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Definition
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Shoulder Injury Home Care
Home care for a shoulder injury includes:
  • Perform wound care as directed by your doctor.
  • Clean the skin gently:
    • Use mild soap and water.
    • Do not scrub the skin.
    • Dry the skin.
    • Apply an antibiotic ointment.
  • Apply cold compresses: Images
    • Wrap ice in a moist hand towel. Do not apply ice directly to the skin.
    • Apply for 20-30 minutes, every 1-2 hours, for the first few days.
  • Rest the shoulder:
    • Wear a sling or shoulder immobilizer as directed. Videos
    • Long term immobilization in a sling can lead to frozen shoulder.
    • If you wear a shoulder sling for longer than two weeks make sure you perform shoulder range of motion exercises twice a day to avoid frozen shoulder. Images
  • Perform exercises for shoulder injury: Images
    • As directed by your doctor
  • Take prescribed medications as directed.
  • Acetaminophen for pain Images
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for pain: Images
Continue to Shoulder Injury Home Care: Pain In Adults
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Last Updated: Jul 9, 2009  References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
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