Treating a sprain makes it necessary to evaluate the injury

• April 19, 2024

What is a sprain?

A sprain occurs when the ligaments are injured when stretched too much. Ligaments are the elastic bands responsible for keeping the joints in place. The sprain injury varies if it is a small tear or a complete ligament fracture.

Pain intensity is often an indicator of the severity of the injury. However, personal care is often sufficient for minor cases.

When to seek medical assistance

Although you can perform first aid treatments for sprains yourself, in some cases they can be so severe as to require emergency medical assistance. When any of the following situations occurs, you should call 066 immediately in Mexico City:

• Whenever there is a kind of click

• Lack of stability in the injured area

• If the victim suffers from severe pain

• If the injury does not improve after 2-3 days of initial treatment.

The evaluation of extension of the injury

Before attempting to treat a sprain, you should begin by assessing the severity of the injury. This will determine what specific treatment you need, as well as to prevent the worsening of the injury.

You know that the injury is serious if there are the following symptoms:

* Visible deformities on the surface of the skin

* Hemorrhage

* Inability to move the injured area

* Change of coloration in the injured area

Protection from injury

If the injury is serious or not, you can prevent further damage. One way to do this is to avoid using the affected joint. You can make a splint to immobilize the area. For leg sprains, you can also use crutches to avoid carrying weight on it.

Repose

Allowing adequate rest and protection in the affected area is important for a faster recovery. The protection and rest after your injury should go hand in hand. The use of the injured area should be avoided to avoid forcing it. If you can not avoid using, for example, if your leg or ankle is crooked, then you can find several support devices to put the least weight on the injured part.

Cold compresses

An ice pack or the use of cold compresses on the affected area are very useful to numb the pain. However, it is not advisable to apply ice directly on the skin, as it will lead to freezing. Wrap the ice in a cloth before applying it.

Place the ice pack or cold packs on the injured area for at least 20 minutes. You will notice that the swelling is reduced. Be sure not to use the ice for more than 20 minutes. Allow at least 20 minutes of rest before returning to the cold compress application again. This treatment should continue for the next 3 days or until the symptoms have disappeared.

Sell ​​the injury

The compression of the injured area is also useful during the treatment. Put an elastic bandage on the injured area. Avoid tying the elastic bandage with too much force, as it can cut off blood circulation.

Elevation

To prevent further swelling, lift the area and be sure to raise it above the level of the heart to drain fluids out of the area and prevent them from swelling. Do this as many times as possible during the first 48 hours since the injury occurred.

Recovery

Most minor cases of twisting allow patients to recover normally. This means that they can return to their daily activities without signs of injury. One way to help recover from the injury is to avoid mobility of the injured area. If there is any sign of pain or discomfort, do not demand beyond your capabilities.

For severe cases of sprain, it is necessary to follow a treatment and evaluate all signs of healing to make sure that the injured area has healed properly.

Video Medicine: Mayo Clinic Minute: Ankle sprains 101 (April 2024).