The Shoulder
The shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body and dictates where and how you can move your arms. It is essential to the lifting of the arms, the hoisting, pushing or pulling of loads, and the positioning of the hand for almost any task. A ball-and-socket joint, the shoulder allows you to wrap your arms around yourself, pull your arms backward and clasp your hands together, and windmill your arms in a complete circle. Because the 
shoulder joint must be both flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of motion and strong enough to sustain heavy loads, it is quite susceptible to injury.
The shoulder joint is made up of three bones - the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade) and the clavicle (collar bone) - and three joints. The main joint is the glenohumeral joint, in which the humerus, with its ball-shaped head, fits into a cavity formed at the edge of the scapula called the glenoid. Another joint, the acromioclavicular joint, is formed by a section of bone called the acromion that forms a "roof" over the shoulder joint and meets the clavicle at the front of the shoulder. The third joint, the sternoclavicular joint, involves the clavicle, sternum and the first rib and aids in the connection of the arms and shoulders to the front of the chest.
Arthritis and Joint Pain of the Shoulder
Arthritis is not a single disease. Instead, it is a group of some 100 diseases that cause pain, inflammation, movement limitation or other problems with one or more joints. The many types of arthritis include:
- Osteoarthritis, caused by the breakdown of the protective cartilage in a joint.
- Rheumatoid arthritis, caused by an errant immune system that mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.
- Infectious arthritis, which arises when bacteria, viruses or fungi settle into a joint.
While all three of these diseases are considered arthritis, they have widely different causes, courses, treatments and outcomes.
Types of Arthritis of the Shoulder
While arthritis means "joint inflammation," it can produce many more symptoms than just an inflamed joint. And in some cases, such as osteoarthritis, there may be no inflammation at all.
Many types of arthritis can strike the shoulder, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-injury arthritis. Fortunately, shoulder arthritis is rarely an emergency situation. In just a few cases, for example when an infection settles into the joint, immediate medical attention will be required.
1. Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder
Osteoarthritis is a "mechanical" disease and the joint can be likened to a piece of machinery that runs out of lubricating oil. The moving pieces that once slid easily over each other, thanks to the oil, begin to rub against each other, creating tremendous friction, eventually wearing each other down and occasionally "sticking" in place. Pieces chip off, jamming the works. Eventually, the moving pieces simply stop and the machinery is rendered useless.
Like a machine, the shoulder joint relies on lubrication to help its pieces move properly. Its lubrication takes the form of joint fluid which moisturizes and nourished the cartilage, an incredibly slick, slippery surface that caps the ends of the bones and allows them to move against each other with a minimum of friction. The shoulder cartilage also absorbs the shock of movement. Imagine yourself doing a handstand. Suddenly your entire body weight is bearing down on your shoulder joints, which transfer some (but not all) of the pressure down your arms and into your wrists. Without cartilage to absorb the impact, you would severely damage your shoulder joints when executing just a single handstand. As it is, you might assume this position countless times throughout your life without suffering any damage at all.
In osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down, dries out, cracks and even wears through. It no longer serves as an effective cushion that allows the bone ends to move effortlessly against other. Instead, the ends of the bones begin to touch and grind against each other. Tiny fractures may develop in the bone, and the body can attempt to heal the damage by producing bony spurs (calluses) on the bone ends, which roughen the surface and catch against each other. Pieces of bone and cartilage may break off and float through the joint, making movement even more difficult. The result can be pain, stiffness, loss of movement, cracking in the joints and, in severe cases, inflammation.
The reasons that the cartilage breaks down can include a previous injury or other problem or genetics. But in many cases it remains a mystery.
Osteoarthritis strikes people of all ages, ethnic groups and occupations, so it's impossible to say who will and will not develop the disease. The odds of suffering increase if you are more than 45 years old, your parents had osteoarthritis, you have previously injured your shoulder, or you subject your shoulders to repetitive stress - as in throwing a ball hundreds of times a day for many years.
Click here for more on Osteoarthritis
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
The immune system is a powerful and highly sensitive protector of the human body. One of its key duties is to distinguish between friend and foe - things that are supposed to be in the body and things that are not. When it discovers something that is not supposed to be there, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or cancer cells, it attacks. Unfortunately, the immune system sometimes gets confused and begins to attack healthy body tissue as if it were an enemy. Such is the case with rheumatoid arthritis when the immune system attacks the lining of the joints (the synovium). As the lining becomes inflamed, the joint becomes warm, reddened, painful and stiff. The cells of the synovium can begin to grow and divide abnormally, and attack nearby cartilage and bone. Over time, the joint can become misshapen, weak, and locked in a twisted, useless position. In other words, the joint may be totally destroyed.
Rheumatoid arthritis typically strikes on both sides of the body simultaneously; that is, it settles in both shoulders or both elbows or both wrists. And although it's referred to as "arthritis," the disease isn't limited to attacking the joints; it also assaults other parts of the body, 
including the heart, lungs, blood vessels, eyes and other organs, triggering a variety of body-wide symptoms, depending on the targeted tissues.
Women between the ages of 20 and 50 are the mostly likely victims of rheumatoid arthritis, although the disease may strike anyone at almost any age.
Click here for more on Rheumatoid Arthritis
3. Post-Injury Arthritis
Joints that have been injured are more likely to suffer from forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and infectious arthritis. Injuries can set the stage for arthritis by damaging the cartilage, fracturing a bone that sets improperly, injuring ligaments or tendons that never quite regain proper alignment, or otherwise upsetting the joint structure and function.
The injury that sets arthritis in motion may be serious and obvious, such as a broken shoulder, or it may be more subtle, such as repeated small injuries suffered while playing football or dancing. The injury may also arise from repetitive motion: for example, repeatedly hoisting heavy loads over the head.
Treatments and Supplements for Arthritis of the Shoulder*
Different types of shoulder arthritis have different treatments. For osteoarthritis, for example, rest, icing of the joint, pain medication, avoiding activities that aggravate the pain, and exercises to maintain joint flexibility and muscle strength may be recommended. For rheumatoid arthritis, strong medicines such as methotrexte may be prescribed to modify the course of the disease, calm an overactive immune system, quell inflammation and stop joint destruction.
For all forms of arthritis, additional therapies may help relieve symptoms, prevent further joint damage and help the body heal itself. These include:
- Exercise.
- Supplementation with JoMo, a maximum strength 100% natural liquid glucosamine and chondroitin-based formula.
- Dietary Strategies.
- Physical and other therapies.
- Surgery.
Exercise**
It can be hard to want to exercise your shoulders when they hurt, but exercise is a key component of any shoulder rehabilitation program. A good exercise program for the shoulder will:
- Increase circulation to the shoulder joint, which will provide nourishment to the cartilage and aid in the control of inflammation
- Maintain or increase joint flexibility
- Strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the joint to help keep the joint stable and properly aligned and absorb shock
To accomplish these goals, your doctor or physical therapist will create a program that includes some stretching and strengthening exercises. The strengthening exercises may be as simple and low-stress as pulling in a prescribed manner on a stretchy band attached to a doorknob, and may escalate to using light to moderately-heavy weights as your shoulder gets stronger. Stretching exercises may begin with simple movements you can do on your own at home, such as moving your shoulders forward and back and up and down, and progress to more complicated maneuvers that you execute in a yoga or tai chi class.
Click here for more on Exercise and Arthritis.
Supplementation with JoMo, a 100% Natural Maximum Strength Liquid Glucosamine and Chondroitin-Based Joint Relief Formula
The body uses a variety of substances to build and maintain cartilage, the "slick cushion" that absorbs shock and makes it possible for bone ends to slide across each other within the joint.
Two of these substances, glucosamine and chondroitin, have become popular supplements. Individually and together, the two substances have been tested in scientific studies of people who have osteoarthritis and the results have been encouraging. Glucosamine and chondroitin have been shown to help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and may even slow progression of the disease and help the body repair damaged cartilage.
The Mayo Clinic notes that, "The consensus of expert and industry opinion supports the use of chondroitin and its common partner agent, glucosamine, for improving symptoms and topping (or possibly reversing) the degenerative process of osteoarthritis."1 The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons adds that recent studies appear to support the idea that glucosamine and chondroitin relieve osteoarthritis pain.2 Learn More
JoMo was developed by one of the leading orthopedic surgeons for an NBA basketball team to relieve the pain and suffering of joint and cartilage related conditions. JoMo's active ingredients include:
- Glucosamine (HCL) (2000mg) for healthy cartilage and joint support.*
- Chondroitin (1200mg) for cartilage lubrication and joint protection.*
- Type II Collagen (50mg), which aids in the building and support of the body's natural collagen, the foundation of connective tissue and cartilage fibers.*
- "Superfruit" Antioxidants to fight the inflammation and oxidative stress which often lie at the heart of joint pain and other serious diseases, including cancer and heart disease.*
- Vitamin D (1000IU), for bone health and immunity protection.*
- MSM (500mg), a sulfur compound that helps stabilize the connective tissues found in cartilage, tendons and ligaments, and is also believed to have anti-inflammatory action that helps reduce pain and swelling in arthritis.*
- Manganese, a mineral essential for normal bone structure and the manufacture of cartilage.*
JoMo is 100% natural, shellfish and iodine free, and contains no added sugar, artificial colors or flavors.
Click here for more on JoMo's Ingredients.
Dietary Strategies
There are no foods that can actually cure arthritis, but there are few dietary strategies that may help relieve inflammation and build strong bones. These include the following:
- Reduce your intake of inflammation-producing foods. The body converts linoleic acid, found in meat, poultry, many fast foods, corn oil, safflower oil and other foods, into arachidonic acid, which plays a role in the inflammation process. Cutting back on these foods may result in a decrease in inflammation. Click here for more information on inflamation causing foods.
- Increase inflammation-reducing foods. Omega 3 fatty oils (fish oil) can help quell existing inflammation. Foods containing omega 3 include salmon, butternuts and green soybeans. More on foods that decrease inflammation
- Increase nutrients that support strong bones to lessen risk of fracture. Calcium, vitamin K and vitamin D are among the nutrients the body uses to build strong bones. You'll find calcium in including milk, dried figs and cheese; vitamin K in broccoli, Romaine lettuce, spinach and other green leafy vegetables; and vitamin D in cod liver oil and vitamin-D fortified foods.
- Decrease intake of "Nightshade Vegetables"
Click here for more on Diet and Arthritis
Physical and Other Therapies
Healers from standard and alternative therapies have devised a number of therapies that involve physically manipulating or otherwise influencing the body to relieve and/or improve its ability to heal. These include:
- Acupuncture - Very fine needles are inserted at selected points in the body in order to unblock and balance the body's flow of energy and improve its restorative powers.
- Chiropractic - The back and neck are physically manipulated in order to correct misalignment and relieve the pressure on spinal nerves that may be hampering the body's efforts to heal itself.
- Electrical Stimulation (TENS) - A mild electrical current is introduced into the painful area in order to reduce the perception the pain.
- Infrared Sauna and Steam - Special heaters create infrared radiation, which when directed into the distressed joint can improve circulation and help the body release stored toxins that may contribute to arthritis.
- Magnetic Therapy - Small magnets are placed at various points on the body in order to increase circulation and support the body's natural healing processes.
- Massage Therapy - Soft tissues are manually manipulated to improve circulation, relieve stress, reduce symptoms and otherwise help the body heal itself.
- Osteopathy - The body is physically manipulated in order to strengthen the musculoskeletal system and encourage the body's natural healing systems.
- Physical Therapy - Exercises, massage and other techniques are used to improve a joint's range of motion and function.
Reiki - The healer's hands are placed on or very near the patient's body to improve the patient's energy system and encourage the self-healing process.
- Ultrasound - High-energy sound waves, exceeding the limits of human hearing, are directed into and around the knee to draw more blood and nutrients into the distressed joint tissues.
Click here for more on Alternative Therapies
Surgery for the Shoulder
Surgery is the last option, utilized only after all other options have been exhausted. The surgeries designed to relieve arthritis-related shoulder pain include:
- Arthroscopy - Using pencil-thin instruments inserted into the shoulder joint through small slits in the skin, the surgeon can clear away damaged cartilage and inflamed joint linings, shave away bone spurs, remove lose bone fragments and pieces of cartilage, and otherwise "clean up" the joint. Arthroscopy does not cure arthritis, but can provide symptom relief.
- Joint Replacement - If the symptoms become too great and cannot be managed by non-surgical means or the joint has lost too much function, your doctor may recommend removing the damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial one.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Individual results vary.
**As with any program of diet, exercise, weight loss or therapy, consult your medical practitioner, especially if you have a history of heart disease or other conditions.
