Is periarthritis of the shoulder serious?

Written by Lv Yao

Orthopedics

Updated on September 04, 2024

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Periarthritis of the shoulder refers to the aseptic inflammatory reaction caused by chronic strain on the tendons, ligaments, and joint capsule around the shoulder joint, characterized by local pain, swelling, and even limited mobility. The typical symptom is resting pain, and pain occurs during both active and passive movements. If periarthritis of the shoulder occurs, it is advisable to visit the orthopedics department of a formal hospital for appropriate treatment. Besides resting, it is also suggested to engage in proper functional exercises and physiotherapy to prevent stiffness of the shoulder joint. Periarthritis of the shoulder can be very painful and significantly affects the movement of the entire shoulder joint. The symptoms are quite severe, but with systematic treatment, function generally can be restored.

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Written by Guan Yu Hua

Orthopedic Surgery

1min 38sec

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How to exercise for frozen shoulder

Periarthritis of the shoulder, commonly presents with shoulder pain, stiffness, or worsening of pain with movement. This condition is frequently seen in individuals around 50 years old, more often in women than men, and commonly among physical laborers. Without timely treatment, it can exacerbate the functional mobility of the shoulder joint, making everyday tasks like combing hair, dressing, washing the face, or placing hands on hips difficult. In severe cases, it could even affect elbow mobility. Early intervention typically involves exercise; despite discomfort, it is essential to persist and may require analgesics or drugs that promote blood circulation and stop bleeding. Exercises like "wall climbing," using horizontal bars, or stretching within doorframes aim to equalize the range of motion between the affected limb and a healthy shoulder joint. Both active and passive movements, such as swinging the arms forward and backward for 50 repetitions each morning, can provide relief. The process should be gradual and progressively intensified. If self-directed exercise proves ineffective, interventions like injections can be administered by a physician, which relieve pain by detaching the sticky interactions among ligaments, muscles, and tendons in the shoulder area, thereby easing the symptoms over time. Continuous pain may persist for a while; alternatively, brachial plexus or cervical plexus anesthesia followed by manual reduction can significantly reduce pain and gradually alleviate symptoms.

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Written by Na Hong Wei

Orthopedics

1min 50sec

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How to cure periarthritis of the shoulder using the arm-swinging method?

In the treatment of periarthritis of the shoulder, there is a method called "arm-swinging". The main technique of arm-swinging involves swinging the shoulder joint inward, outward, forward, and backward, forming a circle with the shoulder joint. This circle is actually two circles: one from the front to the back, and another from the back to the front. The arm-swinging method should be very effective for treating periarthritis of the shoulder, but the following issues need to be noted: First, it is crucial to exclude any rotator cuff injuries, especially tears in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles. If tears in the supraspinatus or infraspinatus muscles occur, the arm-swinging method is not recommended due to its "zipper effect." This refers to a small initial tear that could further enlarge through improper exercise, eventually becoming a large tear. Thus, the first point is to rule out rotator cuff injuries. Second, when performing the arm-swinging method, one should not rush and should progress gradually. Initially, the range may be very small or the movement may not be possible to perform, but with consistent and persistent practice, the range of motion will gradually increase, making arm-swinging easier. However, rushing may lead to muscle tears around the shoulder joint or tear injuries to the joint capsule. Third, although the arm-swinging method can have a beneficial effect in treating periarthritis of the shoulder, starting the exercise can be very painful. Therefore, it may be necessary to use other methods initially, such as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs orally, or undergoing massage or physiotherapy, to relax the muscles and ligaments around the shoulder joint. This can reduce pain during the arm-swinging exercises and enhance effectiveness.

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Written by Li Jin

Orthopedics

1min

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What should I do about periarthritis of the shoulder?

Periarthritis of the shoulder commonly occurs in middle-aged and elderly patients. The causes of the disease are mainly due to degenerative changes in soft tissues, chronic injuries caused by long-term overexertion, poor posture, or improper treatment recovery after shoulder injuries. Patients with periarthritis of the shoulder may experience pain and limited movement in the shoulder. It is important to rest, keep warm, and use anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. Traditional Chinese Medicine that promotes blood circulation and removes stasis can be used to improve symptoms and promote recovery. Additionally, treatment can include hot compresses, physical therapy, massage, pain point blockade, and exercises to enhance the function of the shoulder joint. These methods can actively improve symptoms. If conservative treatment is ineffective or if functional impairments occur, surgical treatment may also be considered.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

1min 5sec

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Early symptoms of periarthritis of the shoulder

The early symptoms of periarthritis of the shoulder are pain in the shoulder and limited movement of the shoulder joint, especially the action of raising the arm, which is clearly restricted. Therefore, for the treatment of this condition, it is encouraged that patients engage in functional exercises early on. If one fears the pain and dares not to move the shoulder joint, it will lead to stiffness of the joint and atrophy of the surrounding muscles. Generally speaking, periarthritis of the shoulder is a self-limiting disease with a typical duration of about one year. If you can raise your shoulder and perform normal activities within a year, then there will be no residual sequelae afterwards. However, if within a year, the shoulder joint becomes stiff and its movement becomes limited, then after a year, the symptoms of shoulder pain will significantly improve, but there will be some loss of range of motion in the joint. Therefore, for all patients with periarthritis of the shoulder, early functional exercise is encouraged to avoid symptoms such as joint effusion, joint stiffness, and muscle atrophy.

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Written by Xie Yi Song

Orthopedics

1min 12sec

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Shoulder periarthritis symptoms

In daily life, periarthritis of the shoulder often has the following symptoms and manifestations: The first is movement impairment. This is manifested as limited movement in various directions of the shoulder joint, including outward extension of the upper limbs, actions such as chest-expanding, taking off clothes, as well as significant difficulties in lifting and rotating. This can present as an inability to flexibly comb hair, wash face, and dress or undress. This is a key point in distinguishing frozen shoulder from other shoulder disorders. The second is pain. It manifests as pain in one shoulder joint without obvious trauma, which can be a dull pain or sharp, knife-like pain, often worsening at night and even causing awakening due to pain. The pain can radiate to the neck, back, forearm, and hand. The third is tenderness. Most patients with the condition widely experience tender points upon pressing around the affected joint. Muscle stiffness and atrophy may occur. The muscles around the shoulder, such as the deltoid and supraspinatus, can become stiff during the onset, and disuse atrophy may occur in the later stages.