What can I do for a dislocated shoulder?

Question

I am in alot of pain. The accident happened three months ago. I was thrown from a motorcycle and hit tree at about 30 miles hour. I hit the tree with my arm and broke it in two places and dislocated my shoulder. I had surgery on my arm and sometimes it hurts too, especially at work. I work as an instructor at a university. So I have trouble when I write on the overhead and during some of the labs. I have tried physical therapy... but I hate it. I don't mind going, but with my busy life I feel like I am missing out with time with my kids. Is there anything I can take for the pain. Most of the pain is in my shoulder, but sometimes my arm hurts too.

Answer 1

you should probably go back to your doctor just to make sure you didn't injure your arm again. and as what to take for the pain you could probably take acetaminophen.

Answer 2

Many times, what gets overlooked is soft tissued damage after a dislocated shoulder. Labral tears and rotator cuff tears can also occur with this type of injury. If you are plateauing in your progress, it may be time to consider further tests to rule out these things. An MRI may be of consideration.

If you are getting better with the PT, then why not stick with it? Yet, if you were my patient, by the time we hit the three month mark, I would anticipate having you complete a home exercise program. Unless you need hands on techniques, you should really be at the home exercise program by now. Yet, you MUST adhere to the program in order to prevent secondary shoulder problems such as maladaptive movement patterns and frozen shoulder.

Good luck

Answer 3

I would see a chiropractor and massage therapist. Tip - to get to the muscles under the shoulder-blade reach the hand of the one being worked on over to the other shoulder.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 4

I too quit therapy for my shoulder and arm. I bought an over the door pulley with bars for each hand to hang unto. This allows me to pull with one hand and raise the BAD hand up to whatever heigth that is not painful. Twice a day. I also found ALEVE works the best. Motrin does nothing for relief, even though the DR. prescribed 800 Mgs. Good Luck. Your not alone..

Answer 5

oooops ! Nelson you will possibly have torn a muscle. And if so, it desires an MRI to verify this. (xrays weren't "sparkling") An Orthopaedic physician may be the only that performs the surgical technique. with out doing something on your shoulder now ought to lengthen the suffering and the soreness will boost day after day (according to my own adventure) After a year, healing is rather much complete and that i'm back to ideal a classic, lively existence back

Answer 6

physical therapy is really important. by not doing it, it will take even longer to heal and the pain might even get worse...try using ice on the place it hurts the most...it might numb the pain its not a long term solution!! also try some prescription meds from your doctor that will really help!

Answer 7

If you don't do the physical therapy you will not recover, and the longer you delay the more painful it will become.
You must make the PT one of the top priorities in your life right now

Answer 8

you should really talk to your doctor about getting better pain relief. tylenol or ibuprofen probably won't help. If your doctor can't help you go see a pain management doctor. If you don't take care of your pain you won't really be there for your kids because the pain will distract you from them. It already distracts you doesn't it? I know my pain distracts me from alot of things.good luck and I hope you find an answer. pammi

Answer 9

if you are looking for pain medicine to help take the pain away, percoset and vicodin will help.... i dislocated my shoulder, the pain was for a couple weeks....but it took about 4 months until i had full use of the arm again.... the percoset and vicodin will need a prescription of course, but they worked for me!!! good luck with your arm

Answer 10

Hi Good girl. It may be time to see your family Chiropractor. The injury you sustained would have resulted in serious spinal subluxations that can perpetuate your pain syndromes.

Best wishes and good luck.