The release of chemicals and the compression of nerves in the area of injury cause pain. The pain and swelling can keep the athlete from using the injured part, serving to protect it from further injury.
However, often times, the body's response is excessive. Chronic swelling leads to tissues becoming more rigid and less pliable than their healthy counterpart. Less pliable tissues are more susceptible to further injury.
If your swelling is chronic, or lasts longer than weeks, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will be able to recommend medication, exercise or therapy to resolve the swelling. Remember, swelling is the body's reaction to an injury; if the swelling is still present, so is the injury. Kluchurosky says, "You should be able to perform multiple repetitions of the activities your sport requires jumps, sprints, kicks, etc without an increase in swelling or pain in the injured area before attempting to return to competition.
Services are available in multiple locations throughout central Ohio. To make an appointment, call or request an appointment online. Skip to Content. You may not think often about your hands, but they are one of the most commonly used body parts. This also means hands are vulnerable to a number of injuries, as they are often involved in activities.
You may use your hands to handle sharp objects, brace yourself for impact, or open and close doors. If you suffer a hand injury, before visiting a hand specialist in Atlanta , there are steps you can take to mitigate the initial symptoms like pain and swelling.
As a part of this response, white blood cells, proteins, antibodies, and various other fluids are all sent to the damaged body part to aid with healing, leading to inflammation and swelling because of the excess volume. This fluid is designed to protect damaged tissues, and a small amount of swelling is unavoidable and can be good for healing. However, too much swelling can lead to further complications.
Excess swelling can be uncomfortable and limit your range of motion, which can also slow down healing as you are not able to regain strength through movement. Additionally, when inflammation is not treated, it can lead to more swelling that never goes down. Swelling is not an injury in itself, but instead appears when another injury has occurred.
They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call for medical transport to the hospital.
Swelling and pain are very common with injuries. When you have swelling, you should look for other symptoms of injury that may need to be evaluated by your doctor. If you have a medical condition that may cause swelling, follow your doctor's instructions on how to treat your swelling. Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine.
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:. If you have a chronic medical condition or are pregnant, follow your doctor's instructions on how to prevent swelling and when to call to report your symptoms.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment. You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.
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Updated visitor guidelines. You are here Home » Swelling. Topic Overview Swelling is an increase in the size or a change in the shape of an area of the body.
Causes of localized swelling include: Injury to a specific body area. Bruising hematoma from an injury is caused by tears in the small blood vessels under the skin. Bleeding can also affect the joint hemarthrosis or the area that cushions and lubricates the joint traumatic bursitis. Swelling can affect just one area or may involve large sections of the body, such as swelling that occurs following a motor vehicle accident.
Infection, which can occur in a joint or under the skin. An abscess is a pocket of pus that forms at the site of infected tissue. Cellulitis is a skin infection that can cause mild or severe swelling. Burns , which can cause swelling at the site of the burn or in a larger area around the burn. Inflammation that occurs when tissue is irritated by overuse or repeated motion. Swelling of the tendon and swelling caused by a series of small tears around a tendon tendinosis can occur together or separately.
Swelling of the sac that cushions and lubricates the joint bursitis can be caused by prolonged or repeated pressure or by activities that require repeated twisting or rapid joint movements.
Insect bites or stings. Most insect bites or stings cause a small amount of redness or swelling. Some people have an allergic reaction to a bite or sting and develop a lot of swelling, redness, and itching. Other causes, such as swelling related to a sac-shaped structure with clear fluid, blood, or pus cyst or a swollen gland, such as a salivary gland. Causes of generalized swelling include: Allergic reaction. Sudden swelling of the hands and face may be a severe allergic reaction anaphylaxis and needs immediate medical evaluation.
Autoimmune diseases , such as lupus , rheumatoid arthritis , and scleroderma. These diseases can cause swelling when the body produces antibodies and other cells that attack and destroy tissues in the body.
Some medicines change how body fluids circulate, causing swelling. Swelling may also occur as an allergic reaction to a medicine. Circulation problems related to certain medical conditions, such as peripheral arterial disease , heart failure , diabetes , or kidney disease.
Thrombophlebitis causes swelling of an extremity when a blood clot interrupts blood flow in a vein in the arm or leg. Fluid that accumulates in the abdomen ascites because of other problems, such as malnutrition, cirrhosis, or liver disease.
Check Your Symptoms Is swelling your main concern? You may have concerns about swelling around the face, in the arms or legs, or in the belly or groin. How old are you? Less than 12 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have. If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". There are a few ways to apply compression to an injury, but be careful to not apply too much to avoid cutting off circulation.
Some common ways to apply compression are elastic bandages, compression sleeves for specific body parts, and cold compresses. As time goes on and the swelling is being reduced, make sure to adjust the tightness of the form of compression you are using to avoid return of the fluids. How to Reduce Swelling. The key to reducing swelling with elevation is to get the injury above the level of your heart.
This decreases blood flow to the area which means less swelling. Sometimes you may have to adjust how you are sitting or lying down and reclining in necessary.
If it is a lower leg injury like an ankle, keeping your feet up will decrease the fluid from pooling into your ankles. This method has been tried and true for a long time serious medical issues and should not be ignored. If the RICE method does not seem to be working for you and swelling continues to linger or worsen, please do not hesitate to contact your doctor and get evaluated. Physical therapy can play a major role in the reduction of swelling within the body. Therapists can use modalities such as ice, electrical stimulation, heat, laser, and soft tissue mobilization to help you get rid of swelling within your body.
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