Immediate Injury Treatment If you suffer an acute injury, such as a strain or pull, immediately stop activity and use the R.I.C.E. method of treatment. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. •Rest will prevent further injury and will allow healing. •Ice will stop swelling. It constricts injured blood vessels and limits the bleeding in the injured area. •Compression further limits swelling and supports the injured joint. •Elevation uses gravity to reduce swelling in the injured area by reducing blood flow. It is important to begin R.I.C.E. as soon after injury as possible. Use a sheet or towel to protect the skin and apply ice immediately. Next wrap an elastic bandage around the ice and injured area. Dont wrap this so tightly that you cut off the blood supply, but it should be snug. Leave ice on for about 15 minutes every three hours or so during the day. Once the swelling decreases, you can begin gentle range of motion exercises for the affected joint. When to See A Doctor Most acute injuries can be attended to using R.I.C.E., but some injuries need to be seen and treated by a physician. You should call your doctor if you experience any of the following: •severe pain or if pain persists for more than two weeks in a joint or bone. •pain radiates to another area of the body •you have point tenderness. That is, you can cause pain by pressing on a specific area, but pain is not produced at the same point on the other side of the body. •you have any injury to a joint that produces significant swelling. If left untreated, joint injuries can become permanent. •you cannot move the injured part. •there is persistent numbness, tingling or weakness in the injured area. •your injury doesnt heal in three weeks. •you have an infection with pus, red streaks, a fever, or swollen lymph nodes.
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 05:25:20 +0000
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