How is a dislocated shoulder treated?

Treating a dislocated shoulder starts with your health care provider slipping the ball of your upper arm back into the socket, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Sometimes your doctor will give you medicine first to help with the pain and to relax your shoulder. The severe pain should end once your shoulder joint is back in place.

Next, your doctor likely will recommend that you wear a sling to help keep your shoulder in place. You could need to wear it anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Once your pain is reduced and the swelling has improved, you might need to do rehabilitation to help strengthen your muscles and improve your range of motion.

Talk to your doctor for more information about how a dislocated shoulder is treated.

Learn more:

• How is a dislocated shoulder treated?
• Learn about shoulder dislocation