Severe shoulder pain can greatly diminish your quality of life and prevent you from performing even the most basic daily tasks. A stiff and inflamed shoulder may be the result of arthritis, fractures or other injury.

The first set of potential remedies will likely involve physical therapy or medications. But if these techniques fail to alleviate discomfort and elevate function, then shoulder replacement surgery might be an option.

• Shoulder pain limits your daily activities, like getting dressed, using a toilet or bathing.

• Your shoulder hurts even when you rest, and it keeps you awake at night.

• Your shoulder is weak and hard to move.

During shoulder replacement surgery, your surgeon will most likely remove the damaged parts of your shoulder's ball-and-socket joint and replace them with new metal and plastic parts. Or he or she may replace just the ball part of the joint. It will depend on the condition of your shoulder.