Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain. In fact, chronic pain is one of the most expensive conditions to treat because not only are there surgical bills, but also bills for physical therapy and pain killers. Shoulder pain is another form of chronic and acute pain that can be excruciating and limiting. However, if you are experiencing extreme pain in your shoulder, it can be hard to know if you should get help – some pain can be treated with a little ice. Yet, if the pain is too extreme or if you are noticing a number of other signs, it may be time to head to your emergency room.
Here are some signs that you should seek immediate treatment for shoulder pain.
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The excruciating pain that can’t be alleviated by painkillers.
Usually, painkillers will do a wonderful job at dulling pain. However, if your shoulder pain is so severe that not even pain killers can alleviate the discomfort, you may want to see a doctor right away – it could be that you have serious damage that will only get worse if you wait to get help.
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Extremely limited range of motion.
With most shoulder pain, you can still move your arm if you need to. However, if you are having trouble moving your arm at all – if the mobility is so limited that the arm is completely out of commission – you should seek immediate medical attention. The arm may be having trouble moving because a major nerve has been affected, in which case you want to get it looked at before you have to be rushed into surgery to alleviate the major nerve.
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Coldness or numbing in the extremities.
A cold sensation or numbing in the fingers and hands is also a sign of nerve damage. Basically, your arm is having trouble circulating blood to the fingers, so you are experiencing the effect of bad circulation. In order to alleviate the nerve pain, you may want to visit pain centers for intensive pain management These physical therapy programs can help rebuild the muscles and ligaments in your arm so that the pain is reduced and mobility is returned.
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A popping or crunching sound.
A popping or crunching sound is a sign that you have broken a bone. It is also a sign that you should head to the emergency room all the way. That crunching or popping sound is your bone shifting out of place. It may be that your shoulder needs to be popped back into the socket, but if there is crunching, there is a strong change that you have broken something and need a cast.
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Loss of blood or extreme bruising.
One of the most important signs to look out for is bleeding or extreme bruising. This is a sign that the damage is deep and severe – it is also a sign that a major artery has been hit. If you are experiencing this issue, you want to head to the nearest emergency room to be looked at – your life may depend on it.
