The shoulder is one of the most versatile body parts used to perform day-to-day activities. So it’s no surprise that the majority of the population experiences shoulder pain at some point in their life. Typically, these types of discomforts heal on their own after an ample amount of rest or exercise.
Unfortunately, some types of shoulder pain can only be treated with medications, injections, and surgery. This type of pain, which affects 26% of people, usually requires medical attention to relieve its debilitating symptoms.
There are several disorders that can cause shoulder pain; two of the most common reasons for such conditions are arthritis and bursitis.
What is shoulder arthritis?
Arthritis is a progressive and degenerative disease that can affect the different joints of the body, including the shoulder’s ball and socket joint. The shoulder is composed of two joints: 1. the glenohumeral joint made up of the upper arm’s head fitted inside the shoulder blade’s socket, 2. and the acromioclavicular joint where the clavicle meets the other end of the shoulder blade.
However, most forms of arthritis affect the glenohumeral joint by destroying its outer protective covering called articular cartilage. As the cartilage gradually crumbles, it will become rough and uneven, causing pain during movement. Some of its other symptoms include:
- Gradual pain that gets worse over time, when moving, or when you’re inactive for a period of time.
- Redness, stiffness, weakness
- Swelling or inflammation
- Decreased range of motion and flexibility
Over time, the pain you feel in shoulder arthritis can worsen as the cartilage frays away. This usually results to bone on bone grinding, which can cause severe discomfort.
What is shoulder bursitis?
Shoulder bursitis happens when the small fluid-filled sacs in the joint, called the bursa, become inflamed. Normally, these sacs serve as a protective cushion between the bones and their surrounding soft tissues, such as muscles and tendons. They provide space for these structures to promote maximum mobility without friction.
However, the bursa can become inflamed due to overuse or repetitive motions and prolonged posture. Aging can also increase one’s risk of bursitis. Some of the symptoms you may experience if you have a swelling bursa include:
- Stabbing pain when the affected area is touched.
- Pain during movement
- Redness, warmth, and swelling
- Shoulder mobility problems
Furthermore, other conditions may also cause bursitis, such as tendinitis, dislocated shoulder, frozen shoulder, osteoarthritis, bone spurs, and rotator cuff tears.
What is the difference between arthritis and bursitis?
Both shoulder arthritis and bursitis have overlapping signs and symptoms, so it’s easy to confuse one with the other. Additionally, both conditions can also affect the same location, which is the shoulder joints. However, these diseases still have their differences when it comes to their pathology, onset, and length:
- Pathology – bursitis occurs in the bursa alone, while arthritis can affect different structures in the shoulder joint depending on its form. For example, osteoarthritis damages the articular cartilage, while rheumatoid arthritis targets the joint’s synovium.
- Onset – bursitis appears suddenly and has rapid and severe symptoms. On the other hand, arthritis is a chronic condition that develops and worsens over time.
- Length of condition – you can quickly treat bursitis with rest, physical therapy, and OTC medications. Once the irritation is cleared, it does not leave lasting injuries to the shoulder joint. Arthritis, on the other hand, often creates permanent and irreversible damage to the joint and may require surgical interventions.
How are arthritis and bursitis diagnosed?
Orthopedic doctors can tell one condition from another by conducting a physical examination and thorough reviewing your medical history. They can also order up a series of diagnostic procedures to confirm whether your shoulder pain comes from arthritis or bursitis:
- X-ray – allows doctors to see if there are any damages or injuries to the bones of the shoulder joint.
- MRI or magnetic resonance imaging – provides a high-quality view of the soft tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, and muscles. This helps doctors identify the severity of the injury and its main causative disorder.
- Arthrogram – an imaging test that involves injecting a contrast medium (dye) to get a better view of the shoulder joint and surrounding tissues.
- Arthroscopy – this is a minimally invasive technique that allows doctors to see the inside of the shoulder joint using a thin, flexible tube with a camera called an arthroscope. It may reveal further injuries to the soft tissues that other imaging tests fail to detect.
- Blood tests to determine if there’s an infection.
All of these diagnostic procedures can also reveal if your arthritis or bursitis comes with another joint-related disorder.
After a confirmed diagnosis, your physician will create a treatment plan suitable for your specific medical needs. Mild injuries may only require conservative techniques, such as physiotherapy, medications, and therapeutic injections.
However, severe bursitis or arthritis that does not respond to other treatment options may require the intervention of surgical procedures.
Where to find a shoulder specialist in Miami?
Shoulder pain can drastically affect your mobility and decrease your quality of life. So if you’re currently experiencing such discomforts, then it’s time to contact our orthopedic surgery in Miami, Fl.
South Florida International Orthopaedics offers various treatment options to address the different orthopedic problems of our patients. Our facility is a multispecialty group practice that aims to bring high-level care and comfort through advanced techniques and state-of-the-art equipment.
Some of the shoulder-related conditions we can expertly diagnose, treat, and manage include:
- Rotator cuff tears
- Bursitis shoulder
- Shoulder dislocation
- Arthritis
- Labrum tears
- Shoulder trauma
- Shoulder impingement
- Tendinitis
Get in touch with our experts on Miami sports medicine and orthopedic care by contacting us at (305) 233-0011 (Miami office) or (305) 247-1701 (Homestead office).
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
