Murder and Mayhem by D. P. Lyle

This pulls the humerus forward and outward, and often it will slip back into the socket. This can also be accomplished by laying the victim on his back, grasping his wrist, placing a foot against his chest near his axilla (armpit), and pulling his arm out to the side. This will pull the humeral head outward, and it often reseats itself in the socket. (Don't try any of these unless you know what you're doing because if it is done improperly, further injury may occur.) In your situation the victim could tie a rope around his wrist, attach the other end to a tree or rock, and pull the arm out to reduce the dislocation.
    The sooner the shoulder dislocation is reduced, the better. Once the muscles spasm, reduction may be very difficult. Also, the nerves and blood vessels that go out to the arm pass beneath the shoulder, through the axilla. The pulse of the subclavian artery can be felt in
    the armpit. The dislocation can damage these vital conduits, and short- and long-term problems can result. Vascular damage can lead to ischemia (poor blood supply) of the arm, hematoma (a large collection of blood) formation, and possibly the development of an aneurysm (swelling of the artery). Nerve damage can cause loss of motor function (paralysis or weakness) and abnormal sensory function (numbness, tingling, loss of coordination, or diminished sense of touch and feel).
    If the shoulder cannot be reduced, the injured person's limitations would be severe. He could not move the shoulder, and if the nerves were damaged or stretched, he might not be able to use his hand. If the dislocation was reduced, he would be able to function well for a few hours until the spasm sets in. After that the shoulder would be "frozen" and very painful with even the slightest movement. He should be able to bend his elbow and use his hands without a problem.
    The typical treatment of a simple dislocation is to reduce it, place the arm in a sling, which is strapped to the chest to prevent shoulder movement, administer pain medications, and give it time to heal. If the injury is more complex, with severe damage to the joint capsule or with vascular or nerve injury, surgery may be required.
    It would take several months for the shoulder to heal completely, but with a simple dislocation he should be able to move the shoulder carefully and do most things after a couple of weeks.
    What Are the Symptoms and Treatment of a "Sucking Chest Wound"?
    Q: I have a question about sucking chest wounds. I've written a scene in which a Vietnam War veteran applies a modified field dressing to his buddy's chest wound roughly ten minutes after the injury is sustained, but I
    wonder if I'm stretching credibility by having my victim able to conduct a conversation with my hero. What do you think? Is the injured man likely to survive?
    A: First, let's look at "sucking chest wounds." I know, I know, having any wound to the chest sucks, but there is a real medical entity that goes by this moniker. Any object that penetrates the chest wall and leaves behind an open wound would result in a sucking chest wound. In a gunshot wound (GSW) to the chest, the bullet typically makes a small hole as it travels through the tissues of the chest wall. These tissues are elastic and tend to recoil and collapse around the path of the bullet, closing it off and obliterating any opening to the outside. This may penetrate and collapse the lung, and it may be fatal, but it isn't likely to produce a sucking chest wound. The exit wound, however, may be large enough.
    A larger wound, such as from explosive shrapnel or a spear or a highway guardrail in an automobile accident or the above-mentioned GSW exit wound, will not close in this fashion simply due to the larger diameter of the wound. This leaves an opening to the outside.
    Breathing, drawing air into the lungs, depends on the production of a negative pressure within the chest as the diaphragm lowers and the chest expands. This pulls air into the lungs. During