Crunching in the shoulder joints: causes and treatment at Dr. Glazkov’s clinic in Moscow

Crunching in the shoulder joint - is it time to see a doctor? A crunch in the shoulder is rarely a cause for concern. It’s a completely different matter if we experience pain, which causes discomfort and undoubtedly becomes a serious obstacle to playing some sports. Sometimes the pain does not go away even at rest and does not allow you to sleep. “Approximately 30 percent of people with crepitus – this is the medical term for crunching in the joints when moving – have no other complaints other than discomfort from a characteristic sound. In this case, the condition can be assessed as normal. However, a loud, clearly felt crunching sound, stiffness during movement or pain in the scapulothoracic joint is a clinical diagnosis,” says orthopedist-traumatologist at the Euginijus Pešina Medical Center for Diagnostics and Treatment located in Vilnius on V. Gribo Street. (MDCL doctor in Lithuania)

Physiological crunch

joint pain;
limited mobility;
swelling;
redness;
deformation.

If the joint clicks, it is likely that this is due to gas bubbles that burst when the joint capsule is stretched. These sounds are not accompanied by pain. They do not signal illness.

Sometimes the crunch is caused by friction inside the joint. This may be friction of joint surfaces, muscles, tendons. The stability of the shoulder is achieved by the abundance of soft tissues that support it. If they become inflamed and increase in volume, then friction appears. It causes discomfort and is often accompanied by characteristic sounds.

Types of pathology

Orthopedists answer this by classifying the causes of this disease. It comes in two forms:

Acute;
Chronic;

In addition, crunching sounds can appear as symptoms of a primary disease, or be a sign of natural processes in the body. In the second case, the patient has absolutely nothing to worry about. The first option considers a whole range of pathological causes.

They may be:

A sharp increase in the load on the shoulder joint - athletes and representatives of certain professions have to face such circumstances: mechanics, drivers, loaders, agricultural workers, metallurgists and many other manual labor specialists;
Congenital anatomical abnormalities with incorrect position of articular elements - cartilage, deformed heads of bones, tendons or small size of the synovial bursa;
Distorted physiology of metabolic processes, in which active mineral components are poorly transported by the blood to the joint or do not reach there at all;
Eating disorders, lack of nutrients in the diet;
A genetic factor that provokes the transmission of the disease by inheritance.

The risk group for the appearance of a crunch in the shoulder is formed from people who consume a lot of salt and salty foods - this causes the leaching of calcium salts and provokes dryness of the joint elements.

This will also include people suffering from cancer problems with tumors in the upper extremities of malignant or benign forms of tumor.

Pathological causes

The crunching itself should not be a cause for concern unless there are other symptoms. Unfortunately, pain often accompanies the crunch. This combination of symptoms can occur in a variety of diseases. Main reasons:

inflammation of the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles;
tendon sprain or rupture;
calcific tendinitis;
adhesive capsulitis;
shoulder arthrosis;
inflammation of the coracoclavicular or acromioclavicular joint.

Possible risks and complications

The shoulder area gradually swells, which can be caused by the pathogenic effect of microorganisms or an inflammatory focus.

As primary diseases develop, the following symptoms appear:

Soreness becomes constant and manifests itself even in a state of absolute rest of the hand;
Formation of swelling;
Redness at the site of local skin lesion;

General increase in body temperature. In turn, crunches can also have consequences. They provoke the development of glenohumeral periarthritis and cause an expansion of the zone of spread of the inflammatory focus. At the same time, such sounds cause impaired microcirculation of blood flow in the shoulder area.

In pathological forms of the disease and in the absence of competent treatment, there is a high probability of chronic pathology transitioning to the stage of disability caused by immobility of the joint and the entire limb.

radiography

radiography
Diagnostic methods:

radiography;
if the diagnosis is unclear - magnetic resonance imaging.

The doctor also uses clinical methods. He will check in what positions of the shoulder the crunch appears, at what range of motion the pain occurs, and how intense the load the patient can bear. When determining the causes of a crunch in the shoulder joint, the doctor pays attention to the patient’s age, since different diseases are characteristic of people of different age categories. For persons under 40 years of age, dislocations and subluxations of the shoulder are common. In older patients, the risk of chronic diseases of the rotator cuff muscles, as well as arthrosis, increases.

When no treatment is required

Some reasons are considered relatively natural. For example, hypermobility, which is found in every tenth inhabitant of the planet. Their joints bend well due to the special structure of the ligamentous-tendon apparatus. In the human body with articular hypermobility, special, superelastic collagen is synthesized. It provides high extensibility of the ligaments, but at the same time provokes the appearance of clicks, crunching, crackling even with a banal change in body position. Hypermobility is considered a relatively natural cause because excessive stretching of the ligaments leads to frequent dislocations and subluxations, predisposing to the development of osteoarthritis in the future. Therefore, the doctor may recommend an annual medical examination and a course of taking chondroprotectors. When no treatment is required at all:

crepitus _ A certain amount of carbon dioxide is constantly present in the joint cavity. When a person raises or lowers the shoulder, the bursa decreases in size, which leads to an increase in pressure in it. One large bubble filled with carbon dioxide is formed. It is its collapse that causes the click;
prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, for example, during sleep. After waking up, the joint elements move relative to each other, making a sharp sound.

Clicking sounds often accompany rotation of the shoulder joint in a child or adolescent. Firstly, their ligamentous-tendon apparatus still contains a lot of hyperextensible collagen, which leads to a sharp displacement of the bone heads. Secondly, the formation of ligaments is somewhat delayed compared to the increased growth of tubular bones, so the articulation does not fully stabilize. Parents should be wary if the shoulder joint hurts and clicks at the same time. The combination of these symptoms is characteristic of many diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Dr. Epifanov explains self-diagnosis methods:

Crunching with osteoarthritis

A constant, pronounced crunch, which is accompanied by pain, is a characteristic symptom of shoulder arthrosis. Unlike a similar disease that affects the knee or hip joint, arthrosis of the shoulder joint is most often secondary. That is, it develops not as an independent disease, but as a complication of other pathological processes.

Features of the pathology:

develops mainly after 40 years;
there is a restriction of not only active (initiated by the patient), but also passive movements in the joint (performed by the doctor);
the history often includes a shoulder injury, repeated microtraumas, and a high level of physical activity (sports, heavy physical labor).

Arthrosis is diagnosed by X-ray examination. The doctor detects osteophytes along the lower edge of the articular surface of the humeral head. The joint space is narrowed. Possible cysts in bone tissue. There are signs of subchondral osteosclerosis.

– How does sedentary work or computer work affect shoulder pain?

– There are no direct negative effects, however, due to low muscle tone, a similar syndrome can develop. Physical exercise is the best preventative measure, and in case of illness, one of the treatment methods.

– When should you be concerned about your condition and when should you see a doctor?

– Excruciating pain is, unfortunately, the main reason why a patient consults an orthopedic traumatologist. Not much attention has been paid to snapping shoulder syndrome. It is often simply not diagnosed because there is not enough knowledge about it. This disease cannot be recognized not only by general practitioners, but also by some specialists. If the pain is not severe, the patient simply gets tired of visiting doctors. Without receiving a proper answer as to what is happening to him, why the pain does not go away, he often resigns himself and adapts to the discomfort until he loses his ability to work.

Cases are different. For example, after a successful operation, one patient comes to me for a follow-up examination and asks if he can bring his brother to me, who has also been having pain and cracking in his shoulder for a long time? After we performed the operation on the patient’s brother, he, in turn, brings in a third one, who needed as many as three operations - he had branched bone growths on both shoulder blades and a rib. After all three were healthy and happy with the result, I jokingly asked if there were any other brothers in the family suffering from a similar syndrome? The brothers smiled and replied that they had a sister, fortunately, she was healthy.

What to do?

If the joint crunches from time to time, but there are no other symptoms, the function is completely preserved, then nothing needs to be done. It is enough to calm down, not perceive the crunch as a symptom of illness and not pay attention to it. The appearance of clicking sounds during exercise is not a cause for concern and is not a symptom of incipient arthrosis.

If pain comes along with the crunching, treatment is required. It can be completely different, depending on the origin of the pathological process. Most often, conservative therapy is sufficient. The patient is prescribed:

Crunching in the scapula when rotating the shoulder: possible causes and what to do

A crunching sound in the shoulder when moving a limb is a sign of some diseases and pathologies. This is a consequence of possible joint injuries, neurological problems or degeneration. To find out for sure, you need to be examined by a doctor.

An audible crunch is not the only sign by which pathology is detected; along with it, the process of inflammation occurs in the joint capsules. If you move your shoulder in a circle, unpleasant discomfort also appears. Most often, such diseases develop as a result of high loads, specific injuries, or impacts. Some diseases of the body for the same reason may indicate the occurrence of problems with the joints or change them.

Why the shoulder blade crunches and hurts: inflammation, injuries, degenerative processes

In addition to the inflammatory process, the tendon also changes dystrophically. Very often these perturbations concern the transition between muscle and tendon. The joints glide less softly than before, which, whatever one may say, leads to swelling and injury, and also provokes other diseases.

High physical loads lead to the formation of unstable joints, the glenohumeral joint especially suffers due to the serious pressure exerted on it, which will then lead to inflammation or some damage to the cartilage.
Certain injuries to the extremities associated with the shoulder and scapula are one of the main causes of an audible crunch and noticeable discomfort; in addition, it must be said about these signs that they appear due to improper therapy chosen for bruises, dislocations, some broken bones and punctures.
The inflammatory process that affects joint joints is called arthritis, and it, among other things, can cause unpleasant sounds and discomfort.
Inflammation that affects the spine in the neck area is called osteochondrosis. Symptoms of the pathology: pain and limited movement. The disease may worsen due to more severe damage to the nerve endings.
With arthrosis, limited activity in the movements of the arms and legs appears due to injuries that occur as a result of the growth of osteophytes. When you move your limbs in a circle, you hear an unpleasant crunch.
Salt deposits are a very popular reason for the formation of many unpleasant, uncomfortable sensations. Salt deposits are a consequence of various factors: low activity, excess weight, poor kidney function, poor diet.
Inflammations associated with tendons are called tendinitis and bursitis. Diseases that develop due to rheumatic pathologies, infections and excessive physical activity.

Inflammation, infections, age-related changes, genetics, poor diet, metabolic and metabolic disorders are the main causes of the problems described above.

Main symptoms

Crunching of joints during rotational movements of the limbs is the main symptom.
Tangible pain that worsens with physical activity, as well as discomfort during physical activity.
Swelling, redness.
Reducing physical activity.
The body temperature rises, very often there can be a fever.

Doctors say that if you, moving your shoulder in a circle, notice at least one of the symptoms indicated in the list, then it makes sense to get examined as soon as possible, so that the doctor prescribes therapy in a timely manner and prevents it from provoking the origin of other diseases that can be much more dangerous .

Diagnosis

In some cases, you may need to undergo laboratory testing, including analysis of intra-articular fluid.

Characteristics of therapy

The doctor prescribes therapy in accordance with the diagnosis, that is, treatment depends on the specific causes of the crunch in the limb. Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for inflammation and infections. It is worth noting that non-steroidal tablets are used. Sometimes corticosteroids and antibiotics may be necessary.

When a doctor determines damage to cartilage tissue, in this case he prescribes certain medications, namely chondroprotectors.

In cases where the pathology is clearly noticeable and the pain is very severe, the doctor prescribes painkillers. Local gels, ointments and creams are often used.

The use of a complex of specific vitamins is a necessity. To a greater extent, it is worth taking B vitamins.

It is also necessary to carry out mandatory physiotherapeutic procedures, laser treatment, joint massage and therapeutic physical training. Nowadays, electrical stimulation of the muscle group in the area of the shoulder joint is also used. The method of electrical stimulation with dynamic currents is considered relevant.

At what period of life do the first signs of a crunch in the shoulder blade appear?

Signs of a crunch in the shoulder blade appear regardless of age and bring a huge amount of discomfort into life. These sensations most likely appear from degeneration processes or some natural physiological processes.

Why do my shoulder blades crunch?

Despite the fact that the crunching of the shoulder blades is more of an unpleasant psychological sensation than a physical one, it is worth taking a careful look at the state of your own health and understanding the cause of the crunch.

However, in the case when discomfort, pain and numbness occur along with the sound, it is necessary to visit a doctor for examination, since such a condition can arise due to some disease processes, for example, poor posture, osteophytes, subluxations, muscle atrophy or Luschka tubercles, as well as metabolic disorders and salt deposits in the scapular joints.
Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr

Diagnostic methods

The most informative diagnostic method is MRI.
Diagnosis of the shoulder joint begins with interviewing the patient and collecting anamnesis, as well as examination. Next, the doctor prescribes:

X-ray or computed tomography. These methods make it possible to assess the condition of bone tissue, as well as partially visualize the cartilage, and determine how high the likelihood of arthrosis is.
MRI is the most reliable type of examination, which allows you to examine not only the bones, but also the soft tissues around the joint.
Ultrasound is an inexpensive type of examination that allows you to determine the condition of tissues, the presence of excess fluid in the joint, and purulent foci.
Joint puncture. It is carried out using an arthroscope device. You can see the amount of synovial fluid, and also take some of it for analysis.
Electromyography – assessment of the condition of muscle fibers.
Scintigraphy is a specific x-ray examination with contrast that allows you to determine damage to bone tissue by cancer cells. Prescribed for sarcoma to determine metastases.

In addition to hardware methods, blood and urine are analyzed for the presence of salts, infections, and biochemical composition.

Preventive diagnostics can be done independently in public laboratories - for thyroid and sex hormones.

Preventive measures

If you follow a number of preventive measures, you can forget about the development of dangerous pathological conditions when a crunch appears. The main preventive measures include:

Control your weight, give preference to healthy foods with minimal salt content.
Do not give up sports completely; moderate loads will only have a positive effect on your joints.
Do not lift objects that are too heavy.
Do not trigger infectious and viral diseases, they can become a kind of switch for the onset of joint problems.

When to see a doctor

In 80% of cases, the cause of crunching and pain is frozen shoulder syndrome or glenohumeral periarthritis. This disease occurs in three stages, each of which lasts a long time - about 9 months. If you consult a doctor in time and start treatment, the functionality of the joint will be restored faster.

Purulent abscesses require special attention, since the capsule can rupture inside the joint and inflammation will begin. If purulent masses enter the bloodstream, this can lead to blood poisoning and death. An abscess is characterized by symptoms including headaches, nausea, and jerking pain.

If your shoulder clicks, you can use the hyaluronic injection technique. After them, the normal condition of the shoulder joints lasts up to 6 months, after which it is necessary to repeat the procedure.

Prevention of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system is an active lifestyle. It is recommended to perform Norbekov’s joint gymnastics daily. It can be done as a warm-up before strength training or cardio exercises. This complex is especially relevant for people who are forced to spend most of their time in a sitting position.