Sprain or strain – what’s the difference and how to treat?

Asked by: Johnny Lakemary

Treating sprains and strains: Mild sprains and strains are often treated with the RICE technique: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. However, when the RICE technique doesn’t work, or if pain is unbearable and/or constant, it is in your best interest to visit a doctor.

Which is the best way to treat sprain and strain?

Treatment

1. Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. …
2. Ice. Even if you’re seeking medical help, ice the area immediately. …
3. Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. …
4. Elevation.

Can you tell the difference between a strain and sprain?

With a sprain, you may feel a tear or pop in the joint as it happens. The joint may then feel either stiff or unstable. With a strain, you may have spasms or cramping in the affected muscle. The worse the sprain or strain, the harder it is to use the affected area.

What is the difference between sprain and strain and its treatment?

The difference between a sprain and a strain is that a sprain injures the bands of tissue that connect two bones together, while a strain involves an injury to a muscle or to the band of tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.

How do you heal a strain?

approach — rest, ice, compression, elevation:

1. Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. …
2. Ice. Even if you’re seeking medical help, ice the area immediately. …
3. Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. …
4. Elevation.

Which is worse sprain or strain?

One is not technically worse than the other. Strains affect the tendons (an easy way to remember this is sTrains = tendons or muscles), and sprains affect the ligaments. Both tendons and ligaments are connective tissues, and both are measured by severity. You can have a mild sprain or a severe strain, or vice versa.

How long does a sprain take to heal?

How long it takes for a sprain or strain to heal. After 2 weeks, most sprains and strains will feel better. Avoid strenuous exercise such as running for up to 8 weeks, as there’s a risk of further damage. Severe sprains and strains can take months to get back to normal.

Can a muscle sprain heal on its own?

Sprains rarely require surgery. Ligaments will often heal on their own if you rehabilitate the joint correctly. However, without rehabilitation or proper physical training of the muscles around the joint, sprains can become a chronic occurrence.

How do you treat a mild strain?

Muscle Strain Treatment Self-Care at Home

1. Protect the strained muscle from further injury.
2. Rest the strained muscle. …
3. Ice the muscle area (20 minutes every hour while awake). …
4. Compression can be gently applied with an Ace or other elastic bandage, which can both provide support and decrease swelling.

Is heat good for muscle strain?

Heat is often best for tight muscles, sore muscles, as well as the stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. Heat can also be used following an acute injury to increase blood flow once the swelling has subsided.

Should you massage a strained muscle?

Massage. Therapeutic massage helps loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow to help heal damaged tissues. Applying pressure to the injured muscle tissue also helps remove excess fluid and cellular waste products. A 2012 study found that massage immediately following an injury may even speed strained muscle healing.

How do I reduce swelling?

Cold applied immediately after an injury can help manage the pain and reduce swelling because it restricts blood flow to the area and decelerates cellular metabolism. Most people can use a bag of ice or an ice pack, though ice baths, cold therapy systems, and cryotherapy can all help as well.

Does hot water reduce swelling?

If you use heat on a swollen area, it can increase inflammation. This will prevent your injury from healing. Moist heat, like hot showers, saunas, steam baths, hot baths, or just warm damp towels, can help loosen tight muscles.

Does ibuprofen help with swelling?

Unlike acetaminophen, ibuprofen acts as an anti-inflammatory drug, which means it reduces inflammation and swelling.

What naturally reduces swelling?

Some of the best sources of omega-3s are cold water fish, such as salmon and tuna, and tofu, walnuts, flax seeds and soybeans. Other anti-inflammatory foods include grapes, celery, blueberries, garlic, olive oil, tea and some spices (ginger, rosemary and turmeric).

What can I drink to reduce inflammation?

Here are five research-backed drinks that can help fight inflammation in your body.

• Baking soda + water. A recent study in the Journal of Immunologyfound drinking a tonic of baking soda and water may help reduce inflammation. …
• Parsley + ginger green juice. …
• Lemon + turmeric tonic. …
• Bone broth. …
• Functional food smoothie.

Is coffee inflammatory?

Coffee may help reduce inflammation in most people. However, some people may experience increased inflammation following coffee consumption. If this applies to you, consider reducing your intake.

Are bananas anti-inflammatory?

Bananas are versatile fruits with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties that can help counteract inflammation and support the body’s immune system.

Is peanut butter anti-inflammatory?

Linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found in peanuts, has been shown to reduce inflammation and is therefore seen as anti-inflammatory. In fact, the 2009 American Heart Association Advisory Panel recommended that Americans include omega-6 in their diets, citing its anti-inflammatory benefits.

Is Honey anti-inflammatory?

In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. People commonly use honey orally to treat coughs and topically to treat burns and promote wound healing.

Are eggs inflammatory?

Consuming eggs regularly can lead to an increased amount of swelling and joint pain. The yolks contain arachidonic acid, which helps trigger inflammation in the body. Eggs also contain saturated fat which can also induce joint pain.

Is Chicken inflammatory?

Chicken is also relatively high in omega-6 fats, including arachidonic acid, a fatty acid that directly feeds cellular production of inflammatory chemicals.

Do tomatoes cause inflammation?

Some people feel that eating foods from the nightshade family, also known as solanaceous vegetables, may make their arthritis worse. But research has shown that there is no link between inflammation and solanaceous vegetables. Examples of nightshade vegetables include: Tomatoes.

Are potatoes inflammatory?

Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all members of the nightshade family. These vegetables contain the chemical solanine, which some people claim aggravates arthritis pain and inflammation.

Are cucumbers anti-inflammatory?

Cucumber in an Alkaline Diet

In general, this includes foods that are anti-inflammatory and as low acid to alkaline-forming as possible. Cucumber is one of the most alkaline foods and because of its triterpenes, it may work well to regulate diseases that involve the immune system (9).

Are carrots anti-inflammatory?

Carrots Pack Anti-Arthritis Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene

These and other orange-hued vegetables are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, both of which are believed to fight inflammation.