Does a dislocated shoulder ever heal?

Question

My husband dislocated his shoulder 10 years ago and claims that a dislocated shoulder never heals. So everytime it moves it funny or anything he complains that it hurts bad (it seems excaggerated to me). He told me that it is because of the injury he got in high school (dislocated shoulder), I just think he is trying to get attention, but now I am wondering if it is true that it never heals because he just made a big deal out of it when I asked about it.

Answer 1

First of all, pain is subjective and should not be questioned. If someone says it hurts "this much", then that is exactly how much it hurts.

Second, in answer to your question, No. Shoulder dislocations are usually lifetime injuries. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body and therefore the most easily dislocated. It is a ball and socket joint and unlike the hip, it's socket does not surround the ball. The joint capsule does not hold the joint together as much as the surrounding muscles. Once it is dislocated the chances of it being dislocatd again are usually quite high.
When it is dislocated completely, the "relocation" causes damage to the ball, which is called the head of the humerus. In the joint it is covered with slick cartilage which gives it the smooth, frictionless movement. The damage can be small and not require surgery but if the damage covers a signifcant portion it will be an arthritic joint for life and may require surgery to replace the damaged head. In this case the surgery is called "hemiarthroplasty" which means "half joint reconstruction". If the socket, which is called the glenoid fossa, is also damaged, the entire joint must be replaced- Arthoplasty.

I suffered a triple dislocation a couple of years ago and it required a hemiarthroplasty. The pain was excrutiating for months.

In your husbands case, he should seek a qualified neuromuscular massage therapist. They can help with some of the pain and range of motion.

You should be a lot more empathetic and sympathetic to your husbands condition. I was lucky that my wife is an awesome massage therapist. I am a neuromuscular therapist so I was able to help her by telling her what to do.

If you want to find a qualified therapist look at the NMT Midwest discussion board on their website: www.nmtmidwest.com

Answer 2

Dislocated Shoulder Healing Time

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Given time, the body can heal most soft tissue injuries on its own. However, whenever pain occurs, the area has probably been re-injured.

Your husband probably has a torn rotator cuff. Can he outstretch his arm and then raise it over his head, or reach behind his back without pain? If not, he needs to completely rest the shoulder, use a shoulder cold compression wrap several times a day until the resting pain is stopped.

Then start gentle range of motion exercises but not to the point of pain. After several days, he will see an increase in his range of motion. Continue until full range of motion is achieved at which time gradual strengthening exercises are necessary to restore shoulder strength. Continue to use the shoulder wrap after each exercise period to reduce possible swelling.

The process is a long one, up to several months before the shoulder can be used as normal.

The key is to not re-injure the shoulder during this period...no lifting, no high reaches, etc. until it is healed.

Patience and diligence are necessary for both of you until healing is achieved.

Good Luck

Answer 5

He's right.
The shoulder is a ball and socket joint. The ball is the head of the humerus, like the femur in the hip joint. Unlike the hip, there is no bony socket. The socket is made up of the scapula and a bunch of ligaments, with muscle helping to hold it together. Depending on which dorection it was dislocated in, the ligaments may have stretched/been torn, leaving permanent laxity to the joint, with risk of dislocating over and over. Arthroscopic surgery can help, I'm sure.

Answer 6

It can heal. However, for many like myself, it does not. I tore both muscle and ligaments in my right shoulder in 2002. I had corrective surgery and 6 months of physical therapy. It did NOTHING to help the injury. Time and exercise have helped more than anything. The surgery itself was a waste of time and money. I suggest that your husband see a physical therapist. However, to answer your question, it is VERY possible that his shoulder has never healed.

Answer 7

to some extent, soft-tissue injuries can be permanent. The soft-tissue, although intact, undergoes overstretching and therefore, small micro-tears. These micro-tears heal with scar tissue, which is permanent and joint restrictive. (Soft-tissue: muscles, ligaments, tendons.)
Depending on the extent of his injury, age that injury occured, duration before treatment was sought, type of treatment recieved, etc......

He could be experiences some dull, achy pains. He may even have a sharp pain, here or there, depending on use of shoulder.

Answer 8

not really, if your husband had a dislocated shoulder, you should do him a favor and find out how to pop it back in becuase ya never know when he will come in from cutting wood with a popped out shoulder

Answer 9

Yes! hurt like heck. For me it was bad news. this happened more than 25 years ago. I have had it put back into socket,however the tendons have been a real bugger since. An opponent soccer player said I deliberately kicked the ball into his face and all I said was " you should not have stopped that ball with your face" The sissy caught me by surprise as i was walking away,grabbing me by the arm and tried to put me on the ground. rest is history. But still it give me pain.

Answer 10

i dislocated my shoulder when i was little, and now i can bend it in every which way! i can pop it out and back in and it doesnt hurt at all. weird, but true