Relieve Arthritis in the Shoulder with Shoulder Replacement Surgery
You are probably familiar with the many memorable quotes about shoulders. For example, there’s the ancient Jewish proverb to “Ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders,” or “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants,” often credited to Sir Isaac Newton.
What do these quotes about shoulders – and many more just like them – tell us about the complex joint that connects the humerus (upper arm) to the scapula (upper arm)?
Simple. The shoulder is incredibly important.
But if you suffer from shoulder arthritis, you have already learned the hard way just how important a healthy shoulder is to your day-to-day life.
Whether lifting something heavy, or simply picking up a utensil, the shoulder joint plays a mission-critical role in daily function. However, the symptoms of shoulder arthritis can make performing these basic activities difficult and painful, resulting in stiffness, tension, and cartilage breakdown.
While non-surgical treatment options for shoulder arthritis can be extremely beneficial, they may sometimes fall short of relieving your symptoms. If this is the case, shoulder replacement surgery could be needed.
If shoulder replacement surgery may be right for you, we provide compassionate care and patient-centered service that is second-to-none at the Orthopedic Institutes of North Texas – including both total shoulder replacement surgery (arthroplasty) and reverse shoulder replacement surgery.
But you may be wondering: What is the difference between these procedures and which one do I need?
Find out more about shoulder arthritis, what the surgical treatment options are, and whether shoulder replacement surgery may be right for you.
What Is Shoulder Arthritis?
Before we discuss shoulder replacement surgery, let’s first understand shoulder arthritis; specifically what it is, what causes it, and what some of the common symptoms are.
Arthritis literally means “inflation of a joint.” In this case, it is pain, swelling, and stiffness in the shoulder joint that connects the scapula to the humerus.
There are three main causes of shoulder arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear to the cartilage over time, and is the most common type.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the lining of the joint.
- Trauma or injury to the shoulder joint, which can lead to shoulder arthritis, including post-traumatic arthritis or rotator cuff tear arthropathy.
The most common symptoms of shoulder arthritis include weakness, grinding, reduced range of motion, chronic pain, and other “sensations” in the shoulder, such as tingling.
Non-surgical or conservative treatment options for shoulder arthritis can include physical therapy, pain management and medication, ice/heat therapy, activity modification, and even corticosteroid injections. While these options can be extremely beneficial, if they fall short of relieving your symptoms, shoulder replacement may be needed.
However, when these non-surgical treatment options fail to relieve symptoms, surgical treatment may be recommended.
When Is Shoulder Replacement Surgery Recommended?
Simply put, you should consider shoulder replacement surgery as a treatment option for your shoulder arthritis if non-surgical/conservative treatment options have failed to deliver relief of your symptoms.
However, here are other signs, symptoms, and situations to consider:
- Severe chronic pain
- Major loss of function that disrupts daily activities
- Active seniors seeking an improved quality of life
- Massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears
- Failed previous shoulder surgeries
Surgical Options for Shoulder Arthritis
At OINT, we’re proud to provide two surgical treatment options available for shoulder arthritis:
- Anatomic Total Shoulder Replacement (Traditional Shoulder Replacement): Developed to treat patients with intact rotator cuffs, anatomic total shoulder replacement surgery replaces the damaged ball-and-socket joint with prosthetic components to restore pain-free motion and shoulder strength.
- Reverse Shoulder Replacement: Developed for patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears or rotator cuff arthropathy (any disease or abnormal condition of a joint), reverse shoulder replacement surgery reverses the normal ball-and-socket structure to improve stability and function without relying on the rotator cuff muscles.
Anatomic total replacement offers a faster rehab, and you can usually begin strengthening exercises in roughly eight weeks. Learn more here.
Because of how in-depth reverse shoulder replacement surgery is, you may require longer rehab than anatomical shoulder replacement surgery, with full recovery taking anywhere from 6-12 months.
Physical therapy services are highly recommended to restore range of motion, strength, and function following both surgeries.
What Are the Benefits of Shoulder Replacement Surgery?
Whether you require total shoulder replacement or reverse shoulder replacement surgery, both offer tremendous benefits for treating shoulder arthritis, including:
- Pain relief and restored mobility
- Improved shoulder strength and stability
- Improved quality of life
Additionally, patients who undergo reverse shoulder replacement can once again enjoy the strength and stability of a rotator cuff.
Now That You Know About Shoulder Arthritis Surgery, What Comes Next?
If you or your doctor think that shoulder replacement surgery may be necessary to treat your shoulder arthritis, you’ll discover life-changing, expert surgical care with OINT.
Our shoulder arthritis surgeries are performed by Dr. Vikas A. Patel, who brings ten years of experience to his practice. Additionally, Dr. Patel is a member of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association, among other distinctions.
But the most important distinction for Dr. Patel – as well as all of our providers – are the satisfied patients whose lives we have helped change for the better.
With multiple convenient locations around the North Texas area, our expert team is standing by to provide solutions to your shoulder arthritis, so please contact us with questions.
If you’re ready to move forward with shoulder surgery, and put your pain from shoulder arthritis in the past, schedule an appointment with OINT today.