Arthritis is a degenerative and painful medical condition affecting your joints. All your joints are vulnerable, including your shoulder. If you suffer from shoulder arthritis, you need the help of an expert-an orthopaedic specialist. Dr. Roger Pollock in Paramus, NJ, provides a wide range of orthopaedic services, including treatment of shoulder arthritis.

What You Need To Know About Shoulder Arthritis

There are a few factors that can cause shoulder arthritis to develop. These factors include:

• Being older, typically over 50 years old
• Overusing your shoulder, performing repetitive tasks at work involving your shoulder
• Stress and strain in your shoulders, from participating in sports including golf, tennis, and others cause shoulder stress
• A traumatic injury to your shoulder from a fall, vehicular injury, or other event

You may have shoulder arthritis if you experience shoulder issues that don’t resolve, including:

• Moderate to severe shoulder pain
• Swelling and inflammation in your shoulder
• Stiffness and loss of range of motion in your shoulder

If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms listed above, you should seek out help from our orthopaedic specialist who will begin with a thorough examination of your shoulder, which may include imaging studies. There are several treatment options for shoulder arthritis, including:

• Exercises and physical therapy to maintain shoulder flexibility and strength
• Thermal therapies including using ice or moist heat to reduce swelling and pain
• Anti-inflammatory medications to reduce inflammation and pain

For cases where the symptoms persist or worsen, despite extensive nonoperative treatment, then surgery can be considered. For early stages of arthritis, especially in younger patients (below 45 to 50 years old), arthroscopic debridement of the glenohumeral joint can provide symptomatic relief and forestall the need for prosthetic shoulder replacement. This treatment will not be effective in more advanced cases. For those patients, shoulder replacement surgery, when performed by someone experienced in shoulder replacement surgery, offers the best chances of pain relief and restoring range of motion.

Want To Know More?

To learn more about shoulder arthritis, treatment options, and how our orthopaedic specialist can help, call Dr. Roger Pollock in Paramus, NJ. You can reach him in the office by calling (201) 612-9774, so call today.