Home Remedies for Sprains & Strains

Author: Ian C. Langtree - View Credentials
Published: 20 Feb 2009 - Updated: 24 Sep 2016

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

Pain relief using home remedies for sprains and strains caused due to stretching or tearing of ligaments.

Overview

Pain relief using home remedies for sprains and strains caused due to stretching or tearing of ligaments resulting in restriction of your movement. The prime reason for a strain injury is the sudden change of direction or due to a collision. The common parts affected are the neck, ankles, wrists and knees.

Pain relief using home remedies for sprains and strains caused due to stretching or tearing of ligaments resulting in restriction of your movement.

The prime reason for a strain injury is the sudden change of direction or due to a collision. The common parts affected are the neck, ankles, wrists and knees.

A sprain is the tearing and stretching of the muscles. This happens due to contraction or stretching of muscles. But this can turn into a chronic strain if the muscles are overworked. We usually term this occurrence as pulling of the muscle. Some of the common places of strains are hamstring and back.

Self-Care Measures

• Resting can be termed as the best thing to do during this time. Any kind of activity should be avoided which may cause pain, swelling or any other discomfort. You can still exercise to rejuvenate other muscles which need to be conditioned.
• An ice pack is great way to reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling. Keep it on the affected area for 15-20 minutes and repeat it every two to three hours to minimize the pain.
• The use of compression helps in compressing the pain with use of elastic tapes, bandages, special boots, air casts and splints. This tightens the strained or sprained area by avoiding further injury.
• By keeping the injured part elevated you can help in decreasing the swelling. The best position to keep the injured part elevated is above your heart level.

Home Remedies for Sprains and Strains

• You can expect to get well soon from the agonizing sprain by making pineapple part of your staple diet and that too in good quantity. The contents in pineapple have bromelain, an enzyme which quickens the healing process. The side effects of bromelain causes dermatitis, so if your skin itches due to the pineapple diet, stop it immediately.
• You can consume aspirin or ibuprofen to get relieve from the swelling and pain.
• Massaging the affected area with comfrey oil or cream can help in alleviating the pain.
• Five drops of thyme oil diluted either in bathwater or some other oil can be used as a compress to get rid of swelling.
• Arnica balm or ointment can be used as cream or a compress for the affected area.
• Horse chestnut is also very useful for such injuries. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties and presence of a compound called aescin it becomes beneficial for all kinds of injuries. You can spread this gel on the affected area every two hours till the pain subsides.

Some sprains require splinting or casting and only your doctor can determine this. Higher grade sprains require more extensive treatment and take longer to heal. With a Grade 1 sprain you may only need rest and ice packs to help the swelling and an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Aspirin. However, failure to get the proper diagnosis and treatment in the beginning can cause many unpleasant and expensive problems further down the road.

If you have a Grade 2 sprain, your doctor may recommend that you wear an ankle brace until the sprain heals and use crutches for a short time.

In the case of a severe sprain, your ankle joint may be unstable. If this is the case you may require a cast to immobilize the joint until it heals. You may also be referred to a orthopedic specialist for further evaluation.

Even after you return to normal activity your doctor may recommend an ankle brace to support the ankle and protect it from re-injury.

As with any injury, recovery time will depend on the seriousness of the sprain. Regardless of the severity, you can speed up the healing process by staying off your ankle and resting it as much as possible. No matter what the grade of injury, unless it is splinted or casted, your doctor will probably tell you to apply ice packs to relieve swelling and pain.

Author Credentials: Ian C. Langtree is a writer, editor, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, which he established in 2004 as one of the longest-running independent resources for disability news and information. Over more than two decades, he has written and edited thousands of articles on disability rights, health, accessibility, and assistive technology. Drawing on a global perspective shaped by extensive travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed advocate of the Social Model of Disability, the framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that focuses on removing societal barriers rather than on individual impairments. His writing is grounded in that framework and in a lasting commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.