Alternatives to Shoulder Replacement

Shoulder-replacement surgery is a major orthopedic surgical procedure used to reconstruct a diseased or damaged shoulder joint using artificial implant materials. Although it is an effective procedure, shoulder-replacement surgery is not without risks and limitations, thereby making the surgery less than optimal for some patients. There are, however, alternatives to shoulder-replacement surgery.

Pain Medication

• The need for shoulder-replacement surgery can often be delayed and/or prevented if shoulder pain and dysfunction can be adequately controlled with pain-medication therapy. There are a number of pain medications available to treat joint pain, including shoulder joint pain. These medications range from over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID) such as Tylenol and Advil to more powerful prescription-based medications such as Vicodin and Oxycontin. Experimenting with different pain medication can be an effective strategy for determining which medication delivers the best pain relief.

Joint Injections

• For more severe and/or chronic cases of shoulder joint pain, injections are often used to help manage pain and improve shoulder joint function. A shoulder joint injection typically consists of injecting a small amount of corticosteroid, which is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, directly into the shoulder joint. The injected medication helps to reduce tissue inflammation, which helps to reduce pain levels and improve joint mobility. Shoulder joint injections, which are normally given weeks and sometimes months apart, can be an effective treatment option that can delay and/or prevent the need for shoulder-replacement surgery.

Arthroscopic Surgery

• Arthroscopic shoulder surgery, a relatively minor surgical procedure, involves accessing the shoulder joint with the aid of a small camera inserted into the joint via several small incisions. The camera allows the joint to be inspected internally and the joint anatomy to be visualized on a small screen. Small surgical repairs, including soft tissue repairs and joint debridement, can be made to the joint using small surgical instruments. Arthroscopic surgery can be very effective at relieving shoulder joint pain and improving shoulder joint function and, in many cases, can delay or prevent the need for shoulder-replacement surgery.

Shoulder Resurfacing

• An alternative to traditional shoulder-replacement surgery is a relatively new surgical procedure called shoulder resurfacing. A shoulder resurfacing procedure involves resurfacing, as opposed to replacing, the eroded, diseased surfaces of a shoulder joint. This type of surgery is much less invasive than traditional shoulder-replacement surgery and does not require adherence to as many post-surgery activity restrictions. Thus, shoulder resurfacing surgery is geared toward more active patients who expect greater degrees of shoulder function and use. Shoulder resurfacing surgery is becoming more popular as an alternative to shoulder joint replacement.

Bracing

• Wearing a shoulder brace can help to stabilize a diseased, painful shoulder joint and help reduce shoulder pain. Depending on the degree of shoulder joint damage or disease, a shoulder brace can help align a painful shoulder joint and prevent excessive or extreme shoulder joint movements, which often exacerbate a shoulder condition. Shoulder joint braces range from small, light-weight braces that simply aid in shoulder support to more extensive braces that restrict a large degree of normal shoulder joint movement. Regular use of a shoulder joint brace can, at the very least, help delay the need for shoulder-replacement surgery by helping to manage shoulder pain.