What does shoulder surgery deal with?

It deals with pains, diseases, and lesions of the shoulder that can result from congenital and acquired disorders. The shoulder is made up of three articles, and a small blockage in their joint, coordinated movement may cause significant pain or problems, which can later lead to complaints in the neck.

What diseases or complaints are covered?

In terms of symptoms, it can be associated with sudden pain or the pain may develop slowly or gradually, which can interfere with rest or everyday activities such as getting dressed, eating or driving. Complaints can also suggest the underlying disease. Problems around the shoulder can be accidental, congenital, or degenerative.

Shoulder impingement syndrome

Description of the disease: When the arm is raised, the rotator cuff is pinched between the bone above it and the humerus.

Symptoms: The impingement of the rotator cuff may lead to pain, inflammation, and restricted movement in the longer term. As time goes by, the shoulder may hurt not only when moving, but also at rest, even at night. In the long run, it can even lead to a tendon rupture.

Treatment: Conservative treatment may help if the patient avoids movements that cause pain. Individualized physiotherapy and medication can also help. However, full recovery can take up to 6 months. If your shoulder surgeon recommends surgery, you can find more information about the surgery here.

Frozen shoulder syndrome

Description of the disease: The connective tissues thicken and become stiff, thus preventing ideal movement of the shoulder joint. It is most common in middle-aged women, common in diabetics, but the true cause most often remains undiscovered.

Symptoms: Severe pain is typical with gradual or complete restriction of movements over time.

Treatment: It takes two to three years for the disease to heal without treatment, which can be shortened by physiotherapy if you are lucky. The fastest solution is a short arthroscopic surgery on an outpatient basis; click here to read more about it.

Wear and tear of the end of the collarbone (AC joint)

Description of the disease: The tight joint formed by a protrusion of the scapula and the lateral end of the clavicle wears out due to regular forceful impacts.

Symptoms: Complaints develop gradually: in the beginning the pain is felt in the tip of the shoulder, then over time it becomes constant throughout the day and not only in the shoulder. It primarily affects athletes, especially heavy lifters. As the disease progresses, even cleaning can become a problem.

Treatment: In less severe cases, it is treated in a conservative way, rest can help, and the shoulder surgeon can recommend anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections. If you do not respond to conservative treatment, surgery is needed; you can read more about it here.

Calcified deposits in the rotator cuff (Calcific tendinitis)

Description of the disease: One of the special forms of painful impingement disease of the shoulder is the calcification of the rotator cuff. Calcification may develop in the tendon or in the synovial fluid-filled sac above the tendon. The reason of its development is unknown.

Symptoms: Most often, the symptoms start with a sudden bad movement, and then over time, the patient constantly feels very strong, sharp pain and is unable to raise his/her arm.

Treatment: Conservative treatment, at least strong anti-inflammatory drugs are administered but most often steroid injection is required due to severe pain. Once the pain improved, physiotherapy can be started.  In more severe cases, surgery may be the solution; you can read more about it here.

Shoulder joint wear and tear

Description of the disease: As we age, our shoulder joints can also wear out and lifestyle may contribute to it as well as wear and tear, fractures, dislocation, and age. It often affects several joints at once and develops through the inflammation of the joints.

Symptoms: Persisting pain in the shoulder area, usually in the back of the shoulder, the symptoms are also present at night and the movement becomes restricted.

Treatment: Surgery is not used in all cases, initially the solution may be to avoid the painful sequence of movements, rest, use painkillers, steroid-containing injections, and physiotherapy. Rapid outpatient arthroscopic cleaning and release may be a temporary solution. In more severe cases, however, shoulder replacement can be a successful and effective solution. More information can be found here.

Rotator cuff (shoulder muscle) rupture

Description of the disease: Athletes, physical workers, but also the elderly often suffer from shoulder muscle rupture and the shoulder surgeon chooses treatment based on the size and type of rupture and the patient’s age.

Symptoms: May cause dull pain and weakness in the arm or movement restriction in the affected area.

Treatment: In the case of smaller ruptures in the elderly, conservative treatment may be considered, during which the painful sequence of movements should be avoided, it is necessary to go to physiotherapy and analgesics and steroid-containing injections may be prescribed by the specialist. At a young age, especially if the rupture is greater than 3 cm, surgery is recommended by the shoulder surgeon; you can read more about it here.

Shoulder dislocation, shoulder joint instability

Description of the disease: The shoulder is excessively loose, easily sprained by sudden or extreme movements, which may be due to congenital joint laxity or injury.

Symptoms: clicking, feeling of instability, frequent shoulder dislocation.

Treatment method: in case of congenital joint laxity, we start physiotherapy and if it is not successful or if the instability develops due to an injury, the shoulder surgeon recommends surgery; you can read more about it here.

What happens in a personal consultation?

Our shoulder surgeon asks the patient about the complaints, learns about the medical history and, in addition to physical examination, may perform ultrasound examination and request an X-ray for diagnosis and then to determine therapy.

Possible therapies

Depending on the illness or complaint, the doctor will recommend a conservative or surgical solution.