Our shoulders do a lot of work every day. Right from the moment you wake up, there are many things that the shoulder stretches out to. Reaching out to things put on a table, combing hair, brushing, the shoulders play an important part. But when it comes to the problems associated with it, it is the most ignored part. Only when there is severe pain in the shoulder and that too beyond to it being painful, we hardly take notice to it.
Shoulder replacement surgery is done where the damaged parts of the shoulder are removed and it gets replaced with artificial components that are also known as prosthesis. The various options of treatment include replacement of just the head of the humerus bone (ball) ore replacement of the ball and the socket
What are the causes?
There are various conditions that can cause pain in the shoulder and disability and could lead patients to opt for shoulder replacement surgery. Here are the three major reasons that could lead to a shoulder surgery
- Severe Arthritis
- Trauma due to some injury
- Rotator cuff tears
Severe arthritis and injury are the most common conditions when the bones get fractured or start degenerating after an infection. Extreme pressure and stress on the shoulder involving an injury can cause a rotator cuff tear. Here the tendons and muscles supporting the joint could get damaged. This can lead to the bones losing their stability and wearing out faster, thus making it difficult to perform any activity.
When is shoulder replacement good for you?
There are various reasons why your doctor can advise shoulder replacement surgery. There are several benefits people can have from the surgery and especially people who suffer from:
- Severe shoulder pain that does not allow one to do everyday activities.
- Severe pain while resting. This could be in the form of pain that is severe enough to prevent a good night’s sleep.
- Loss of motion in the shoulder
- No improvement with other traditional treatments like anti-inflammatory medications or physical therapy.
The majority of the people experience great relief in pain and have an improved range of motion after a shoulder replacement surgery. The surgery is considered a safe and most effective option of helping people who suffer from shoulder pain. You need to talk to a doctor or specialist if you think that you are a candidate for shoulder replacement surgery