Shoulder Arthritis

What are the symptoms of shoulder arthritis?

• Difficulty sleeping due to shoulder pain
• Stiffness in the shoulder, often worse in the morning
• Pain which is aggravated by activity and progressively worsens
• A deep, aching pain in the shoulder joint
• Limited range of motion, such as difficulty lifting arms to wash hair, putting on a coat or reaching to a shelf
• Clicking and grinding sounds
• Pain that worsens with the weather
• Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the bones wears down. Its hallmark symptom is pain deep within the shoulder, which can be aggravated by movements.
  This is a degenerative ageing disease and it usually occurs symptomatically worse in one joint at a time.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition and is a type of inflammatory arthritis. It often causes neck and shoulder pain and commonly impacts both shoulder joints.
• Arthritis relating to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint is focused at the outer end of the collar bone (located at the top of the shoulder) and this pain can sometimes travel to the side of the neck.

• Can’t sleep due to pain and have tried other non-surgical strategies such as anti-inflammatory medications, physiotherapy and cortisone injections without success.
• There is reduced quality of life and independence
• Washing, reaching tasks and getting dressed are difficult
• There is loss of motion and weakness in the shoulder
• Imaging (X-ray/ CT/ MRI) shows “bone on bone” arthritis

• If non-surgical treatments such as cortisone, physiotherapy and medication do not relieve pain after 6 months, surgical management may be very helpful in relieving pain and aid a return to function for work, sport and activities of daily living again.
• Advanced bone-on-bone arthritis of the shoulder can be treated with a shoulder replacement (arthroplasty)
• In this procedure, the damaged parts of the shoulder joint are removed and replaced with artificial components called prostheses.
• It is important you keep your shoulder moving after surgery with regular exercises and the use of a sling as prescribed.