Osteoarthritis Of The Shoulders

Does moving one or both of your arms always cause you to experience excessive shoulder pain? Does the root of the pain confuse you because your shoulder was never injured? You might need an examination performed on your shoulders by a specialist to determine if osteoarthritis is the cause. If osteoarthritis is found to be the cause, you might need surgery performed to resolve the root of the pain. The content below explains the important things that you might have in mind about osteoarthritis in the shoulders and the possible need for surgery.

The Deterioration of Cartilage

The possible reason why you have no clue as to why your shoulder is hurting is that the damage might be happening internally. For instance, if you have osteoarthritis, it means that the cartilage that cushions the bones that allows you to move your arm has begun to deteriorate. The cartilage is important because it is able to prevent the bones from rubbing together when your arm is moving. It is important to get both of your shoulders examined by a specialist, even if you are only experiencing pain in one of them. The cartilage in one shoulder might simply be deteriorating at a slower rate than the other one.

Trying to Avoid Surgery

Surgery for any type of condition is a serious procedure that specialists try to avoid. Rather than jumping into surgery, other treatment methods might be attempted to treat your shoulder arthritis. If the disease has progressed too far, a specialist might simply ask you to refrain from strenuous activities that can cause inflammation. 

There are also various types of injections that can be administered based on the level of progression of the disease. For instance, anti-inflammatory drugs can be administered if inflammation is the only cause of your pain and there is no serious damage to the bones.

Surgery for Shoulder Osteoarthritis

If your pain and the progression of osteoarthritis is severe, surgery will likely be necessary on one or both shoulders. There are actually numerous surgical procedures for the condition, such as arthroplasty to replace damaged joints. If damaged cartilage is the only problem, arthroscopy can be performed to remove the pieces of it that are not in good condition. The surgical procedure that will be performed depends on your condition. However, keep in mind that multiple treatment methods might be necessary if there is a substantial amount of damage.

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