What types of arthritis affect the shoulder?
Arthritis has many forms, but the ones that most often affect the shoulder are:
Osteoarthritis
The most common kind of shoulder arthritis, osteoarthritis is sometimes called degenerative joint disease because it's related to cartilage breakdown within your joints as you age.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis mainly strikes small joints, especially hands and feet. But it can also occur in your shoulders and other joints. This immune and inflammatory disease usually affects both shoulders at once.
Rotator cuff tear arthropathy
A serious untreated rotator cuff tear can allow the top of your humerus bone to grind against other bones, destroying cartilage and leading to arthritis. This risk is one reason why it's so important to get appropriate rotator cuff repair when your symptoms start.
Post-traumatic shoulder arthritis
Serious shoulder damage, which often includes sports injuries like fractures or dislocations, may not heal properly unless you get treatment. This can sometimes lead to post-traumatic shoulder arthritis.
Regardless of type, arthritis is a severely damaging disease that requires treatment.
What are the symptoms of shoulder arthritis?
Shoulder arthritis symptoms may vary in terms of intensity, but most forms of shoulder arthritis cause one or more of the following problems.
Shoulder pain
Shoulder pain can be either constant or sporadic. Pain often gets worse with activity. The pain may radiate to your arm as well.
Shoulder stiffness
Shoulder stiffness can make any shoulder motion difficult, and it can inhibit your arm and hand movements as well.
Popping or grinding
Because cartilage loss occurs in an uneven pattern, your bones can sometimes pop, click, or grind together as you move. In severe cases, your shoulder might lock up or get stuck temporarily.
Arthritis pain and function issues aren’t to be ignored. The disease may progress steadily until it causes serious disability if you don’t take action.
How do you treat arthritis?
Dr. Re usually starts with conservative care such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, oral anti-inflammatory drugs, and prescribed exercise.
Some arthritis may respond well to injections of corticosteroids or platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Although injections can greatly relieve pain and help you move more freely, surgery is the only way to repair shoulder joint abnormalities.
Dr. Re can perform shoulder surgery to place artificial parts that function like a healthy joint. Whenever possible, he uses the arthroscopic method, which means he makes very small incisions and completes the operation while viewing your joint on a large monitor.
Arthroscopic joint replacement is a less invasive method that reduces bleeding, pain, and recovery time.
To see New York’s best shoulder arthritis specialist, call the office of Louis Peter Re Jr., MD, or schedule online now.
