Shoulder joint inflammation

A Inflammation of the shoulder joint (humeroscapular periarthritis) is a degenerative disease of the shoulder or shoulder girdle. Typical signs are a restriction of mobility in the shoulder area and severe pain. The causes are varied, but can be treated well by a doctor.

What is shoulder joint inflammation?

If the shoulder joint inflammation takes a chronic course, various complications can arise. Then osteoarthritis can develop in the shoulder joint, which requires lengthy treatment.
© decade3d - stock.adobe.com

The shoulder joint of a person is a more or less complicated musculoskeletal system. The shoulder joint is the central joint that controls the movement of the arm attached to it. The Shoulder joint inflammation is a serious disorder of the musculoskeletal system. The shoulder joint inflammation can have various causes.

The harmonious interplay of bones, joints, tendons and muscles is considerably impaired by the shoulder joint inflammation. Along with severe to extremely severe pain, the shoulder joint inflammation leads to massive restrictions on movement. In the case of shoulder joint inflammation, people will take their arms and shoulders in a relieving position. This happens more instinctively than consciously. Because of the relieving posture, because of the shoulder joint inflammation, it is not uncommon for the tendons and muscle cords to become shorter.

causes

The causes of a Shoulder joint inflammation can be very complex. A chronic disease can also be a cause of shoulder joint inflammation. Rheumatic diseases in particular often lead to shoulder joint inflammation. With increasing age, limescale can also build up in the joints. Due to the friction of calcium carbonate plates in the shoulder joint, an inflammation of the shoulder joint can quickly develop. Long before the severe pain, the affected person feels a restriction in mobility.

Every inflammation in a person's body, including shoulder joint inflammation, can be detected in the laboratory at an early stage. A significant increase in leukocytes, i.e. white blood cells, indicates that something is wrong in the body. Long-term unilateral stress on the shoulder joint can also promote shoulder joint inflammation. But mostly it is the work of the people that is responsible for the development of the joint inflammation. Because e.g. Working in the cold store without protective thermal clothing, but also incorrect movements, can lead to the very painful shoulder joint inflammation.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

An existing shoulder joint inflammation causes severe impairment of movement, so that affected people are severely restricted in everyday life. In the first stage of this disease, symptoms only appear at night. Affected people complain of severe pain at night, so that sleep is significantly disturbed. In the second phase, the pain subsides significantly.

However, there is a strong impairment of movement. Affected people often take a gentle posture, so that the entire musculature relaxes and becomes weaker. In the last phase the pain in the shoulder goes down. The symptoms subside significantly, so that affected people can move their shoulder freely again without pain.

Anyone who completely refrains from medical treatment in the event of an inflammation in the shoulder is running a very high risk. In such a case, the symptoms will become very much worse, so that even in total retirement there will be pain. However, if those affected opt for medication and medical treatment, then the symptoms that occur can be treated very well and effectively. By taking medication, you can relieve pain so that you do not restrict your mobility as much.

Complications

If the shoulder joint inflammation takes a chronic course, various complications can arise. Then osteoarthritis can develop in the shoulder joint, which requires lengthy treatment. Anyone who is affected by such a joint inflammation usually also feels severe shoulder pain and can only move the affected arm to a limited extent. As a result, those affected adopt a relieving posture and perform compensatory movements - both of which can cause new pain and promote wear and tear on the joints.

Sometimes there is also swelling in the shoulder area, which can become inflamed and cause side effects such as fever and skin irritation. In the case of inflammations that persist over a longer period of time, psychological complications cannot be ruled out. The treatment of shoulder joint inflammation can, depending on the chosen therapy method, be associated with surgical discomfort, side effects and interactions of medication or bruises and sore muscles.

Serious complications are only to be expected if the person concerned has an undetected previous illness or the prescribed medication causes interactions. If, for example, there is a cardiovascular disease, the untested administration of cortisone preparations can cause significant cardiac arrhythmias. Sometimes the pain can come back after the treatment.

When should you go to the doctor?

Shoulder joint inflammation should always be treated by a doctor. This cannot lead to self-healing, so that the person affected is always dependent on medical treatment by a doctor. The life expectancy of those affected is usually not restricted by the shoulder joint inflammation. A doctor should be consulted in the case of shoulder joint inflammation if the patient suffers from severe restrictions in movement. Above all, the shoulders can no longer be moved properly.

Likewise, severe pain in the shoulders in most cases indicates a shoulder joint inflammation, whereby the pain can also spread to the neighboring regions of the body. The sleep of the person concerned is also often disturbed by the pain. Furthermore, a weakened musculature of the patient can indicate the shoulder joint inflammation and should be examined by a doctor, especially after an accident or after an injury. First and foremost, an orthopedic surgeon or general practitioner can be seen. Further treatment then depends on the severity of the symptoms.

Treatment & Therapy

Treatment of the Shoulder joint inflammation requires immediate help from a specialist. The specialists whose practices treat joint inflammation can be orthopedic surgeons and surgeons. Basically, shoulder joint inflammation must be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. In the initial stages of shoulder joint inflammation, this can be an oral drug that can treat and clear both the pain and inflammation.

In contrast, if the shoulder joint inflammation is very advanced, oral medication is usually not sufficient. In this case, drugs containing cortisone are injected into the shoulder joint. Since such a treatment is extremely painful, the specialist will first immobilize the inflamed shoulder joint with an anesthetic. In most cases it will be lidocaine or a similar narcotic. The injections that fight the inflammation on site are only given into the anesthetized shoulder joint. In retrospect, causal diseases such as calcium deposits are also treated with medication. Laser therapy can also help heal shoulder joint inflammation.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines for joint pain

prevention

The question of whether you can Shoulder joint inflammation can prevent is not that easy to answer. The only way to prevent this is to avoid certain constrained postures. But there is also a great opportunity to counteract the occurrence of shoulder joint inflammation. Anyone who has to work in a forced posture that can strain the shoulder joint absolutely needs compensation.

This compensation must lie in movements that relieve the shoulder as well as the shoulder joint. It doesn't have to be great. It can be a light shoulder exercise during the work break and a corresponding sporting activity in the free time. Of course, patients should also notice the disorders in the shoulder, which usually show up before the shoulder joint inflammation, and consult their doctor immediately.

Aftercare

In most cases of shoulder joint inflammation, the patient has very few and only very limited direct follow-up measures available. For this reason, the person affected should ideally consult a doctor relatively early to prevent other complaints and complications from occurring. The earlier a doctor is consulted, the better the further course of the disease is usually.

The treatment itself depends very much on the exact severity of the symptoms and also on their type, with most of those affected relying on the use of various medications to alleviate the symptoms. Regular checks and examinations by a doctor are also very important in order to identify and treat other damage at an early stage.

In the case of shoulder joint inflammation, those affected should also rest as much as possible and not strain their body unnecessarily. Physical activity is to be avoided, although some of those affected depend on the help of other people due to the disease. The disease itself does not usually reduce the patient's life expectancy and in most cases can be cured relatively well.

You can do that yourself

In the presence of inflammatory diseases, those affected can always do something good for themselves and their health if they support their body's own defense system. A balanced and healthy diet is recommended for this. With sufficient exercise and optimal sleep hygiene, the organism is strengthened in everyday life. The consumption of pollutants, however, is to be avoided. This area includes alcohol, drugs, nonprescription drugs, or nicotine. In addition, stressors must be reduced and should be eliminated as soon as possible.

At the first physical discomfort, the posture taken should be checked and, if possible, optimized. To avoid pain or complications, the loads on the shoulder should be reduced. The execution of physical work or sporting activities must be adapted according to the possible resilience of the body. Carrying heavy objects or moving the shoulder excessively should be avoided. Often times, it is advisable to restructure everyday life and seek help to carry out everyday tasks. Since in many cases the person concerned automatically adopts a protective posture due to existing irregularities, it must be ensured that regular compensatory movements take place.

To avoid muscle pain or tension, we recommend heat treatments, physiotherapeutic exercises and a regular change of posture.