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Dislocated shoulders usually happen from sports injuries or falling on an outstretched arm. Signs and symptoms of a dislocated shoulder include: intense shoulder pain, an inability to move your shoulder, immediate swelling and/or bruising, and a visible shoulder deformity (it hangs lower than the other shoulder, for example). If you suspect a shoulder dislocation following some type of physical trauma, see a health professional (physician, chiropractor, athletic therapist) immediately for treatment. Your doctor may take x-rays of your shoulder to confirm the dislocation and see if any bones are broken. Your doctor will either recommend or prescribe medication to deal with the intense pain of a shoulder dislocation. Remember that a dislocated shoulder is very different than a separated shoulder. The latter is a ligament injury to the joint that holds the collarbone (clavicle) to the front part of the shoulder girdle the "ball and socket" shoulder joint is not displaced, as with a shoulder dislocation. Before you think about strapping or tapping your shoulder, the "ball" of your arm bone (humerus) needs to be relocated into the "socket" of your shoulder girdle. This procedure is usually called closed joint reduction and involves some gentle traction (pulling) and rotation of your arm in order to guide the bones back into alignment within the shoulder joint. Depending on the severity of pain, you may need a local anesthetic injection or strong pain killing pills. Never let someone untrained (such as a friend, family member or bystander) try to relocate your shoulder they may cause more harm than good. When your shoulder is relocated, the pain level should drop quickly and significantly. Immediately icing a relocated shoulder for about 20 minutes will help reduce inflammation and pain, but always wrap the ice in plastic or a thin cloth before applying it to skin. Strapping a shoulder that's still dislocated is always a bad idea and never recommended. Once the shoulder is relocated and the pain is reduced and under control, then it's time to prepare the shoulder area to be strapped. In order for straps and tape to adhere to the shoulder area, the skin covering the joint needs to be cleaned and shaved to remove any hair. As such, gently clean the skin around the shoulder with soap and water, then apply some shave cream and carefully remove any hair (if applicable) with a safety razor. After you finish shaving the skin, dry the area thoroughly and wait at least a few hours for any skin irritation to go away. Then consider applying some adhesive spray just prior to applying any tape of straps it will help the straps and/or tape stick to the skin better. Hair not only prevents tape from sticking, but it also causes pain when the tape and/or bandaging is removed at a later time. Depending on how much hair is present, you may need to shave around the shoulder, shoulder blade, nipples and the lower neck. Gather (or purchase from your local pharmacy or medical supply store) all the materials you need to properly and securely strap a dislocated shoulder. In addition to some spray adhesive, you'll also need some orthopedic underlay or foam (layers of gauze work also in a pinch). These will help to protect the sensitive nipple from the tape and straps. You will also need some rigid strapping tape (ideally 38 mm in width) and an elastic bandage (ideally 75 mm in width). Keep in mind that you'll very likely need assistance to strap / tape your shoulder, even if you have training and experience with the procedure. If you are within the offices of an orthopedic doctor, physiotherapist, athletic trainer or sports therapist already, they will likely have all the materials needed to strap your shoulder. Family doctors, physician assistants, chiropractors and nurses may not have all the supplies needed, so consider bringing them with you. Going to an emergency department of a hospital is a good idea to get medication and your shoulder relocated, but they won't likely have the time or motivation to strap / tape it for you afterwards. They'll probably just give you an arm sling to wear instead. Strapping / taping a relocated shoulder can be beneficial or may even help to prevent a dislocated shoulder, but it's not considered medically necessary, so don't expect it to be part of your standard medical care.
See a doctor if you suspect a dislocated shoulder. Get your shoulder joint relocated or reset. Prepare the shoulder by cleaning and shaving it. Gather your necessary materials.