Shoulder Arthritis

Treating causes of shoulder arthritis with innovative services

The most common type of shoulder arthritis is osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease. This is caused when cartilage is worn away after years of use.

Shoulder arthritis typically affects patients over the age of 50. A history of shoulder injury increases the risk of arthritis.

What are the symptoms of shoulder arthritis?

Shoulder arthritis is often characterized by:

• Deep, aching shoulder pain
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Stiffness
• Limited mobility
• Pain when moving the shoulder
• Trouble sleeping because of pain

How we treat shoulder arthritis

An Orthopedics & Sports Medicine BayCare Clinic specialist will discuss the history of your condition and conduct a physical examination. X-rays are necessary to identify arthritis in the shoulder, but an MRI also may be obtained.

Nonsurgical treatment options

• Rest
• Modifying activities
• Physical therapy
• Heat or ice compresses
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Dietary supplements
• Cortisone injections
• Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Stem cell therapy

Surgical treatment options

If nonsurgical treatments do not reduce pain and restore quality of life, our orthopedic surgeon may recommend a total shoulder replacement or a partial shoulder replacement. 

If shoulder arthritis is combined with a torn rotator cuff, our orthopedic surgeon may recommend a reverse shoulder replacement. This is a way to address both the osteoarthritis and torn rotator cuff tear in one surgery.

Our goal is to restore each patient’s desired quality of life by creating individualized care plans to reduce pain, improve mobility, reduce the likelihood of further injury and return people to their normal activities as quickly and safely as possible.