Separated Shoulder

It is defined as the injury of ligaments which hold your clavicle (beauty bone) to your shoulder. It may be stretched only in mild cases and torn out in severe cases.

It’ does not required surgery always, in most of the people it may be corrected by treatment like rest, icing, and pain killer give the relieved.

Shoulder will be fully functional within a few weeks after correct treatment.

Symptoms

Following are the signs and symptoms of separated shoulder.

Limited movement at shoulder joint.
Bump at the top of your shoulder.
Swelling and edema at affected area.
Weakness at joint.
Pain at shoulder joint.

Causes

Mostly it occurs due to the injury or blow directly at shoulder or fall directly on it due to which ligaments stretch or tear out which hold your collar bone to the shoulder blade.

Complications

Conservative treatment usually fully recovered the separated shoulder. If pain is still there then you may have following complications:

Rotator cuff muscles which is located around the shoulder joint may be damaged.
You have a fracture of collarbone
Maybe you have arthritis in your shoulder joint.

Diagnosis

It is diagnosis by routine physical examination by doing movement at that joint. Xray, may reveal the several injury and fracture. But in mild cases it is useless.

Treatment

There is a good prognosis and complete recovery by conservative treatment. Mild separation usually heals by its own in few weeks.

Medications

Drugs is used for pain only like ibuprofen, naproxen sodium etc.

Therapy

Rest
Physical therapy for movement
Ice to reduce the swelling

Surgical procedure required in severe damage of ligaments and when fracture of bone occurs.

Home Remedies

Using a shoulder immobilizer to prevent the further injury.
Taking painkiller.
Continue the ice to reduces the redness and swelling.
Start the stretching and little movement when your doctor recommends for movement.

Separated Shoulder