Sprains: symptoms and remedies

A ligament sprain is an injury resulting from tissue damage during the process of significant exertion. Sprains are unpleasant and painful symptoms. The lower limbs are most susceptible to such damage. Such an injury usually requires medical attention, sometimes even surgery is necessary.

Sprained ligament symptoms

Symptoms of this stretch largely depend on the nature and intensity of the injury. Basically, the symptoms are as follows:

• severe swelling;
• hemorrhage, which is often accompanied by the development of a hematoma;
• severe redness;
• painful sensations;
• the limb almost stops moving.

In medicine, sprains of the first, second and third degrees are distinguished. The first is characterized by slight redness and slight swelling, physical activity remains. The second is characterized by severe edema and hematoma, and on the third, the limb practically stops moving, there is acute pain and multiple bruises.

Stretching is often confused with dislocation. However, dislocation and even more so a fracture - more severe injuries and their symptoms are different: displacement of bones, change in the shape of the joint, rupture of ligaments.

When it comes to sprains, the most common cause is over-physical activity. Even the usual awkward movements can lead to sprains. They appear both at home and at work. Of course, the risk of injury increases significantly in winter: during icy conditions, all medical centers are overcrowded.

What to do with a sprain

If first aid is provided correctly for sprains, adverse effects can be minimized and the course of treatment can be greatly simplified. Here are some of the main steps you can take before your doctor arrives:

• Cold helps with sprains. A hot water bottle with ice or at least a cold towel should be applied to the injured area. If a towel is used, it is advisable to change it as often as possible: cold should flow to the inflamed limb.
• The patient needs to be helped to take a position in which the limb will be motionless. To fix it, you need to use a bandage or something from the materials at hand: a belt, a scarf, a scarf. If there is a suspicion of a ligament rupture, it is better to apply a splint, which can be made from scrap materials.
• If possible, apply a compress with some kind of anti-inflammatory agent. These can be drugs such as Ibuprofen or Diclofenac. This will ease the pain and stop the inflammatory process, besides, the damaged limb will heal faster and become mobile again.
• If there is a bruise, it is better to raise the limb so that it does not spread further.

It is also necessary to say about what cannot be done when the ligaments are stretched. So, warming procedures are contraindicated. They are allowed to be used only a few days after the injury. In addition, it is forbidden to consume alcohol, even for pain relieving purposes: it complicates the healing process and increases bleeding. Finally, don't try hard to regain physical activity. To avoid complications, the injured limb must be given rest.

If the sprain is small and first aid is provided on time, after a few days the pain will subside and the working capacity will be restored.

To avoid repeated sprains, a certain regimen must be followed. Heavy physical activity is prohibited, but swimming in the pool always has a positive effect. The fact is that water procedures gently and smoothly restore the motor activity of a leg or other limb. In addition, during swimming, excess load is removed from the spine, which has a beneficial effect on the human muscle corset. For the same reason, it is good to take baths, however, they should not be too hot.

Sprained ligament treatment

Sprains are usually treated in a complex manner. Therapy includes physiotherapy procedures, injections of anti-inflammatory drugs (novocaine, ketanol), exercise therapy. It is very useful to use cooling compresses during the first days. After that, you can move on to warming: they will improve blood circulation and speed up the healing process.

Folk remedies also have a good effect. You can grate onions (one onion), add two tablespoons of sugar to it and apply to the sore spot. Garlic helps no worse than onions. Grind it, boil it in animal fat and add eucalyptus leaves. All this wealth is also applied to the affected area. Moreover, this slightly unusual remedy is really effective: it relieves inflammation and swelling, and even pregnant women can use it.

Another effective remedy is regular lemon juice. They need to soak a bandage or gauze and often apply to a sore spot. As it heats up, such a compress must be changed.

When the pain and swelling have passed, you can gradually start developing exercises that restore the activity of the joints.

Ligament sprains can be cured in most cases. However, this is possible only if all the doctor's recommendations are followed. Even minor injuries must be given the utmost attention, otherwise complications may arise, and the treatment process will take much longer.