Shoulder osteoarthritis is wear and tear in the shoulder joint. Osteoarthritis in the shoulder can severely restrict those affected in their everyday life: lifting the arm hurts and some movements are no longer possible. Read below to find out how shoulder osteoarthritis develops, how to recognize it and what treatment options are available. You can also find selected specialists for shoulder osteoarthritis here.
The term osteoarthritis refers to wear and tear of the cartilage and bones in various joints. Shoulder osteoarthritis or omarthrosis is when one or both shoulders are affected.
In each joint, the bones are protected by cartilage tissue. The cartilage also ensures that the joint is "lubricated" and that movement - in the truest sense of the word - is possible without friction. If the cartilage layer wears excessively, it can no longer fulfill its important functions: The bones rub against each other. This is painful and causes inflammation in the joint.
Typical symptoms of shoulder osteoarthritis are
At first, the pain mainly occurs after exertion or when lying on the shoulder. As the condition progresses, however, the shoulder can also be constantly painful at rest.
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Shoulder osteoarthritis starts slowly and progresses over time. This can lead to regular episodes: For a while, the shoulder causes no problems, but after overloading or even without recognizable causes, pain and movement restrictions suddenly increase.
Osteoarthritis is usually preceded by minor damage to the cartilage or tendons. This can be caused by an injury, but also by excessive strain or incorrect posture. Circulatory disorders or inflammation in the shoulder area can also contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. In rare cases, shoulder osteoarthritis can also develop without a recognizable cause.
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If there is pain in the shoulder and osteoarthritis is suspected, the first step is to talk to your doctor. For example, he will ask about the patient's medical history, any injuries and similar cases in the family. Information about the patient's lifestyle can also provide important clues. During a physical examination, the doctor will also look at the range of motion of the shoulder and palpate it.
If the suspicion is confirmed, an X-ray will show more precisely what the joint looks like. An MRI scan is often useful as a supplement. During this examination, images of individual layers of the joint are taken in a "tube". Sometimes the doctor also performs an ultrasound examination or examines the blood for signs of bacterial inflammation. All of these examinations provide an accurate picture of the condition of the shoulder joint and the surrounding tissue. An arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for precise diagnosis and simultaneous surgical treatment, the video shows the procedure:
As with many diseases, the same applies to shoulder osteoarthritis: the earlier it is treated, the better the possible treatment results. If the wear and tear is not yet too advanced, it can be treated conservatively, i.e. without surgery.
Various methods can be used for this:
If joint wear in the shoulder can no longer be adequately treated with conservative methods, various operations can be considered as part of shoulder surgery. The doctor removes areas of inflammation in the shoulder or repairs possible injuries.
If these methods are no longer sufficient, a shoulder prosthesis, i.e. an artificial shoulder joint, can be inserted.
Cartilage wear in joints cannot be completely cured. However, various methods can be used to halt the progression and alleviate the pain. Conservative or surgical treatment significantly improves the patient's quality of life, the pain is reduced or disappears completely and mobility can be improved or completely restored.
How good the prognosis is depends very much on the individual case. In general, the earlier treatment begins, the better the results. So don't wait too long and consult an expert as soon as possible if you have symptoms!
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