Treating shoulder instability depends on your symptoms and the extent of your instability. To determine the best course of treatment, you’ll want to undergo an exam at the hands of a shoulder specialist like Dr. Holloway. He’ll begin by asking about your symptoms and injury, reviewing your medical history, and conducting some physical tests to see how the joint responds to different movements and motions. Your doctor will likely have a good understanding of what you’re likely dealing with through this examination, but they may opt to confirm their suspicions or rule out any additional possibilities with the help of an imaging test like an X-ray, MRI or CT scan.
Available Treatment Options
Assuming a diagnosis of shoulder instability is given, your specialist will then walk you through what they perceive to be the best course of treatment. For more minor or mild cases, a combination of physical therapy, rest and other strength training exercises can help to stabilize the shoulder joint and decrease symptoms. For many patients, a few weeks of physical therapy can do wonders for their shoulder stability.
In the event that physical therapy and conservative treatments fail to achieve the desired result or if your severe instability is putting you at risk for frequent dislocations, surgery may be recommended. Your surgeon can walk you through the operation and their expectations should it progress to this point, but the underlying goal of surgery is to artificially strengthen the supportive ligaments so that shoulder stability is reinforced. Most people experience fantastic results when they pursue shoulder instability surgery, but a number of people never progress to this point because a provider-led conservative care plan tends to yield great results.
Contact a Shoulder Surgeon
So if your shoulder feels loose or certain actions have become painful, consider heading to a specialist to have the joint looked at. Stability issues aren’t likely to heal on their own, and in fact they often get worse, so it’s best to address the problem head on with the help of a specialist. Dr. Holloway can be that resource for you if you’re dealing with shoulder instability. For more information, contact his office today at (865) 410-7887.
