A lot of people worldwide are affected by some form of arthritis. In simple words, arthritis can be defined as the inflammation of one or more of your joints. In an affected or diseased shoulder, this inflammation causes pain and stiffness that can make even the day-to-day activities difficult, like lifting your arm, brushing your hair or reaching up to a shelf.
According to the symptoms of the types of arthritis, there are five distinct forms of shoulder arthritis-
1)Rheumatoid arthritis
It is counted as one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is an autoimmune condition and typically affects both sides of the body. As a result, you might experience warmth, tenderness and swelling in your joints. Apart from this, you might also feel stiffness in your shoulders. These symptoms can also be accompanied by fever, weight loss and fatigue.
Rheumatoid arthritis causes the joint linings to swell, which leads to stiffness and pain. In addition, it can cause erosion of shoulder bones if it is not treated at the right time.
2)Osteoarthritis
The shed of cartilage at the end of the bones, which connect to form joints, causes osteoarthritis. In addition, cartilage loss causes stiffness and pain, which results from friction between the ends of the bones.
Any physical activity increases the pain when you have osteoarthritis.
3)Post-traumatic arthritis
If you dislocate or fracture your shoulder, you may develop a form of osteoarthritis called post-traumatic arthritis. The patients usually recover from the conditions in this medical condition, but it can become chronic if it lasts for more than six months.
4)Avascular necrosis
It is also known as osteonecrosis, can occur in any bone, but it primarily affects the hips. This condition occurs when blood supply to the bones is disrupted, causing the bone cells to die. As a result, the bone gradually collapses over time, resulting in the damage of the cartilage that covers it. The causes can vary from excessive alcohol abuse to heavy steroid usage.
5)Rotator cuff tear arthropathy
The rotator cuff is the band of tissue that connects your shoulder blade to the top of your arm. Injuries to the rotator cuff are prevalent and can lead to shoulder arthritis.
The joint pressure movement is lost when the rotator cuff is torn. It also affects the stability of your shoulder.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Doctors usually suggest X-rays and other scans to analyse the condition in-depth.
Depending on the symptoms, your doctors may recommend:
-Physical therapy exercises to improve the range of motion.
-Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or aspirin.
-Corticosteroids, such as cortisone, are injected directly into your shoulder to reduce inflammation and pain in the short term.
-Hot or cold therapy, which entails icing or heating the affected area for 20 to 30 minutes at a time a few times per day
Call us today for a consultation. Our very own specialist, Dr Reetadyuti Mukhopadhyay is at your service to assist you.
