In the old days, people thought they could pop dislocated shoulders back in place and go on with their lives. Some people got lucky, but many ended up with chronic shoulder instability, severe nerve damage, and other complications. That’s a significant risk, so going to PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care for dislocated shoulder treatment is essential. Learn more about dislocated shoulders and discover what to expect during your recovery.
Symptoms of a Dislocated Shoulder
If the bone entirely separates from the joint, you’ll have a complete dislocation. Called a luxation, this injury can cause the following symptoms:
- Deformity where the bone popped out of place
- Intense pain in the shoulder and upper arm that starts immediately
- Muscle spasms
- Swelling and bruising
- Trouble moving your shoulder
- Weakness and numbness
With a partial dislocation (subluxation), the bone doesn’t entirely separate from the socket and might move in and out of place. You might experience intense pain, swelling, bruising, and other symptoms, but you probably won’t detect a deformity. Because the bone is still partly in place, function isn’t as limited when dealing with a partial dislocation.
Even though a partial dislocation isn’t as severe as a complete dislocation, you can have complications if you don’t seek treatment. It may not heal properly, and you could dislocate it repeatedly until it’s repaired.
Injuries Associated with Shoulder Dislocations
It takes a lot of force to dislocate a shoulder, and the trauma can cause additional injuries. Your doctor will likely order imaging tests to check for other injuries, such as bone fractures, sprains, nerve damage, and a Hill-Sachs lesion. Diagnosing and treating associated injuries is necessary so you can make a full recovery.
Putting a Dislocated Shoulder Back in Place
Your shoulder can’t start healing until the bone is put back in place. Never try to do this yourself since doing it improperly can cause nerve damage and other complications. Instead, go to a medical professional to ensure the shoulder goes back in place properly without causing additional damage.
Putting the shoulder back in place is called a closed reduction, which occurs without surgical intervention. An ER or urgent care doctor will slowly guide the bone back to the joint so it can begin healing. The doctor can provide pain medication and a sedative to make the procedure more manageable if needed.
Recovering from a Dislocated Shoulder
Recovery begins when your shoulder is back in place, but you still need to give the joint time to heal. Even if the pain is gone, you must wear a splint or sling to reduce joint and connective tissue stress. You’ll also complete exercises at home while recovering and transition to physical therapy after removing the sling or splint.
You’ll follow up with your doctor when recovering, but you should go to the ER or urgent care if you have signs of complications. For instance, if your injury becomes more painful or swelling increases, you might have a complication that needs to be addressed immediately. Also, visit the nearest ER or urgent care facility if you develop a fever or the skin on your hand or arm turns purple or pale.
Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation Treatment
Many people fully recover after dislocating their shoulders and never have to deal with that injury again. Unfortunately, though, some people suffer from chronic shoulder dislocations because the connective tissue is unable to stabilize the bone in the joint. Surgery is usually the recommended treatment for recurrent shoulder dislocation. The surgeon repairs the connective tissue to hold the bone in place.
Fast Dislocated Shoulder Treatment in Albuquerque
Unlike most ERs or urgent care centers in the area, PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care in Albuquerque, patients are only billed for the level of services they need. The ER and urgent care are open 24 hours a day, every day. No appointment is required for in-person visits.
PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care has four convenient locations:
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Paseo/San Pedro is located at 6400 Paseo Del Norte Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113, and may be reached at 505-596-2100.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Coors/Western Trail is located at 4515 Coors Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120, and may be reached at 505-596-2200.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Isleta/Rio Bravo is located at 3436 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105, and may be reached at 505-596-2300.
- PRESNow 24/7 Urgent and Emergency Care Menaul/Pennsylvania is located at 7400 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, and may be reached at 505-596-2400.
