How Common is Total Shoulder Replacement?

Though not as common as knee and hip replacement, approximately 53,000 Americans have shoulder replacement surgery each year, and this number is growing. Osteoarthritis, or degenerative arthritis, is a major reason for shoulder replacements. Over time, joints wear out, which can result in severe pain and decreased range of motion. Rheumatoid arthritis, rotator cuff tears, trauma and injury are also culprits of pain and restricted movement, which may sometimes be treated with a shoulder replacement for relief.

The need for shoulder replacement may come about from a traumatic injury, or just from normal wear and tear. Some patients will have severe pain in the shoulder with daily activities, loss of range of motion, pain sleeping on it at night and weakness. If you experience any of these, you should have a thorough evaluation of why you are having the symptoms. They can be caused by arthritis, or by other disorders including soft tissue damage, which have different treatment options.

As a shoulder specialist, Dr. Betsy Nolan at the Oklahoma Shoulder Center offer a wide range of options for her patients. She know that there’s no “one size fits all” cure when it comes to shoulder pain. Non-surgical treatments include cortisone injections, medication, physical therapy, ice or activity modification. Surgery may be indicated when these treatments fail to ease shoulder pain. Depending on the cause of your shoulder pain, surgical options can range from minimally invasive surgical repair, done arthroscopically, to a full shoulder replacement. It is important to consider your activity demands and goals when deciding upon a treatment option. The decision is ultimately between you and your orthopaedic surgeon.

Choosing an orthopedic surgeon is not always easy, but those surgeons who are fellowship trained in shoulder repair can give you a variety of options to consider, which may increase your comfort level.  Give us a call to set up a consultation with our shoulder surgeon, Dr. Betsy Nolan at the Oklahoma Shoulder Center, to talk about your treatment options.

By Oklahoma Shoulder Center PLLC

June 29, 2016