Emergency Medicine Questions Emergency Physician

Shoulder injury?

I had a fall yesterday and banged my shoulder on the stairs. I have severe pain (and lump) on my shoulder. My right shoulder now looks shorter than the other one and I am having problems using my arm and the pain is going down my arm. What should I do?

Female | 48 years old
Complaint duration: 1 day
Medications: no
Conditions: no

4 Answers

Get a MRI done
Your description sounds like a shoulder fracture or dislocation.

An immediate X-Ray of the shoulder is warranted in any case like this.
Recommend going to the ED or orthopedic walk in for evaluation.
You should go to the emergency room as soon as possible, you may have a dislocated shoulder or a rotator cuff injury, you need xrays and use a sling on the arm.