Understanding Shoulder Injury and Shoulder Injury Treatment
Posted on: 30 July 2020
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Your shoulder can be injured from a motor accident, a hard sport hit, a hard fall or an underlying condition like arthritis. Some of these injuries are minor, but others can be major in such a way that they may need professional help from an orthopaedic doctor. Here's what you need to know about shoulder injuries and shoulder injury treatments.
How Do You Tell If a Shoulder Injury Is Serious?
How intense is the pain? If it is too intense, the shoulder injury might be classified as a major shoulder injury. Look at your shoulder; does it look deformed or not normal? If it does, consider that a serious shoulder injury. Can you move your arm or does it just feel numb, stiff and weak? Seeking professional help as soon as possible is recommended because that is a sign of a serious shoulder injury.
What Are Common Shoulder Injuries?
Dislocated Shoulder – This is the most common type of shoulder injury. A dislocated shoulder occurs when your shoulder is rotated too hard or pulled too far back to the extent of popping your arm out of its socket. If this happens, you won't be able to move your arm and it may feel stiff, numb and painful. The treatment for this is popping your arm back to its socket, which should be done by a trained specialist. You might need an arm sling for a few days to help prevent you exerting any force on your shoulder to allow healing.
Separated Shoulder – There is a point where your collarbone/clavicle and shoulder blade meet. The joint is referred to as an AC joint, an abbreviation that stands for acromioclavicular. Your collarbone and shoulder blade are then joined together by ligaments, which can be torn by a hard blow to your shoulder. If you look at your shoulder after such a blow, you might see a raised area, which is your collarbone being pushed out of place. Depending on how serious the injury is, treatment might include surgery, rest, icing the shoulder or taking prescribed pain medication.
Fractured Shoulder – Your shoulder is formed by a combination of your clavicle, shoulder blade and humerus (this is the bone of your arm that is closest to your shoulder). If any of these bones fracture, intense pain might be felt in your shoulder and upper arm. You may also not be able to move or lift your arm. Treatment is done through surgery performed by a licensed orthopaedic surgeon to fuse the broken bone.
If your shoulder has been injured, speak with a professional about shoulder injury treatment options.