Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)

A progressive deterioration of the cartilage covering the bones that make up the ball and socket shoulder joint.

Risk Factors
Repetitive trauma, recurrent instability in the shoulder, and prior shoulder surgeries can be risk factors.

Symptoms
Symptoms can present gradually or as a result of a traumatic injury. Pain, loss of shoulder motion or function can be the presenting symptoms.

Treatment
Treatment initially is conservative and can include medications (tylenol, antiinflammatory medicines, glucosamine/chondroitin), injections (steroids), avoiding painful activities, and other alternative treatments (acupuncture, herbal supplements, electrical stimulations, etc).

Total shoulder replacement
Total shoulder replacement or partial shoulder replacement is reserved for patients with severe pain that is not improved by conservative treatment. Goal is improvement of pain, improvement of function, and improvement of quality of life.