Many people put off seeing a doctor when an injury first occurs thinking they can “work out the pain.” That is a bad idea.
Additional activity and stress placed on an injury usually results in more injury.
When an injury occurs stop all activity and apply ice to the injured area as soon as possible. If there is severe pain or numbness, you can’t put weight on the injured area, or a joint looks abnormal or appears unstable see a doctor immediately.
If you opt to treat the injury at home, even if you later decide it is severe enough that you want a doctor’s opinion, you should rest the injury, apply ice making sure you place a light cloth such as a towel or tee shirt between your skin and the ice, compress the area with a cloth wrap or splint, and elevate the injured area above the level of your heart if at all possible.
This sequence is often referred to as the RICE technique and is an easy way to remember the steps of Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
It’s always a good idea to see a Doctor of Chiropractic for any injury regardless of the severity because long term impairments can easily result from a seemingly minor injury that did not heal correctly.
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