While there are a lot of cases of shoulder pain which do not require surgery to be treated, there are some serious conditions in which surgery is not only vital, but might prove to be the only procedure that can restore one’s shoulder mobility back to normal. Hence, it is only proper to understand how serious one’s condition might be, to know whether yours can be cured thru combined therapy and medications or if surgery should be your last resort.

Here are some serious cases in which one should consider going under the knife:

• Rotator Cuff Tear – when the tendons of your rotator cuff become separated from your bones, this occurs. This condition requires surgery.
• Frozen Shoulder – usually, frozen shoulders are treated with the combination of anti-inflammatory medicines and intensive therapy. However, if, after a series of treatments, there is still no improvement, then surgery might prove to be your last resort.
• Arthritis – this may sound too simple to be given urgent medical attention, but a severe case of shoulder arthritis requires a joint replacement surgery.

Since there are only few cases in of shoulder pain in which surgery is required and, most of the patients who undergo surgery experience improvements in their cases, only ten percent of all known shoulder problems turn to surgery. Only people whose shoulder abnormalities are not responding (like patients whose dislocated shoulders are less likely to be put back in using simple exercises) with less invasive treatments such as therapies and medications are advised to be treated under the knife. It is best to know your conditions completely so you can decide which treatment will work best for you.