About Junko Expertise I can answer most questions pertaining to teen health, thought I cannot give medical advice. I can explain medical terminology, describe medical conditions and hopefully help people understand what is going on with their bodies. If I don`t know an answer to a question, being a medical student, I can easily find out the answer since I have many resources I can refer to.
Question hello! I'm 19 years old and am currently staying in Singapore. I dislocated my
left shoulder when i was 17 and had a few recurring dislocations after that. I
recently consulted my doctor and he advised me to undergo surgery. I am stuck in
this predicament of whether to go for surgery or undergo physiotherapy because
my shoulder is actually quite fine if i do not perform exercises such as
free-style swimming or pull ups. I would like some advice on what to do,
preferably some ways to how i could self medicate. thanks alot! i look forward
to your reply! :)
Answer Hi Shaun,
Since I don't know the details of your shoulder injury (what kind of dislocation, how much range of motion you have, etc.), and since I'm not an orthopedic surgeon, I don't feel comfortable telling you whether or not you should have surgery. I will tell you that 50% of people who dislocate their shoulder require surgery at some point. Physical therapy alone is definitely something that helps some people, but if your injury is severe or bothersome enough, you may need surgery. My recommendation to you is to get the opinion of an orthopedic surgeon (if you haven't already). In the meantime, you should rest your shoulder and avoid any sports or movements that cause it to dislocate. If you're having pain and/or swelling of the shoulder, you can take some ibuprofen and ice your shoulder.
