Broken Shoulder Blade (cont.)

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Medical Author:

William Freudenthal, MD

Coauthor:

James V Ritchie, MD

Medical Editor:

Marian Gambrell, MD

Medical Editor:

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor:

Jerry R. Balentine, DO, FACEP

Dr. Balentine received his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland. He attended medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine graduating in1983. He completed his internship at St. Joseph's Hospital in Philadelphia and his Emergency Medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he served as chief resident.

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When to Seek Medical Care

Call your doctor if you notice these conditions:

Pain with movement of the affected shoulder
Swelling of the shoulder
Bruising around the shoulder
If shoulder pain fails to improve within 3-5 days

Significant trauma to the shoulder, chest wall, back, or neck can cause severe injuries and should be evaluated in a hospital's emergency department.

If you experience the following, call 911 for an ambulance immediately:
- Shortness of breath
- Decreased sensation in the affected arm
- Abdominal pain
Go to the emergency department for evaluation if you experience the following:
- Severe pain or deformity of the shoulder
- Inability to move the shoulder or arm
- Weakness, numbness, or persistent tingling in the injured arm