Movement is essential, but anything that causes further pain should be avoided, especially in the first three days. Next, you will want to ice your ankle swelling. Apply ice for 20 minutes every hour for the first three days of your injury. Leaving the ice on longer can actually increase swelling. Instead, use a washcloth or other small towel to create a barrier. Never apply heat to a swollen body part in the first 72 hours after injury, as this will make the swelling worse.
Compression can also help reduce swelling. Ask a doctor or athletic trainer how to wrap an ace bandage in the best way to decrease swelling. Finally, you should elevate your injury above heart level as much as possible.
This prompts swelling to flow back into the body rather than staying stuck in your extremities. Is your injury still swollen after a week or more of at home swelling treatment? Most patients are in and out within an hour. Call to schedule an appointment, or just walk in any weekdays from 7 a. Computed Tomography Scan. Blood Pressure Check. Fitness for Duty Exam. That kind of flies in the face of everything we have ever been taught. So if swelling is good for us, why have we been taught to reduce it?
It initially helps by recruiting healing factors that accelerate how quickly cells migrate to the site of injury - but swelling is also bad because it destructs and distends the tissues, and distorts the anatomy.
Fluid enzymes within the swollen fluid break-down tissue as well as stimulating it. Actually immediate swelling is required for tissue repair. Immediate swelling releases enzymes that break down tissue, along with anabolic factors and cells that re-build tissue. Late swelling is almost always harmful, as those same enzymes have already done their job and now attack healthy tissue.
The bottom line is that there is a wonderful and mysterious balance between when is swelling good, and when is swelling bad. The question for doctors and patients is: What is the timing for swelling reduction, and what is the optimal way to do it? With advances in technology, we will get better at exposing the injured tissue to the optimal components of swelling for just the right amount of time.
During the last few hundred years of medical science, we have figured out how to intervene with very bold strokes in many problems.
For example, we have anti-inflammatory drugs. If you hit something with an anti-inflammatory today, you hit ALL the tissues in the body. The entire patient gets that hammer of anti-inflammatories.
Even if you have a little tooth infection, you are bombing your entire body with antibiotics—and that upsets the balance in the system. The best treatment for swelling will depend on the cause. If a person has an underlying health condition, such as kidney disease , they will need to receive treatment for the underlying condition. Treating or controlling any underlying conditions can help reduce swelling. A person can also try lying on a bed with their feet elevated and wearing compression stockings.
Swelling due to injury, such as a sprained ankle, requires rest. A person can also reduce swelling by applying ice to the area and taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. To prevent whole-body swelling, the NCI recommend:. For example, a person can experience swelling in their feet or legs from standing for too long. Pregnant women may also experience regular swelling of their feet and ankles. In these cases, a person likely does not need to see a doctor.
However, if the swelling is unexplained, does not get better with treatment, or lasts for a long time, a person should talk to a doctor. They can examine the swelling and help determine what is causing it. A person should see a doctor if they sustain an injury while playing a sport, exercising, or doing other activities. The doctor can help determine the extent of the injury and provide treatment support.
If other symptoms — such as difficulty breathing, weight gain, or tiredness — accompany the swelling, a person should talk to a doctor as soon as possible. These could indicate an underlying condition that may be causing the swelling. Ivy O. Man, and Matthew C. March Ankle Anatomy. Ankle Issues. Ankle Surgery. Upper Back and Neck. Mid Back. Lower Back. Cumulative Trauma. Muscle Injury.
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