Plexitis: What is it? Symptoms and treatment of plexitis

When large nerve plexuses become inflamed in the human body, then we are talking about plexitis. The nervous plexus includes the shoulder, cervical and lumbosacral. In the risk zone are people of any age. The disease rarely occurs in newborns. Refusal of medical care, lack of proper treatment can be the cause of a person's disability, and all the fault - plexitis. What is it, we will tell further.

The main groups of people prone to plexitis

Plexitis of the joint occurs not only in the elderly. Of course, with age, bones and joints undergo changes and weaken, but this does not mean that all elderly people suffer from plexitis. The same problems can arise in young people. It seems that the bones, cartilage and joints vary in all different ways. What changes are taking place?

Physicians divide people with joint problems into three separate groups. The main group includes women aged 30 to 50 years. This age line is characterized by hormonal changes, an imbalance of mineral salts, weight gain. The result of these reasons can become plexitis. What is it, was said above.

The second group includes people who have an inborn predisposition to joint diseases. These are people with pathologies of joint development.

People who for one reason or another have acquired systemic diseases, for example those associated with connective tissue, belong to the third group. Most often, a therapist or an orthopedist treats such patients, but in the end people still get to the surgeon's reception.

These are the three main groups of people who sooner or later experience plexitis. Symptoms of this disease are different for everyone. There are people who have the disease as the result of a certain injury or damage.

Causal relationships

Shoulder plexitis or joint diseases can occur as a result of various factors.

Infectious etiology is the most common cause, but apart from it, the following factors influence:

1. Long stay of a person in an uncomfortable position. From the tension of the shoulder joint begins to squeeze, resulting in a jamming of the nerve plexuses. At-risk groups include bedridden patients and people whose employment is specific.
2. Mechanical damage to peripheral nerve fibers due to trauma to the upper limbs or cervical region.
3. Wrong, twisted posture.
4. Metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus or gout.
5. Osteochondrosis of thoracic and cervical divisions.

Children can also experience plexitis of the shoulder joint. Symptoms, treatment and diagnosis are different from adults.

Symptomatics

Unfortunately, in medical practice, cases where humerus plexitis, and joint diseases as a whole are completely cured, are rare. And all this despite the rapid development of modern medicine, the use of the latest means of examining patients. All the blame - disdainful treatment of people with their own health.

Rarely does anyone pay attention to minor pain in the shoulder, neck or back area. But it is pain in the shoulder that is characterized, for example, by the plexitis of the shoulder joint. Symptoms of all joint diseases are similar.

To improve the prognosis during plexitis will help timely specialist help. Careful attitude to their health and competent advice of a specialist will significantly improve the prognosis of plexitis. So what signs can have shoulder plexitis? Symptoms can be as follows:

• Numbness of the hands, resulting in fingers losing sensitivity;
• Swelling of the hand;
• Painful sensations are enhanced by physical work;
• Weakening of fine motor skills of the hands;
• The appearance of spots on the skin;
• Paralysis or paresis.

If you notice at least some of the above symptoms, then you need to urgently go to see a doctor for examination.

Pathogenesis of plexitis

A complete disability of the patient can result in a disease such as plexitis of the shoulder joint. Symptoms, treatment of joint diseases in each patient are individual. As a result of squeezing the nerve plexus, a person loses efficiency, it is difficult for him to perform ordinary daily activities, for example, combing, raising a child, brushing his teeth.

There is a lower, upper and total plexitis. Everything depends on the level of defeat. The most common defeat of the working hand.

The mechanism of the development of the disease passes through two main stages, which have their manifestations or symptoms - neuralgic and paralytic. Pain syndrome is characteristic of the neuralgic stage, but the decrease in muscle strength is observed with paralytic plexitis.

Varieties

The classification of plexitis is very broad. Depending on the place of inflammation distinguish:

• Plexitis humerus - a process that spreads all over the arm;
• Damage to the cervical region;
• Lumbar or sacral inflammation is a process that can affect the lower limb;
• Plexitis of the coccygeal - a rare disorder.

There is also a classification by the method of distribution. This can include:

• One-sided process - the left or right limb is affected;
• Bilateral - characterized by the defeat of the limbs on both sides.

The disorder of nerve plexuses is divided into species characterized by the severity of the course:

• Partial lesions - individual nerve trunks suffer;
• Total - the whole nervous structure is affected.

Detection of a disease

It is visually difficult to confirm whether there is brachial plexitis. Symptoms and treatment of this disorder are similar to certain joint diseases. Diagnosis is carried out by a specialist with the help of anamnesis, identifying the causes of pain, severity of the disorder and symptoms. A thorough examination of the patient, his skin, assessment of nails and muscle strength is performed.

There are also laboratory tests, which include the analysis of blood and urine. Internal examination is carried out with the help of ultrasound and X-ray machines:

1. Ultrasound examination of pelvic organs.
2. Electro-neurology is necessary to clarify the speed of movement of nerve impulses.
3. Electromyography allows you to evaluate muscle activity and strength.
4. X-ray of the affected area.
5. Magnetic resonance imaging.

In addition, consultations of such specialists as gynecologist, urologist, orthopedist, oncologist and neurosurgeon will be necessary. The participation of all physicians is necessary for the differentiation of plexitis from other disorders having similar symptoms.

Healing measures

Plexitis - what is it? Is it possible to get rid of the disease? Since plexitis is a complex of articular disorders, treatment takes a long time. First of all, it is necessary to provide complete rest to the affected arm. For this, gypsum limbs and other orthopedic products are used. The specialist prescribes a course of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Medical measures take a completely different character when the period of remission comes and the symptoms of the disorder disappear. The therapeutic process includes massage, vitamin complex, exercise and physical therapy.

The progress of treatment is possible only with a complex effect on the causes of plexitis.

Medication

Drug treatment is also complex. It is aimed primarily at reducing the inflammatory process and removing pain. The most commonly prescribed anti-inflammatory pills and gels (Diclofenac, Nimesulide, Ketoprofen).

Vitamin treatment means taking B vitamins to help normalize blood circulation and improve the trophism of nerve tissues.

In addition to medical treatment, specialists prescribe courses of reflexotherapy, electromyostimulation, laser therapy, electrophoresis, etc.

ethnoscience

Quite effective and the recipes of traditional medicine, when it comes to joint diseases, this includes the plexitis of the shoulder joint. Symptoms, treatment with folk remedies is an excellent addition to the conservative method of treatment. Local folk therapy includes the following recipes:

1. Mummy and alcohol solution with a high content of this substance. This means is rubbed on the joint daily for 5 minutes. In addition, the mummy is perfectly suited for the prevention of joint diseases.
2. Natural products with apiaries. Propolis combined with pork fat is considered to be an effective remedy in the fight against plexitis. For the preparation of a therapeutic ointment, it is necessary to mix two ingredients in a proportion of 1:10.
3. Saline solutions - less financially expensive treatment option. It is enough to stock yourself with gauze, water and salt. In a glass of water, add 50 grams of salt. In the solution, the gauze is wetted and applied to the affected area.
4. A good restorative is a decoction from the bark of a white willow. The broth is prepared in the usual way (the grass is treated with boiling water). A piece of gauze is soaked with the resulting liquid and applied to the sore spot.

Internal Treatment

Therapy implies not only a local effect on the causes of plexitis. Significantly improve the health of drinking decoctions based on natural ingredients:

1. Chamomile broth reduces inflammation, has a calming and restoring effect. The daily norm of the broth should not exceed 500 ml.
2. Corn stigmas are famous for their anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare the broth, 4 large spoons of raw material should be poured into 500 ml of water. The mixture is infused for 5-10 minutes in a water bath. The daily norm is 180 ml.

Treatment baths are no less effective in fighting plexitis. In the water it is desirable to add broths of herbs such as mint, string, burdock.

Prophylaxis and prognosis

What is dangerous about plexitis, what it is and how to treat, we said above. And what preventive measures should be applied? Experts recommend following the rules:

• Annually undergo an examination with a doctor;
• Monitor diet and weight;
• It is enough to move and perform elementary exercises for the hands and feet;
• Temper the body;
• Sleep at least 7-8 hours a day on a comfortable orthopedic mattress.

The prognosis of the disorder largely depends on the course of the process and the concomitant diseases. A complete cure is possible with timely access to a specialist. But the advanced stage of plexitis does not lend itself to complete cure, it is only possible to weaken its symptoms.