Shoulder arthritis: Osteoarthritis, Chondrolysis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Degenerative joint disease, and arthritis after shoulder surgery.
Edited By: Frederick A. Matsen III, M.D., Winston J. Warme, MD
Last updated Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Diagnosis and evaluationHow is shoulder arthritis diagnosed? A
physician diagnoses shoulder arthritis by taking a good history of the problem,
performing a thorough physical examination of the shoulder and neck, and taking
precise X-rays to evaluate the status of the joint.
In osteoarthritis, X-rays typically show loss of the normal joint space, bone
spurs (osteophytes), and loss of centering of the ball in the socket (click here for more about "Total shoulder joint replacement")What tests may be used to diagnose shoulder arthritis? Laboratory
tests,
other than routine blood and urine tests, are usually not necessary. In
special cases additional tests, such as an MRI, CT scan or lab tests
may
be helpful.Will diagnosing shoulder arthritis cause pain, side effects, or invasive techniques? How are these dealt with? The
tests are not usually uncomfortable or invasive. Sometimes the shoulder is so
stiff that positioning the arm for the X-rays is painful.What health care professionals may help diagnose shoulder arthritis? Shoulder
arthritis can be diagnosed by any physician who has experience in evaluating
shoulder conditions. This may be an orthopaedic surgeon, physiatrist,
rheumatologist, or primary care physician.How can a doctor specializing in shoulder arthritis be found? Determining
the best treatment for an individual with shoulder arthritis requires
substantial experience. Because shoulder arthritis is much less common than
knee or hip arthritis and because many fewer surgeries are performed for
shoulder arthritis than hip or knee arthritis, there are many fewer experienced
shoulder surgeons than knee and hip surgeons. Patients considering shoulder
joint replacement (total shoulder arthroplasty) should consult with an
individual who performs these surgeries frequently. A list of fellowship
trained shoulder surgeons can be obtained by consulting the website of the
American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons.
Surgery for Shoulder arthritis at the University of Washington If you are interested in making an appointment to discuss this procedure, you can request an appointment using our online referrals website. To request a referral online, please click here. You can also call 206-598-BONE (2663) to make an appointment.
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