Easy Sprained Wrist Treatment Options

Treating a sprained wrist can be as simple as resting, icing, and elevating it, or more important to seek treatment from a doctor. Whether your symptoms are mild or severe, it's essential to find the right solution for your wrist's bruising, pain, and swelling before they leave a lasting negative impact on you and your life. Find the most effective sprained wrist treatment here!

Treatment at Home

Many times, wrist sprains can be treated at home with standard care. Medium of advice that you always should seek medical treatment before you treat your wrist injuries(especially if you're in a major hurry).

RICE Method

Here is a wordy abbreviation that might come in handy if you've ever had any joint issues. It could be your back, knee, wrist, or any other joint — but suffice to say that RICE ("Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation") can help get things back on track.

Rest

Stop doing activities or movements that hurt your wrists. A wrist splint may help remind you to keep your wrist still and let it heal. Though resting can be hard, it is an incredibly important part of the healing process.

Heat and cold therapy

Heat and cold therapy are two complementary healing therapies that each have their own, very specific uses. The first thing you should do immediately upon experiencing an injury is to place a cold therapy pack on the affected area. This will help bring down the swelling and reduce any sort of pain you are currently experiencing. After the initial stages are over, you can use heat to aid in healing the injured area.

A herbal heating pad will increase blood flow to the area, improving healing time. cold pack should NOT be left on for more than 15 minutes at a time as it can cause your blood vessels to constrict and impede circulation.

Compression

Sprains are common in young people, especially if they're going to or from school. When an injury occurs that involves the snapping or tearing of a ligament, it's called a sprain. The main symptom of an ankle sprain is pain, painful swelling, and increased tenderness in the affected area. You can heal a sprain by applying ice and wrapping the injured ankle in a compress bandage. Avoid exaggeration, however; you don't want to restrict lymph flow by putting too much pressure on the area.

Elevation

The best way to promote healing after an injury is by elevating your wrist. To do this, simply place a few pillows under your hand on the sofa or bed so that your wrist can be lifted above the level of your heart for around 15 minutes at a time. It's recommended that you try to elevate your wrist soon after you've sustained the injury as well as any time you are sleeping or relaxing.

Stretches and Exercises

One has to be careful when it comes to wrist pain. We know that you are eager to resume your regular physical activities. But you can't rush yourself. Start with some warm-up exercises and follow that up with a good stretch and finally, do some strengthening activity. Later on, check on how the affected area is doing and if everything seems fine, go for a full range of motion exercises.

Wait until your wrist has healed, and you're cleared for contact by your physician or physical therapist before taking part in any exercises to help build up the strength surrounding the injury. It is also advisable that you consider stretching as much as possible to try and help increase the blood circulation around your injured area, which will inhibit any scar tissue from forming.

Painkillers

When an individual’s wrist is injured, he or she should consider taking a time out to address the pain. In many cases, those suffering from a wrist sprain experience severe discomfort and can treat it easily with over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve). Speak with a physician before beginning any new medication to avoid unwanted side effects.

Medical Treatment

If you've suffered a moderate or severe sprain, there's a good chance that you're also dealing with quite a bit of pain and swelling. However, with medical treatment, it is possible to help the ligaments in your sprain heal properly so that long-term issues don't keep popping up for you. Below you'll find more information about what to expect when going through medical treatment for this type of issue.

Splints and casts

When you have an injured wrist, a splint or cast will keep it immobilized for the time being and help prevent further damage to your wrist. When ready you should gently try moving your wrists outwards to keep them from stiffening, these braces have soft fabric within the hard plastic so they won't hinder all of your movements while you're using them. The only thing you need to be aware of is that it's not recommended to wear one for too long because it can affect how mobile your muscles are and cause stiffness.

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist will do wonders for your wrists. They'll guide you through some simple movements every day to work on getting your wrists back to normal and will teach you about doing specific stretches/ exercises that are going to help with your recovery. If you decide on surgery, they'll be right there by your side throughout the process helping you get back to full mobility so you can start doing everything you want to in life!

Surgery

Surgery for sprains is reserved for the most severe cases. If you aren't sure whether or not you need to go under the knife, a top orthopedic specialist will review your X-rays and scan images of your injury and determine if surgical intervention is necessary. We may even expect that in some cases a simple course of physical therapy or an athletic trainer could help speed up healing.

Recovery Tips

After you’ve sprained your wrist, you need to take care of it as soon as possible. That’s why we put together a list of suggestions for self-care treatment and exercises to help speed up the healing process by encouraging good circulation around the body so that your sprain can heal faster.

• Let your wrist rest as often as needed
• Follow your doctor’s orders
• Wear wrist protection
• Avoid painful activities and movements
• Stretch and exercise as directed

Safe and Effective Wrist Sprain Treatment

A wrist sprain is more than just an annoyance. It’s a serious injury that can harm your ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues if not cared for properly. Always talk to your doctor to determine the severity of the injury. Thankfully, home treatment can cure most mild sprains but moderate to severe sprains may need medical intervention.