Contents:
- Medical Video: Sprained Ankle Ligaments *Home Treatment Guide!*
- How do you handle sprains at home?
- 1. Rest the part of the sprain
- 2. Ice packs
- 3. Bandage
- 4. Lift the affected part
- Various types of sprains
- When to go to the doctor?
Medical Video: Sprained Ankle Ligaments *Home Treatment Guide!*
Sprains or sprains are injuries that occur in tissues that connect bones to joints. Sprains most often occur on the ankles. However, sprains can also occur in the knees or hands. This condition will definitely cause pain, swelling, bruising, and reduce mobility. Therefore, consider the various ways to handle it as well as various choices of sprains in the following review.
How do you handle sprains at home?
Reported on Medicinet's website, how to handle sprains while at home can be done with several of these methods:
1. Rest the part of the sprain
Avoid all activities that cause a feeling of getting sick or uncomfortable on the part of the sprain. Use crutches (walkers) if necessary.
Not that you can't move this part of the sprain. If you are still able to move this part of the sprain even though it is a little sore, try to keep moving it slowly. This movement is done so that the muscles or joints are not too stiff.
If you want to exercise, you should not involve this part of the pain, practice other body parts.
2. Ice packs
When spraining immediately use an ice pack for 15-20 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. Do this in the next 24-48 hours or until you see a doctor who handles it if the condition is very severe.
Compress this ice you can make yourself using some ice cubes wrapped in cloth. This cold compress aims to reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation in injured muscles. Ice compresses also aim to slow the occurrence of bleeding if there is a tear.
However, if the area of the body given this ice turns white it is better to stop compressing, because this indicates the occurrence of frostbite or frost bite. Take it to the doctor immediately if this happens.
3. Bandage
To help stop swelling, the bandage is the part that is sick until the swelling stops. However, do not wrap too tightly to inhibit blood circulation.
Don't start wrapping from the swollen part. Loosen the wrapper if the pain gets worse, the area becomes numb, or the swelling that occurs is worse under the area being wrapped.
4. Lift the affected part
To help relieve swelling, during the first 48 hours of sprains, lift the sprained body part so that it is higher than the heart when you lie down.
This is so that the gravitational force can help reduce swelling. For example, you sprain on the ankle, then lift the part higher than your body position.
Various types of sprains
There are several sprains that can be used. The most commonly used as a sprain drug is:
- Acetaminophen aka paracetamol
- Ibuprofen
- Naproxen
Acetaminophen (paracetamol), ibuprofen, and naproxen are very helpful for reducing pain.
Actually, the three are not specifically for the medicine, but are drugs that have the effect of reducing pain. The difference between the three drugs is naproxen and ibuprofen besides relieving pain can also help treat inflammation, while acetaminophen (paracetamol) does not.
To use the sprain drug, follow the instructions printed on the bottle or wrapper to use the right dosage, especially for children and adolescents.
When to go to the doctor?
If you have been given a sprain medication and treated at home but the symptoms are more severe, you should consult a doctor. Some of the symptoms that arise below this can indicate the occurrence of fractures or other disorders occur, not just sprains.
- There is a "crank-crepe" sound or what is known in medical crepitus on the part of the sprain.
- Cannot move at all the parts of the joint or limb that are sprained.
- Numb.
- Injuries don't improve after being treated alone. Pain and swelling worsened.
- A fever occurs besides swelling and pain.
The doctor will usually examine further using X-rays or MRI to make a further diagnosis. In severe cases, surgery is also needed.
