What are the treatment options for shoulder instability?

Conservative treatments:

The goal of conservative treatment for shoulder instability is to restore stability, strength, and full range of motion. Conservative treatment measures may include the following:

Closed reduction: Following a dislocation, your surgeon can often manipulate the shoulder joint, usually under anaesthesia, realigning it into proper position. Surgery may be necessary to restore normal function depending on your situation/

Medications: Over the counter pain medications and NSAID’s can help reduce the pain and swelling. Steroidal injections may also be administered to decrease swelling.

Rest: Rest the injured shoulder and avoid activities that require overhead motion. A sling may be worn for 2 weeks to facilitate healing.

Ice: Ice packs should be applied to the affected area for 20 minutes every hour.

When conservative treatment options fail to relieve shoulder instability, your surgeon may recommend shoulder stabilisation surgery. Shoulder stabilisation surgery is done to improve stability and function to the shoulder joint and prevent recurrent dislocations. It can be performed arthroscopically, depending on your situation, with much smaller incisions. Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure in which an arthroscope, a small flexible tube with a light and video camera at the end, is inserted into a joint to evaluate and treat of the condition. The benefits of arthroscopy compared to the alternative, open shoulder surgery are smaller incisions, minimal soft tissue trauma, less pain leading to faster recovery.