It Feels Like My Shoulder is Going to Pop Out of Its Socket

Chronic shoulder pain is behind up to 50% of all musculoskeletal complaints. When your shoulder hurts or feels unstable all the time, it can decrease your mobility and make it hard to do things you’d normally have no problem with, such as reaching overhead to get something from a shelf or putting your arm into a shirt sleeve.

At CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center, with multiple locations in Maryland, our team of board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists can help identify the cause of your chronic shoulder pain and create a plan for mitigation and relief. 

What can cause shoulder instability?

The shoulder joint is one of the joints that’s most susceptible to injury. Damage to a ligament — which is the tissue that connects one bone to another bone — can have a hard time healing. This kind of damage can lead to shoulder pain and instability.

Shoulder instability can be caused by a number of issues, such as a partial dislocation, a full dislocation, or hyperlaxity, in which the ligaments are too loose. And these injuries can be caused by trauma, such as accidents and falls, or repetitive movements, such as painting ceilings or swinging a tennis racket.

How can shoulder instability be treated?

First, your doctor completes a full exam and orders scans if necessary to get a clear picture of what has happened inside your shoulder joint. Once the cause of your shoulder pain has been identified, your provider works with you on several levels.

When it comes to treating your pain, your provider may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medication. When it comes to treating your shoulder, your provider may recommend physical therapy, with both in-person and at-home exercises to help strengthen your shoulder and prevent further damage.

If necessary, your doctor can refer you for shoulder surgery. In most cases, surgery can be done arthroscopically, meaning tiny incisions are made and a small camera and small tools are used to perform the surgery. Arthroscopic surgery allows for less cutting, less blood loss, and quicker healing times. In severe cases, your provider may recommend shoulder reconstruction.

Are you suffering from shoulder pain and instability? We can help. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with CHOICE Pain & Rehabilitation Center today. Our Maryland offices are located in Hyattsville, Gaithersburg, Lanham, Dundalk, Oxon Hill, Rosedale, and Olney, and we have two offices in Baltimore.