Shoulder Arthritis
Arthritis of the shoulder has a number of causes. Commonest is rheumatoid arthritis which is a disease that attacks all joint in the body. Primary osteoarthritis of the shoulder is similar to any other degenerative process that can afflict the hip or knee. Other causes are fractures involving the joint surface, chronic rotator cuff tears and avascular necrosis of the humeral head (a condition where the blood supply of the humeral head disappears or is damaged causing deformity of the humeral head that results in the development of osteoarthritis). Treatment of any arthritic complaint of the shoulder is either with a combination of medication (standard painkillers and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication), steroid injections and as a last resort joint replacement surgery.
