Osteoarthritis (shoulder arthrosis) is a degenerative joint disease of the shoulder joint. For certain injuries and illnesses it occurs more frequently. Omarthrosis does not always cause symptoms such as pain and restricted mobility. If such symptoms occur, therapy is necessary. Available are conservative measures and the use of an artificial joint. Here you read everything important about osteoarthrosis.
Osteoarthrosis: General
In osteoarthritis wears the shoulder joint. This arthritis in the shoulder joint is less common than osteoarthritis in the hip or knee. This is because the shoulder has to carry only a small part of the body weight and thus less stress. Therefore, osteoarthritis in the shoulder is better tolerated than hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Shoulder pain in people over the age of 60 is caused by oesarthrosis in five to eleven percent of cases. But there are also many people with shoulder osteoarthritis who have no complaints.
ACG osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis or shoulder osteoarthritis is an arthrosis in the shoulder joint, ie the joint between the humeral head and scapula. Nearby is the acromioclavicular joint (ACG or AC joint), a joint between the collarbone and scapula. This can also develop an arthritis, the so-called ACG osteoarthritis (AC joint osteoarthritis, AC arthrosis, Schultereckgelenksarthrose). It primarily triggers pain during shoulder movements above the horizontal plane.
ACG osteoarthritis) is much more common than osteoarthrosis. Since AC joint injuries are up to ten times more frequent in men than in women, ACG osteoarthritis also occurs more frequently in men. Almost all men over the age of 50 years have an ACG osteoarthritis in the radiograph. In addition to injuries, illnesses can trigger ACG osteoarthritis. In some cases, the cause of the disease remains unclear. Diagnosis and treatment of ACG osteoarthritis correspond essentially to those of osteoarthrosis.
Osteoarthritis: causes and development
As with other forms of arthrosis, a distinction is made between a primary and a secondary form in oesarthrosis.
In the case of primary shoulder osteoarthritis the cause is unclear. Presumably, several factors must come together to cause arthritis in the shoulder joint. Significant are hereditary and mechanical aspects. If the arm is raised to about shoulder height, the shoulder joint is stressed the most. Movements in this position could therefore more likely lead to an arthrosis shoulder. Additional weights in the hand increase the risk.
Secondary arthrosis is present when shoulder arthrosis is the result of another disease. A disease or injury caused damaged shoulder joint can namely be less heavily burdened than a healthy. Thus, a secondary oesarthrosis can arise even at lower load. The following diseases promote osteoarthritis:
- Shoulder joint instability due to anatomical variants (glenohumeral instability)
- Shoulder dislocation (“dislocated” shoulder)
- Upper arm fracture in the shoulder area (proximal humeral fracture)
- Rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis)
- Joint inflammation by germs (septic arthritis)
- dead tissue in the shoulder (necrosis)
- Cartilage disease (chondromatosis)
- Malfunction of the rotator cuff (functionally important muscle-tendon group at the shoulder)
Osteoarthrosis: symptoms
Osteoarthritis in the shoulder can cause pain. These occur especially when the arm is raised. After strenuous physical exercise, a resting pain can prevent those affected from sleeping on the diseased shoulder. The mobility of the shoulder is limited in the case of osteoarthritis late.
Despite complaints, daily life can be mastered well with osteoarthritis in the shoulder in almost all cases.
Osteoarthritis: diagnosis
What measures are necessary in the diagnosis of osteoarthritis and other forms of osteoarthritis, you can read in the article Osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis: therapy
An osteoarthrosis can initially be treated conservatively, for example, with medication, exercise therapy and heat. Read more in the article Osteoarthritis treatment.
If the conservative treatment does not adequately improve the symptoms of omarthrosis, surgery can be considered.
Osteoarthritis: surgery
The damaged articular cartilage can be removed by arthroscopic debridement. For this purpose, various instruments are placed in the shoulder in an operation. With a camera, the damaged areas can be visited and removed. This procedure may be useful in the early stages of the disease. In general, however, the osteoarthrosis progresses further and causes later complaints again.
In severe osteoarthritis, it may be useful to replace the shoulder joint with an artificial joint. Due to the endoprosthesis, existing pain usually improves well. In addition, the shoulder is moving again. Depending on individual requirements received omarthrosisPatients a partial or full denture.