When you think of a dislocated joint, you might picture someone wincing in pain while holding a body part that is obviously in distress. While it's true that many joint dislocations look like this, such scenarios aren't always the case. Often, a joint can dislocate slightly and return to its rightful position. You may be aware of short-term pain in the area, but you may not realize the severity of the injury. If you believe that you've experienced a joint dislocation, whether it's a major joint such as a shoulder or a minor one such as a finger, you should plan to visit a local chiropractor. Here are some signs that this injury may have occurred.
Popping Or Clunking
One way to tell that you've dislocated a joint is that you may feel a popping or clunking sensation when you move it afterward. Sometimes, you'll be in pain; other times, pain won't be an issue. However, you may be aware that the joint doesn't seem to move with the fluidity that it should, or that it used to before your injury. In extreme cases, you may actually hear a popping or a clunking sound when you move the joint. These feelings and sounds are symptomatic of a past dislocation, which should compel you to call a chiropractor.
Mobility Difficulty
Sometimes, a joint that has been dislocated will cause you problems when you try to move it. It's common for your range of motion to be impacted by a dislocation; when you attempt to move the joint, it can cause sharp pain as you get toward your limit. Some people can move the joint several degrees without pain, while others find that even a small amount of movement is painful. The exact experience that you encounter depends on many factors, including the severity of the dislocation.
Swelling
Because of the trauma that the joint has experienced, the tissues around it will often be inflamed—even a considerable amount of time after you have suffered the injury. Swelling is another indicator that that joint has been dislocated, even if the dislocation was quick and the joint went back together before you even suspected a problem. You may notice visual signs of the swelling, or the joint may simply feel large and inflamed when you attempt to move it. If any of these indicators are present, a chiropractor is the right professional to visit.
