Painkillers

In the case of shoulder arthrosis, painkillers are often the first choice at the beginning of therapy, as the pain severely limits the quality of life of those affected.

If there is no other underlying disease that speaks against it, the so-called NSARs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are the means of choice. These are substances that suppress the production of the body’s own pain and inflammatory substances, called prostaglandins in the technical jargon.
Well-known active ingredients from this group are for example ibuprofen, diclofenac or acetylsalicylic acid (ASA).
As an alternative to the NSAIDs, there are the better tolerated coxibe (e.g. etoricoxib). These are inhibitors of a specific enzyme responsible for the development of pain, namely cyclooxygenase 2.

If patients experience very severe pain that cannot be controlled with the less effective painkillers, so-called opioid analgesics are used. These include the active ingredients codeine, buprenorphine or fentanyl.
In addition to therapy with classic painkillers, homeopathic and anthroposophic medicines can also be used.

OP

In some cases, surgery may be necessary and useful in the case of shoulder arthrosis. Depending on the stage of arthrosis of the shoulder, different surgical procedures may be used. Surgeons often try to operate arthroscopically, i.e. with a minimally invasive procedure.

This has the advantage that no large surgical wounds are made and the risk of infection is reduced. During the operation, they either try to perform a cartilage transplantation, remove and smooth out excess cartilage and damaged structures or, in the case of irreparable damage, insert an artificial shoulder joint. Alternative treatment options can be found here:

Treatment of shoulder arthrosis

Pain after surgery

Pain after shoulder arthrosis surgery is quite normal. Of course, the primary goal of the operation is to relieve the patient of the pain caused by shoulder arthrosis. Nevertheless, the operation is a more or less complex procedure that puts a strain on the structures of the shoulder joint.

Due to the immobilization, bruises in the joint and fresh surgical scars, many affected persons feel pain, especially in the first days after the operation. If physiotherapy is started, the passive movements performed there can also cause pain. This is because injured tissue is stretched and muscles that have not been used for a long time are moved.

As a rule, the pain after the operation can be brought under control with painkillers. Since patients are not supposed to actively load the shoulder at first, this inevitably results in a partial atrophy of the muscles. When the rest phase is over, pain can still occur in the active part of the post-operative treatment, as the mobility, strength and flexibility of the shoulder must first be restored.