how to treat treatment for sprain

1. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever to reduce any discomfort. Immediately after your sprain, take an anti-inflammatory painkiller like ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain and reduce swelling.
2. Apply heat to the sprain after 72 hours to promote healing. ...
3. Begin using the joint again gently, as the pain and swelling subside. ...
4. See your doctor if your sprain isn’t getting better after 2-3 days. Sometimes what feels like a sprain can be another serious injury, like a fracture.

Full Answer

What is the healing time for a sprain?

Treatment for sprains and strains include rest, ice, compression, and elevation (R.I.C.E) as well as crutches, physical therapy, and surgery.

What are the treatment options for a sprain?

Rest the sprained or strained area. If necessary, use a sling for an arm injury or crutches for a leg or foot injury. Splint an injured finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent finger or toe. Ice ...

What is the first aid for a sprain?

Sep 24, 2021 · Treatment Options for an MCL Sprain RICE Principle. Following your injury, the RICE principle is commonly recommended to get the inflammation around the... NSAIDs. After an MCL sprain, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) usually is recommended to help... Bracing. After ...

What are the symptoms of a bad sprain?

Jun 21, 2021 · How to treat a sprained ankle. The first goal is to decrease pain and swelling and protect the ligaments from further injury. This usually means adopting the classic RICE regimen — rest, ice, compression, and elevation. If you have severe pain and swelling, rest your ankle as much as possible for the first 24–48 hours.

How do you treat a sprain at home?

What is the first treatment for sprain?

What is sprain and its treatment?

What are 3 symptoms of a strain?

Should I elevate a sprained ankle?

Can I massage my sprained ankle?

Does a sprain hurt to touch?

What are the 4 recommended steps in the document for treating a sprain?

What is the treatment for a sprain?

Initial treatment for a sprain or strain includes R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). Other treatment options may include: Physical therapy (to stretch and strengthen the injured muscles, ligaments, and tendons)

How to determine if a sprain is a sprain?

Specific treatment for a sprain or strain will be determined by your physician based on: 1 Your age, overall health, and medical history 2 Extent of the injury 3 Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies 4 Expectations for the course of the injury 5 Your opinion or preference

How quickly do contusions heal?

Contusions, sprains, or strains may heal quite quickly, depending on one's age. It is important that the patient adhere to the activity restrictions and/or stretching and strengthening rehabilitation programs to prevent re-injury.

What is the best medicine for a sprained ankle?

In most cases, over-the-counter pain relievers — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) — are enough to manage the pain of a sprained ankle.

How to heal a sprained ankle?

approach for the first two or three days: Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. Ice. Use an ice pack or ice slush bath immediately for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every two to three hours while you're awake.

How to stop swelling in ankle?

To help stop swelling, compress the ankle with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. Don't hinder circulation by wrapping too tightly. Begin wrapping at the end farthest from your heart. Elevation. To reduce swelling, elevate your ankle above the level of your heart, especially at night.

What does a physical exam for a foot injury look for?

During a physical, your doctor will examine your ankle, foot and lower leg. The doctor will touch the skin around the injury to check for points of tenderness and move your foot to check the range of motion and to understand what positions cause discomfort or pain.

What is the difference between a CT scan and an ultrasound?

Ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves to produce real-time images.

Why is balance and stability important?

Balance and stability training is especially important to retrain the ankle muscles to work together to support the joint and to help prevent recurrent sprains. These exercises may involve various degrees of balance challenge, such as standing on one leg.

What to use for a sprain?

You can also find anti-inflammatory pain relievers as topical creams or patches that you can apply directly to the sprain for targeted pain relief. You can also try using natural herbs and spices for inflammation. Try using ginger, turmeric, chili pepper, and green tea. [8]

What to do if you have a sprain in your arm?

Immediately after your sprain, take an anti-inflammatory painkiller like ibuprofen or aspirin to ease the pain and reduce swelling. As your sprain heals, take ibuprofen (such as Advil) or acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) to help reduce the pain.

Can you sprain your wrist?

If you’ve injured your joint and feel pain, swelling, or bruising, you might have a sprain. Although ankle sprains are the most common type of sprain, you can also sprain your wrist, knee, foot, thumb or other fingers. If the pain and swelling are severe, contact your doctor. For minor sprains, rest the area, apply ice, ...

How long does it take for a sprain to heal?

Apply heat to the sprain after 72 hours to promote healing. While ice can be great at reducing the swelling of a sprain, heat can be useful after the swelling goes down to increase blood flow to the joint. This will help get the necessary nutrients to the area and take away cell waste to speed recovery.

How to tell if a ligament is torn?

1. Contact your doctor if your symptoms are severe. If you can’t bear any weight on the injured joint, can’t move it, or you feel numbness in the area, this may be a sign that the ligament has torn completely or you have broken a bone. Seek medical attention immediately.

What to do if you have a broken bone?

If you have a fever or any open cuts around the injury, see a doctor immediately to rule out a broken bone and prevent infection. The doctor can do an X-ray or MRI to determine the extent of your injury. If you notice redness and heat around the injury, it may be a sign of infection. Contact your doctor immediately.

How long does it take to heal a sprained knee?

Begin using the joint again gently, as the pain and swelling subside. Depending on the severity of the sprain, it can take a few days to a few months to recover fully. After the initial swelling has gone, usually a few days after the injury, you can start to gently move the joint again.

What is the best medicine for a sprain?

Give an over-the-counter NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibuprofen ( Advil, Motrin ), acetaminophen ( Tylenol ), or aspirin. Do not give aspirin to anyone under age 19. 3. See a Doctor. All but the most minor strains and sprains should be evaluated by a doctor.

How to treat a sprained toe?

If necessary, use a sling for an arm injury or crutches for a leg or foot injury. Splint an injured finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent finger or toe. Ice for 20 minutes every hour. Never put ice directly against the skin or it may damage the skin.

How to control swelling in finger?

RICE stands for: Rest the sprained or strained area. If necessary, use a sling for an arm injury or crutches for a leg or foot injury. Splint an injured finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent finger or toe . Ice for 20 minutes every hour.

How to treat a toe injury?

If necessary, use a sling for an arm injury or crutches for a leg or foot injury. Splint an injured finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent finger or toe. Ice for 20 minutes every hour. Never put ice directly against the skin or it may damage the skin. Use a thin towel for protection.

How to splint a toe?

Splint an injured finger or toe by taping it to an adjacent finger or toe. Ice for 20 minutes every hour. Never put ice directly against the skin or it may damage the skin. Use a thin towel for protection. Compress by wrapping an elastic (Ace) bandage or sleeve lightly (not tightly) around the joint or limb.

How to treat a swollen limb?

Ice for 20 minutes every hour. Never put ice directly against the skin or it may damage the skin. Use a thin towel for protection. Compress by wrapping an elastic (Ace) bandage or sleeve lightly (not tightly) around the joint or limb.

How to reduce swelling in ankle?

Compress by wrapping an elastic (Ace) bandage or sleeve lightly (not tightly) around the joint or limb. Specialized braces, such as for the ankle, can work better than an elastic bandage for removing the swelling. Elevate the area above heart level if possible. 2. Manage Pain and Inflammation.

Anatomy of an ankle sprain

The most common type of ankle sprain is an inversion injury, or lateral ankle sprain. The foot rolls inward, damaging the ligaments of the outer ankle — the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the posterior talofibular ligament. (Ligaments are bands of fibrous tissue that connect bone to bone; see illustration.)

When to see your doctor

Unless your symptoms are mild or improving soon after the injury, contact your clinician. He or she may want to see you immediately if your pain and swelling are severe, or if the ankle feels numb or won't bear weight.

How to strengthen your ankle after a sprain

To recover from an ankle sprain fully, you'll need to restore the normal range of motion to your ankle joint and strengthen its ligaments and supporting muscles.

What is a knee sprain?

This article has been viewed 576,701 times. A knee sprain is an injury to the ligaments in the knee, which are the tough, elastic-like bands in the knee that connect your bones together and hold your joints in place. A sprain can affect many of the ligaments in your knee by tearing the fibers of the tissues, which usually causes pain, swelling, ...

How long does it take for a knee sprain to heal?

Unfortunately, as you get older your body heals more slowly. It may take a minimum of three days to get back to normal, but it can also take longer, depending on the severity of the sprain. Thanks!

How to treat a swollen knee?

method for 48 – 72 hours, you can begin to incorporate a few additional treatments that will help your knee pain and swelling get better. Use a heating pad or hot compress on your knee to alleviate stiffness and pain. Apply heat for 20 minutes, four times per day or as needed . This will help loosen up the muscles in your knee that you have been resting for the three days prior to heating it.

How to treat a grade 1 sprain?

For a Grade 1 (mild) sprain, follow the R.I.C.E. guidelines: Rest your ankle by not walking on it. Limit weight bearing and use crutches if necessary. If there is no broken bone you are safe to put some weight on the leg. An ankle brace often helps control swelling and adds stability while the ligaments are healing.

How to treat a sprained ankle?

Treating your sprained ankle properly may prevent chronic pain and looseness. For a Grade 1 (mild) sprain, follow the R.I.C.E. guidelines: 1 Rest your ankle by not walking on it. Limit weight bearing and use crutches if necessary. If there is no broken bone you are safe to put some weight on the leg. An ankle brace often helps control swelling and adds stability while the ligaments are healing. 2 Ice it to keep down the swelling. Don't put ice directly on the skin (use a thin piece of cloth such as a pillowcase between the ice bag and the skin) and don't ice more than 20 minutes at a time to avoid frostbite. 3 Compression can help control swelling as well as immobilize and support your injury. 4 Elevate the foot by reclining and propping it up above the waist or heart as needed.

Do ankle sprains require surgery?

Most an kle sprains do not require surgery, and minor sprains are best treated with a rehabilitation program similar to your sporting activities. Depending on how many ligaments are injured, your sprain will be classified as Grade 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), or 3 (severe).

How to keep ankles from swelling?

Rest your ankle by not walking on it. Limit weight bearing and use crutches if necessary. If there is no broken bone you are safe to put some weight on the leg. An ankle brace often helps control swelling and adds stability while the ligaments are healing. Ice it to keep down the swelling.

How long does it take for swelling to go down after a sprain?

Swelling usually goes down in a few days. For a Grade 2 (moderate) sprain, follow the R.I.C.E. guidelines and allow more time for healing. A doctor may immobilize or splint your sprained ankle. A Grade 3 (severe) sprain puts you at risk for permanent ankle looseness (instability).

What is grade 3 ankle sprain?

A Grade 3 (severe) sprain puts you at risk for permanent ankle looseness (instability). On rare occasions, surgery may be needed to repair the damage, especially in competitive athletes. For severe ankle sprains, your doctor may also consider treating you with a short leg cast for 2-3 weeks or a walking boot.

How long does it take to heal a sprained ankle?

For severe ankle sprains, your doctor may also consider treating you with a short leg cast for 2-3 weeks or a walking boot. People who sprain their ankle repeatedly may also need surgical repair to tighten their ligaments.

How to heal a sprained wrist?

Your orthopedic doctor may also prescribe the RICE method, which is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation: 1 Rest means to allow it to rest and heal, and do not overexert it with activity. Use your other hand to accomplish tasks instead. 2 Ice the wrist immediately after the sprain occurs, and repeat the process several times a day for about 20 minutes at a time. Be sure to wrap the ice pack with a towel and do not place the pack directly on the skin, because otherwise you could get frostbite. 3 Compression involves using a compression sleeve or compression bandages to assist in relieving or preventing any swelling. 4 Elevation means keeping the wrist elevated above your heart to help reduce swelling, as this utilizes gravity to bring fluid away from the affected area. If the wrist can’t be raised above the heart, then keep it at the same level as your heart or as close as possible.

What is a sprain in a ligament?

A sprain is when there is a stretch or a tear in a ligament, which is a strong and thick band of tissue that connects two bones together. Treatment depends on whether the sprain is a stretched ligament, a partially torn ligament, or a fully torn ligament.

What is a grade 1 wrist sprain?

Wrist sprains can range from mild to severe, depending on how much damage is sustained: Grade 1 (mild) sprain is when a ligament is stretched, but not torn. Grade 2 (moderate) sprain negatively affects function, as the ligament is partially torn. Grade 3 (severe) sprain is when the ligament is completely torn.

How long does it take for a wrist sprain to heal?

The symptoms associated with a mild wrist sprain will begin to lessen within three days; a moderate sprain will take longer. If the pain or swelling in your wrist persists past three days, it is very important to see an orthopedist for diagnosis and treatment.

Is it painful to have a sprained wrist?

If you’ve sustained a sprained wrist, it can be very painful. Symptoms of a fractured wrist are similar to those of a sprained wrist, though the treatments are different – so professional diagnosis is important so that the injury doesn’t cause permanent damage. A sprain is when there is a stretch or a tear in a ligament, ...

How to reduce swelling in wrist?

Elevation means keeping the wrist elevated above your heart to help reduce swelling, as this utilizes gravity to bring fluid away from the affected area. If the wrist can’t be raised above the heart, then keep it at the same level as your heart or as close as possible. Do not use heat to relieve symptoms of a sprained wrist.

Can you put ice packs on your skin?

Be sure to wrap the ice pack with a towel and do not place the pack directly on the skin, because otherwise you could get frostbite. Compression involves using a compression sleeve or compression bandages to assist in relieving or preventing any swelling.