A stiff, aching shoulder can make everyday motions — reaching a shelf, fastening a seatbelt, sleeping on your side — quietly miserable. When arthritis is the cause, many people assume the only fix is a shoulder replacement. In reality, there’s a range of options to try first, and one of them can relieve the pain without replacing the joint at all.
What causes shoulder arthritis pain
Most chronic shoulder pain traces back to osteoarthritis (cartilage breakdown), old injuries, or years of overhead use that wear the joint surfaces. As the cartilage thins, the bones grind and the nerves around the joint become a constant source of pain signals.
Conservative options to try first
- Activity modification and physical therapy to strengthen the surrounding muscles and protect the joint.
- Anti-inflammatory medication for short-term flare control.
- Cortisone or other injections that can quiet inflammation temporarily.
These help many people — but for some, the relief fades and the choice narrows to “live with it” or “replace it.” That’s where a third option matters.
Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy: treating the pain, not replacing the joint
Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® targets the sensory nerves carrying pain from the arthritic shoulder. Using plasma energy delivered through a single 4mm opening under twilight sedation, it destroys those nerves while leaving your natural shoulder intact. There’s no implant, no general anesthesia, and no long rehabilitation — most patients go home the same day and return to normal activity the next.
For people who want lasting relief but aren’t ready for — or aren’t candidates for — a shoulder replacement, it’s a genuinely different path.
Is it right for you?
The best candidates have chronic shoulder pain from arthritis or degeneration that hasn’t responded to medication, injections, or therapy. The only way to know for sure is to have your imaging reviewed. At Deuk Joint Institute, Dr. Ara Deukmedjian personally reviews every MRI for free and will tell you honestly whether the procedure can help.
Learn more about non-surgical shoulder pain treatment or submit your MRI for a free review.
