Do you have shoulder pain?  If yes, have you seen a doctor yet? Pain in the shoulder joint can be a sign of arthritis. The disease causes the soft cartilage of the shoulder to erode, resulting in pain when bones touch. The condition can often be controlled with drugs and a change of lifestyle. However, if it fails to respond to these, shoulder replacement surgery can be suggested. Surgery leads to the replacement of the whole joint, and it can remove a great deal of pain.  

One thing that happens when one has shoulder arthritis is limited joint motion. Hence, you can be forced to stop participating in activities that you really love. In such a situation, a doctor might recommend joint replacement surgery. The following are telltale signs that surgery might be the best solution for you.

• Osteoarthritis of the shoulder – As aforesaid, this degenerative disease is one of the most common reasons why people undergo shoulder replacement surgical treatment. It causes joint stiffness and pain because the protective cartilage is no longer there. This surgery is typically performed if the physician finds out that a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs and lifestyle changes are not making any difference at all. Most people who are over fifty years of age and have shoulder pain mainly suffer from osteoarthritis. Surgery tends to be the best treatment method for them.

• Bone fractures – If a person is involved in a car crash or a slip and fall accident and sustains an injury in the shoulder area, they might end up being treated via surgery. If the injury is so severe that the ball of the arm is badly damaged and cannot be treated, the next solution is to replace it. Depending on the current status of the shoulder joint's socket or the clavicle, the surgeon might select either partial or complete shoulder replacement surgery. This surgery will replace the fractured bone, make the joint stable, and restore the arm function.

• Rotator cuff tears – This tends to be a common complaint among patients with shoulder pain. The tear affects one of the four muscles that surround the upper section of the arm bone. When there is a bad tear, the muscles cannot provide stability in the joint. If it goes untreated, you might end up with arthritis of the shoulder. And if this disease develops, replacement surgery might be the last solution.

If you think that you have a reason to do shoulder replacement surgery, make sure that you select a top orthopedic doctor to ensure success. After coming up with a diagnosis through an MRI or a CT scan, your doctor will know how to safely operate on your shoulder joint.