Treatment For a Sprained Wrist

A sprained wrist is very painful, especially if you do not rest the hand. If you expect to get full use of your wrist back, make sure you allow it some time to recover from the injury. Following the proper steps, a sprained wrist will quickly recover.

Apply an ice pack to it. Ice your wrist as soon as possible after you sprain it. It will prevent the swelling. An ice pack will work double duty because it numbs and stabilizes. The ice wrap should extend from the hand to the elbow. A too tight wrap is bad for the circulation so make sure you keep it only snug. It is important to put ice on a sprained wrist.

Raise the wrist and arm. Keep your wrist raised with some pillows while you keep the sprain iced. With a sling or cushion, make sure your whole arm stays elevated above the position of your heart. Your arm will need to remain in this state for seventy-two hours or more.

Relax your wrists. It's important that you give it a rest. Your wrist will require several days to heal, and if you keep demanding that your wrist be fully utilized, the recovery you seek will be prolonged. Make sure you avoid using your sprained wrist for as long as possible, at least a few days if you can manage. Your wrist's tendons and muscles will better recover with more rest.

Don't go near the heat at the beginning. It is imperative to keep your sprained and swollen wrist as far away from heat as possible while in the healing process. Heat will make the location become swollen, which means additional pain for your wrist that is already hurting badly. Don't cozy up to the fire, and in general, try to keep your sprained wrist at body temperature or cooler. Your wrist will continue to swell if exposed to heat so avoid at all costs.

After a few of days, moderate heat will help. After the inflammation recedes from your wrist, some moist heat should provide relief. Make sure the wet towel is warm before applying it.  Apply this to your wrist for a period of thirty minutes. Doing this should alleviate some pain around the sprain location.

Slowly increase the amount you use your wrist. 3-5 days is the average amount of time for your sprained wrist to stop hurting so deeply. Only begin to use your wrist again when you are comfortable, and do it slowly. If you push it too hard, then you are likely to injure it again and make the recovery process longer. When you begin using your wrist, don't use it to its full potential for the first couple weeks. (You'll get a feeling for when it's safe to remove the sling, the ice and the warmth and start using your sprained wrist again - but be sure it is when you no longer feel ache when you employ your wrist).