Dislocated shoulder treatment

How to recognize dislocated shoulder?

The shoulder joint is responsible for the ability of the armto move in many directions, and it is the most mobile joint in the entire body.These two facts are exactly what make these joint susceptible to frequentdislocations. In cases of younger people, dislocations are usually a result of sometrauma or injury either due to the fall or sports, while in older patients,dislocation usually happens because the ligaments and cartilage that supportthe shoulder become weaker with time. Dislocated shoulder can be recognized byswelling or bruising, inability to move the joint and visible deformation ofthe shoulder, while pain is inevitable. The person may also experience numbnessand weakness in neck or down the arm, and it is necessary to see a doctor assoon as possible. Until medical help is provided, the person should not movethat shoulder and applying some ice might help. After one shoulder dislocation,the fact is that the same joint will be much more prone to the same injurylater.

How can dislocated shoulder be treated?

To diagnose the dislocated shoulder, the doctor will dophysical examination of the shoulder, and sometimes X-ray, MRI orelectromyography may be required to confirm the diagnosis, or to check if somenerve has been damaged and which. The treatment requires the shoulder bones to be put backinto their place, and this procedure is called closed reduction. It rarelyrequires anesthetics, although it is not uncommon that muscle relaxants orsedatives are given to the patient. Right after this has been done, the painwill go away, but the shoulder will probably have to be immobilized for severalweeks, which will require wearing the splint or sling.

After these several weeks, rehabilitation will begin inorder to restore the strength and stability to the shoulder. The range ofmotion will also have to be restored, and this is all done gradually, throughvarious exercises or physical therapy. Every strenuous activity should beavoided during this period. In cases in which the doctor cannot put the dislocated bonesto their place, the surgery will have to be performed for that purpose, and itis called open reduction. The surgery is also necessary in cases of moreserious shoulder dislocations – those that involve the damage of the nerves orblood vessels. People who have weak shoulder joint or ligaments, which make them prone to frequent shoulder dislocations, may also solve their problem withthe surgery.