Friday, November 13, 2009

Treat a Sore Wrist Before It Gets Worse

By Tom Nicholson

We frequently take our body for granted, especially our wrists. This part of our anatomy helps us function in every aspect of our lives, whether typing on a key board or picking up grocery bags. This important part of your body gets the phrase from sports coaches that "it's all in the wrist", thus relaying the importance of this connecting joint.

If you have ever suffered a sore wrist, you know the importance of this body part. If left ignored, the problem may become worse over time. It may even affect the future quality of life if it turns into a chronic problem. Simple tasks may become overwhelming with a tender wrist, and the over the counter pain relief is not safe for the long term. Getting help to deal with the pain is important.

With such importance, you must always treat a sore wrist before it gets worst for many reasons. For one thing, your quality of life will be affected with the pain associated with a tender wrist. You probably will not be able to perform the simplest of tasks since wrist pain will be a constant presence in your life. Since taking too many over-the-counter painkillers is not good for your health, you have to seek medical opinion on how best to make the pain go away safely.

For another thing, your tender wrist can degenerate into something worse. Your painful wrist may be the precursor and/or the symptom of medical conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, gout and pseudo-gout, tendonitis, ganglion cysts and bone fractures and muscle sprains. You definitely will want to treat these disorders as soon as possible.

The at home elements for treating a sore wrist are meant to work in conjunction with medical care. The purpose of RICE treatment is to relieve pain and promote healing, while avoiding a recurring incidence of the injury. These treatments may apply to injuries or arthritis pain.

Resting the sore wrist and modifying activities for at least 24-48 hours is most important during this time. Your wrist may be wrapped in a splint or sling. Modifying your activities to prevent stressing the wrist is important for the resting stage.

Ice and heat application may also help. Wondering which to use? Ice packs are used for acute (sudden) injuries, and heat pads for more chronic (ongoing) condition. Never leave ice pack on for more than 20 minutes each application.

* C stands for compression and cortisone injections. During early treatment, compression is used to keep the muscles and tendons as stable as possible. Of course, you have to make sure that your wrist does not become cold and blue from a too-tight compression bandage. Cortisone injections are administered by your doctor, which should treat the inflammation, if any, in a sore wrist.

* E stands for elevate. You have elevate your injured wrist higher than your heart, when and where possible. This can usually be done by placing pillows underneath your arms while sleeping.

Keep in mind that the RICE treatment protocol is applicable for first aid and after-care situations. As soon as you feel that your injured wrist is not responding to the RICE treatment, you must seek medical advice at once.

While it may not seem like a big deal today, a sore wrist may be a long term problem if ignored. Your livelihood - and even your life - may depend on how well your wrist is working. Keep it flexing at its best.

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