1. Least Effective Exercises Slideshow
2. Dehydration Slideshow
3. First Aid Care and Pain Relief for Minor Injuries

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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After taking a history (time of injury, how it happened, prior serious health problems or injuries), the doctor may do a brief general exam followed by a more detailed exam of the injured shoulder.

• The deltoid muscle (the round muscle covering the shoulder joint) may appear to be flatter on the injured side when compared to the healthy side. Any movement of the arm may cause pain in the shoulder.
  
  
• The pulse at the wrist, touch sensation, and hand movement are usually normal. (Damage to nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, and muscles can occur. These injuries can be difficult to diagnose because you are incapacitated by the dislocation.)
  
  
• A set of shoulder x-rays is usually standard in diagnosing a shoulder dislocation. They are used to determine the presence of a dislocation, and also to check for other injuries (such as a fracture of the upper humerus or tearing of the ligaments connecting the collarbone to the shoulder blade).

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