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A dislocated shoulder – you only have to say the words and already you can feel the pain. This is because, out of all of the joints in the body, our shoulders have the most extensive range of movement. It helps us to lift, grab and move around freely. If a shoulder is dislocated, then, it can cause serious difficulties in everyday life. It is therefore important to understand the condition and learn how to treat it, even if you personally have never had a dislocated shoulder before.
Out of all the body’s joints, the shoulder has the widest range of movement. However, it is also the easiest joint to dislocate. Dislocated shoulders are mainly caused by accidents, but can sometimes be caused by congenital disorders too.
If you dislocate your shoulder, you will feel intense and immediate pain. The rotator cuff (top of the humerus) will feel out of place. In addition, your deltoid muscle will be unable to move the arm. You may also feel numbness in the arm caused by damage to the nervous system, too.
After your first shoulder dislocation. This is especially so among young people below the age of 20. This is because when you dislocate your shoulder, it is not just an injury to the joint. It is an injury to the surrounding muscle and other soft tissues, such as tendons and ligaments. These are muscles and tissues that help to keep the joint in place. When these soft tissues are torn or damaged due to a dislocated shoulder, then the shoulder joint is weakened. It is also likely to dislocate again.
In older people, however, especially those aged 50 or more, recurrent shoulder dislocations are less likely. When it does happen, it is usually combined with a torn ligament at the rotator cuff (top of the shoulder). This is because, in old age, the quality of our soft connective tissues begins to deteriorate. Hence, our tendons and ligaments are more likely to tear.
A dislocated shoulder is an emergency condition that requires immediate treatment. If you dislocate your shoulder, you should apply a bandage over and around your shoulder and arm to keep the shoulder still. You should then apply ice to the site of the injury. This is because there will usually be some internal bleeding caused by a soft tissue tear. After ice has been applied, the bleeding should stop, but swelling will start to develop. At this point, you should apply heat to the injury. This will ensure that the blood flow to the shoulder is circulating properly. Most importantly, however, you must see a doctor immediately.
Normally, if your shoulder has been dislocated for the first time, then you will not require surgery. Instead, the doctor will prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatories to reduce the swelling. In addition, they will manually restore the rotator cuff into its correct place. The doctor will then ask you to wear a shoulder brace to support the arm. After that, the shoulder must be kept still for around two weeks. Finally, the doctor will provide physiotherapy to gently increase the range of movement at the shoulder. It will also help train and re-strengthen the surrounding muscles at the shoulder blade and the top of the shoulder. There are certain movements, however, that the patient should continue to avoid. Such movement may cause the dislocated shoulder to relapse.
As already mentioned, recurrent sshoulder dislocations are common among patients who have dislocated their shoulder before. After the first case, the shoulder will be weaker and more likely to dislocate. For some patients, the shoulder will dislocate repeatedly, regardless of what your daily activities involve. For other cases involving athletes, especially for players of contact sports, it may be necessary to treat a recurrent dislocated shoulder through surgery. This is usually required if there is a cartilage tear at the socket of the shoulder joint. This is because it will need to be sewn back into place for the top of the shoulder to be secure again.