By Laurie Melrose-Doering, Osteopath & Applied Kinesiologist
Shoulder arthritis tends to refer to osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint, the shoulder’s ball-in-socket joint. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of shoulder pain with advanced age. It is characterized by degeneration of the joint surfaces.
Osteoarthritis is present when the joint surfaces have degenerated, and this degeneration causes regular pain. Degeneration, or wear and tear, is a normal anatomical finding with increasing age and does not necessarily cause pain. When it does, however, we call this osteoarthritis.
Degeneration of the glenohumeral joint can be caused by:
The symptoms of glenohumeral arthritis are typical for osteoarthritis symptoms, i.e.:
The aim of treatment is to reduce muscle tightness, improve the biomechanics of the shoulder, and reduce inflammation.
There are a range of treatment options that help do this:
Massage can reduce tension in shoulder and neck muscles.
A herbalist can advise herbs and supplements that reduce inflammation.
An acupuncturist will focus on local shoulder points, such as BL11, LI4 and SI3.
Some patients may get pain relief from TENS machines.
Surgery should only be considered, however, if conservative treatment has failed to offer pain relief.
Osteopathy is very effective in the treatment of arthritic conditions, and that includes the shoulder.
As an osteopath and AK practitioner, I look for functional muscle weakness and treat the causes. Muscle weakness can be due to dysfunctions in the cervical spine, the cranial mechanism, or altered muscle reflexes.
I also look at the other shoulder joints – the acromioclavicular, the sternoclavicular and the scapulothoracic. Any restrictions in these joints will put more strain on the glenohumeral joint.
In addition to this, I have obtained very good results using functional (intraosseous) techniques on the humerus.
Even if you have significant degenerative joint changes and symptoms, there is a very good chance osteopathy can help. I regularly help patients with arthritis who tell me they thought their pain would never go away because they were getting older, or because they had a diagnosis confirmed by x-ray.
So, you must not accept chronic pain, just because you are a certain age and have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
If you think you may have shoulder arthritis, please contact the clinic.
To book a session with one of our herbalists, click here. Alternatively, you can contact us at 020 8942 3148 to learn how our treatments can benefit you.
Aston Clinic London is a third-generation complementary health clinic located in New Malden, serving Kingston, Norbiton, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, Surbiton, Chessington, Worcester Park, Sutton, Richmond, and other areas of southwest London and Surrey.
By Laurie Melrose-Doering, Osteopath & Applied Kinesiologist
