of lard, add three grams of propolis. Mix the finished mass well, use it for treatment and prevention (immediately after strenuous exercise);
- the presence of allergy to bee products forces patients with osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint to use an ointment based on medicinal herbs, such as sweet clover, St. John's wort. Take 50 grams of Vaseline as a base, add 10 grams of each herbal component. Lubricate the affected area with the resulting drug daily before bedtime, the duration of the course of therapy is determined by the attending physician;
- oatmeal compress. It has long been used to treat joint diseases of varying severity. Boil 30 grams of flakes in 400 ml of water, distribute the cooled mass evenly on the inflamed area, first placing it on clean gauze. The duration of the procedure is 40 minutes, then the compress is removed, the shoulder is washed with warm water;
- excellent results are shown by rubbing with alcoholic tinctures. Take 50 grams of dried roots of elecampane, pour 125 ml of vodka. Rub the resulting tincture into the damaged areas of the shoulder up to five times a day. In addition to the analgesic effect, the drug improves blood circulation, restores the supply of nutrients to the correct level, which starts the regenerative processes in the joint;
- cabbage juice. Cabbage has long dealt with joint pain, attach a leaf of vegetable to the inflamed joint, first beat it a little with a kitchen hammer until the healing juice is released. Useful compress is performed at night, regular procedures cope even with severe pain, relieve the condition in advanced cases.
Mass therapy
Self-massage increases blood flow, restores motor function of the affected shoulder. Light stroking, kneading, shaking are allowed. Strong movements are excluded, feel for yourself the border between a useful massage and harm to health. The best option is pre-training with an experienced specialist. In advanced stages, such a technique is prohibited, improper movement can cause irreparable damage to the patient's health.
Special rules for eating and eating
Nutrition plays an important role in strengthening the joints by starting the regeneration of cartilage tissues. Rely on fresh vegetables, fruits, lean meats, legumes, fish. Eliminate the intake of fatty foods, salty foods, fast food and carbonated beverages in the body. Give up semi-finished products, these products contain a lot of fat, which negatively affects the general condition of a person.
Proper nutrition helps to reduce weight, which reduces the load on the musculoskeletal system. An important role is played by the use of fermented dairy products, the active substances in them saturate the bones with minerals and vitamins, strengthening the patient's joints. Proper nutrition has a beneficial effect on the work of all human organs and systems.
Osteoarthritis most often occurs against the background of age-related changes in the shoulder joint. It is impossible to stop the aging process, but it is quite possible to slow it down. Moderate physical activity, proper nutrition, regular check-ups by a therapist or orthopedist will reduce the chances of osteoarthritis or delay its onset for a while.
Avoid injuries, train carefully, watch your feelings. All unpleasant symptoms are a signal to go to the doctor. Timely detected disease responds well to treatment, it is possible to preserve the joint, which provides painless movement of the shoulder. Take care of your health, take care of the musculoskeletal system.