Sprains & Strains: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Sprains are perhaps the most painful condition any human can partake, as it almost seems like you are in the middle of nowhere. The more you try to stress on the area that is infected, the more painful it is. A type of forced leisure, you have to almost always take heart and rest until you are healed.

Symptoms
The first thing you notice is pain, often severe. This is usually at the time of injury, for e.g. "going over on your ankle" or twisting your knee, but some times the damage is done by repetitive and less major strains and the pain becomes apparent later and possibly even the following day. Most often athletes who are well aware of the importance of a warm up often wonder what it really was not have twisted the ankle and sprained a wrist. Swelling is often obvious, and this is usually very tender. The area affected may be reddened and rather warmer than usual. Bruising usually appears, often away from the area most affected, as blood which is released from the damaged soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, and tendons) seeps out along the muscles and other structures before coming near the skin. Pain and swelling causes the part affected to be difficult to use normally.

Diagnosis
If in doubt you should seek advice from a nurse, physiotherapist or a doctor. This may be available nearby at some sports clubs etc., or may come from your own doctor's team, or possibly the accident and emergency department at the hospital.

Someone who knows first aid, although painful, can deal with most sprains and strains, but sometimes there is more extensive damage, for e.g.; it may be a broken bone (fracture) or a complete rupture of a muscle or tendon. Sometimes even a straightforward sprain can lead to complications. So if you think there is any possibility that you may be in doubt, its best to seek professional advice.

Treatment for Sprains

The cornerstones of treatment are said to be RICE:

R: Rest of the part of the body which has been sprained.

I: Ice packs need to be applied to the affected part. To do this, you could either place crushed ice in a plastic bag (or use a bag of frozen peas), or wrap it in a damp tea towel, to avoid ice burns, and apply that to the area for as long as you can. This helps reduce and minimize swelling, as well as helping with the pain.

C: Compression, with a crepe bandage or a stockingette tubular bandage, can help reduce swelling and discomfort.

E: Elevation. This means, for example, having a sprained ankle up on a stool, or a sprained wrist supported in a sling.

In addition to this, pain relief and some reduction in inflammation can be provided by taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen, if you are not allergic to, or likely to be upset, by this. (If in doubt ask the pharmacist or your doctor.) Straight pain relief (analgesia) can be provided by taking paracetamol, although it’s important that you begin with external application of the medication before you pop in pills.

Some people find an embrocation or liniment applied to the skin helps, but this should not be used on sensitive or broken skin. Physiotherapy treatments can often help with recovery. Occasionally, your doctor might suggest a steroid injection. This acts rather like an anti-inflammatory drug, and reduces swelling, pain and inflammation, but the body's natural healing mechanisms are still needed to mend the tissues, and this will usually take quite a few weeks.

The best natural method would be to keep in touch with good old exercises so that your body is used to the age-old method of stretching and these sprains can be avoided and often eliminated, like they say "Prevention is better than cure".