Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Recognize the symptoms. Immobilize your arm. Ice your shoulder. Take pain medications.

Answer: A dislocated shoulder is usually caused by either falling onto an outstretched arm or the shoulder being impacted from behind. The injury causes sudden and severe pain, preceded by a popping feeling and/or sound. The shoulder will look visibly deformed or out-of-place, and swelling and bruising appear quickly. Moving the shoulder is not possible until it is relocated. A dislocated shoulder hangs lower than the uninjured side and you can usually see a depression or groove in the lateral (deltoid) muscle of the shoulder. A shoulder dislocation may also cause numbness, tingling and/or weakness down the arm and into the hand. If blood vessels are damaged, the lower arm and hand on the injured side will feel cold and turn a bluish color. About 25% of first-time shoulder dislocations involve fractures of the upper arm (humerus) or shoulder girdle. While you're waiting to get medical attention, it's important to not move (or attempt to move) a dislocated shoulder because you may make the injury worse. A bone fracture, damaged nerve or ripped blood vessel may be involved, so any movement could have dire consequences. Instead, bend your elbow, wrap your forearm around your stomach area and hold it in position with a sling. If you don't have access to a ready-made sling, then make one from a pillow case or article of clothing. Put the sling under your elbow/forearm and tie the ends around your neck. Slings immobilize and protect the shoulder from further injury, and often greatly reduce the degree of pain. About 95% of shoulder dislocations are in the anterior direction, which means the upper arm bone (humerus) is pushed forward out of its socket. Getting ice or something cold onto a dislocated shoulder joint as soon as possible is important in order to inhibit inflammation, which usually translates into less pain. Ice causes small blood vessels to constrict (narrow), which limits the amount of blood and inflammation that can flow into and around the injured area. Apply the crushed ice to the shoulder for about 15 20 minutes at a time (or until the area feels numb) every hour or so. Always wrap ice in a thin cloth, towel or plastic bag before applying it to bare skin it'll help prevent frostbite or skin irritation. If you don't have access to crushed ice or ice cubes, then use some frozen veggies from the freezer or a frozen gel pack. Once the dislocated shoulder is immobilized and covered in a bag of ice, consider taking some over-the-counter medication to further combat the inflammation and pain. The pain from a dislocated shoulder is often described as almost unbearable due to all the stretched and/or torn ligaments, tendons and muscles that occur, in addition to potential bone fractures and cracked cartilage. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) are likely the best choices because they are strong anti-inflammatories, although acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for pain control also. For a dislocated shoulder that also involves significant internal bleeding (you'll see lots of bruising), avoid ibuprofen and naproxen because they tend to "thin" the blood and reduce its clotting ability. A muscle relaxant medication might also be indicated if the muscles around the dislocated joint are spasming. However, never mix different types of drugs concurrently pick one or the other.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Take a walk. Meditate Take a nap Write in a journal or start a blog.

Answer: Getting outside and getting some fresh air will help to pass the time and it can also help to relieve stress. Try taking a quick walk around your neighborhood or office building. Even if you only have 10 minutes, going out for a quick walk is a great way to pass the time. Not only it is healthy for you, but it helps to pass the time. Try inviting a coworker or friend to join you on a walk to make it even more enjoyable. For example, if you are working, then you could take your break in the form of a walk with a coworker. You can even bring a cup of coffee, tea, or any other drink along with you to enjoy along with the fresh air and conversation. You can also walk around indoors if you cannot get outside. Take a lap around your office or desk at work, or walk back and forth down your hallway. If you are at school or work and cannot go outside to take a walk, then you can exercise without attracting too much attention to yourself, such as by fidgeting and clenching various muscles. You can do this at your computer, sitting in front of the tv, or just in your bedroom. If you're stuck on a plane or train for long periods, try doing leg extensions or arm stretches. If you're a woman, you can also do Kegel exercises. . At first, it might not make the time go by faster, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to enter a "timeless" state. Your mind is what keeps track of time, and meditating is about clearing your mind. You can find a guided meditation recording on YouTube to help you if you have never meditated before. You can even meditate while doing active things, such as running. Try choosing a mantra to repeat and focus on as you go about your day. If meditation doesn't suit your restless mind, try daydreaming instead. Visualize yourself in an exciting place, story, conversation, or anything else that holds your interest. You can also try to breathe deeply. Slow, deep breathing is calming and centering, and might actually get you to enjoy your current situation more than you thought possible. Try breathing in for eight counts, holding your breath, and breathing out for eight more. Repeat until it becomes natural and you can let your mind wander peacefully. . Napping may not seem like an entertaining thing to do, but it can help to pass some time and make you feel more alert when you wake up. Whether you're nodding off during the afternoon slump at the office, working a nightshift or double shift, or fighting drowsiness while driving, a power nap in a safe location can make you more alert and productive. Try taking a quick 20 minute nap to recharge your batteries, or take a longer nap to pass some time. Writing is a great way to sort out your thoughts and it can also help to make the time go faster. Try writing in a journal about whatever is on your mind, or start a blog on something that interest you. You can start a blog for creative writing, video games or whatever interests you! Set aside a time to write in your journal or blog every day, such as in the morning for 30 minutes or right after school each day. Setting up a blog is easy with sites like Wordpress and Blogger, but it will take up some time so it is a great way to make time go more quickly. You can customize your blog with color schemes, fonts, and images to make it your own.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Look for uneven shoulders. Watch for a head that's not centered. Assess the symmetry of your hips / pelvis. Consider your history of skin changes. Be alert to constant (chronic) spinal pain.

Answer:
There are several physical signs that may indicate the presence of scoliosis. Because most cases of scoliosis affect the mid-to-upper back (called the thoracic spine), uneven shoulder levels is a common sign. Look in the mirror with your shirt off, relax your arms, and see if your shoulders are uneven. "Humping" of shoulders blades (one that sticks out more) is also common with thoracic scoliosis. Bend over at the waist with your shirt off and ask a friend or family member to see if one shoulder blade sticks up more. Your ribs may also be distorted due to scoliosis, which can cause your shoulder blades to become distorted as well. Keep in mind that uneven shoulders are also common in certain types of athletes who use primarily one arm all the time, such as tennis players and baseball pitchers. In addition to uneven shoulders, watch for other signs of asymmetry in your body, such as your head being a little off center from your torso or pelvis. Both thoracic and lumbar (lower back) scoliosis causes a crooked posture that can often be seen in how the head is positioned over the rest of the body. Due to input from the visual center of your brain, your head will normally be completely level, so if it looks like you're leaning to one side or crooked, the problem likely exists in your body (typically your spine). Stand away from the mirror and have a friend or family member take a picture of you in a bathing suit. Look at the picture for any signs of leaning or asymmetry in relation to your head. Scoliosis in the lower thoracic or lumbar regions of the spine invariably affect the balance and symmetry of your pelvis. One side will be raised and look unusually high, which makes your waist uneven. Stand in front of a mirror with just pants or shorts on. Position your hands above your waist on the sides of your hip bones (iliac crests) and see if they are uneven. Although a crooked upper back with uneven shoulders can often be hidden with clothing, an uneven pelvis/hips is often obvious to onlookers, who might bring your attention to it. An uneven waistline affects how pants sit on your hips, which affects the relative leg lengths of the pants. Thus, people with scoliosis often notice that one pant leg is shorter than the other. Some people even notice that one leg looks longer than the other. Although skin changes don't happen in every case of scoliosis, some people experience skin changes early on in life and then develop scoliosis later on. If the appearance or texture of your skin overlying your spine develops dimples, hairy patches, rough spots and/or color abnormalities, these may be signs of dysraphism, or abnormal development of the spinal cord and nervous system. However, these skin changes usually happen early in life and lead to scoliosis at a young age. Ask your spouse or friend to examine the skin of your back closely under good light. Have them take a high resolution picture and look at or show it to a dermatologist for a professional opinion. Other causes of similar skin changes on the back can include inflammatory arthritis, an underlying infection, skin cancer from too much sun and hormonal changes. Most people who develop idiopathic scoliosis, which means from unknown cause, don't feel much or any pain associated from the condition. However, between 20-25% of people with idiopathic scoliosis do feel pain, which is often described as a constant ache throughout the day punctuated by bouts of sharp pain with vigorous movements. Upper or lower back pain that doesn't get better or fade away within a week should be looked at by a health professional. If you also have any of the above-mentioned signs, then scoliosis is a possibility. Manual therapy (chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage) does not make a significant long-term impact on back pain caused by scoliosis. Adult scoliosis caused by degenerative arthritis, tumors, spinal trauma and/or muscular diseases have a much greater incidence of pain compared to idiopathic scoliosis that starts during adolescence.