Unless you have chronic shoulder instability, it takes a great deal of force to dislocate your shoulder, but it’s far from impossible. The incidence rate of shoulder dislocations has nearly doubled to 23.9 per 100,000 person-years in the United States. Even with more people dislocating their shoulders, you might not know the symptoms or treatment options.

Get all the details about shoulder dislocations and go to Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care for diagnosis and treatment.

Dislocated Shoulder Symptoms

Based on your symptoms alone, you’ll have a good idea if you’ve dislocated your shoulder before going to the ER or an urgent care facility. The first clue is a popping sound at the time of the injury, but not everyone hears an audible pop. The pain is hard to miss whether or not you hear a pop. It starts at the shoulder, can travel down the entire arm, and is incredibly intense, especially when moving the joint.

Bruising and swelling appear quickly, and the shoulder may appear deformed if you have a complete dislocation. You may be able to see the bone that’s moved out of the joint, or your shoulder could look sunken where the bone should be.

Many people with dislocated shoulders also experience nerve damage, which causes tingling and numbness that can reach the fingers. Also, your shoulder might spasm at the site of the injury due to the brute force trauma that caused your shoulder to dislocate.

Suppose you have some or all of these symptoms, head to an ER or urgent care facility immediately. The symptoms won’t disappear, and the injury will not heal until you receive medical treatment.

dislocated shoulder

Diagnosing a Dislocated Shoulder

An ER or urgent care provider will see you immediately if you have symptoms associated with a dislocated shoulder. You’ll need a physical exam and digital imaging tests to make sure you have a dislocated shoulder instead of another injury, such as a shoulder fracture. Also, these tests will determine the severity of the dislocation and check for additional damage to tissue, nerves, and bones.

Dislocated Shoulder Treatment

Dislocated shoulders are so painful that you might assume you’ll have to get surgery to treat them. That’s usually not the case unless you have extensive injuries that will prevent joint stability or chronic dislocations.

Whether you need surgery or not, putting the shoulder back in place is the first step doctors take. It’s essential to gently guide the bone back in place as much as possible to avoid nerve or tissue damage, so it takes about 30 minutes.

You’ll be surprised by how much better you feel once the bone is back in your joint. You might still feel sore from the trauma of the injury, but the intense pain should go away. That doesn’t mean your shoulder is healed, though. You still need to wear a sling or a splint to give time for the connective tissue to heal and stabilize the joint.

Dislocated Shoulder Physical Therapy

You’ll do some gentle exercises at home when healing your dislocated shoulder. Your doctor will monitor you, and once you’re released, you’ll go to physical therapy to increase strength and stability in the joint. Physical therapy for a dislocated shoulder reduces the risk of reinjuring the joint.

Immediate Treatment for a Dislocated Shoulder

Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care

Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care is the only health system in Hamilton County offering ER and urgent care services under one roof. Unlike most ER or urgent care centers, patients are only billed for the level of services they need. The ER is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The urgent care center is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. No appointments are necessary for in-person visits; however, pre-registration is available.

Riverview Health Emergency Room Urgent Care has four convenient locations: