Need some free advice from the DIS docs...UPDATE #26 :(

[minkydog]

I sprained my ankle Thanksgiving day. it's still swollen and I can walk on it, but it's painful, like a toothache. Not acute unless I turn it the wrong way, but it woke me up in the night hurting. I'm taking arthritis strength Tylenol for pain and it helps a little, I guess(I'm highly allergic to Advil). Mostly I'm sitting around. I'm a peds nurse and I know what you're going to say--go to the doctor. But I don't want to go and waste their time(and mine) if it's something that just needs more time to heal.

So how long does it take to heal a sprained ankle?

 

[Christine]

I sprained my ankle Thanksgiving day. it's still swollen and I can walk on it, but it's painful, like a toothache. Not acute unless I turn it the wrong way, but it woke me up in the night hurting. I'm taking arthritis strength Tylenol for pain and it helps a little, I guess(I'm highly allergic to Advil). Mostly I'm sitting around. I'm a peds nurse and I know what you're going to say--go to the doctor. But I don't want to go and waste their time(and mine) if it's something that just needs more time to heal.

So how long does it take to heal a sprained ankle?

It takes a LONG time. I sprained my foot once (well, actually I think I broke it). I *did* go to the doctor, who refused to even x-ray it. They told me to walk around on it, don't "baby" it too much. The swelling went down after about 3 weeks. It hurt for a very long time after that. Not severe pain, but like you said, a toothache.

 

[noodleknitter]

Too long! The last time I twisted mine in a bad way, my dad said "it'll take about 6 weeks for it to heal"...didn't believe him. It took about 6 weeks...

I'm sorry you were injured! I hope it doesn't give you too much pain/trouble.

 

[minkydog]

Bumping for the evening shift...and a question. Other than rest and Tylenol, am I supposed to be doing anything to this ankle?

 

[Missy Mouse]

I sprained my ankle Thanksgiving day. it's still swollen and I can walk on it, but it's painful, like a toothache. Not acute unless I turn it the wrong way, but it woke me up in the night hurting. I'm taking arthritis strength Tylenol for pain and it helps a little, I guess(I'm highly allergic to Advil). Mostly I'm sitting around. I'm a peds nurse and I know what you're going to say--go to the doctor. But I don't want to go and waste their time(and mine) if it's something that just needs more time to heal.

So how long does it take to heal a sprained ankle?

You shouldn't be walking on it. Are you rotating ice and heat, and elevating it? You should also get an ace bandage and wrap it tightly. The length of time for healing depends on the severity and location of the sprain. If you tore a ligament it can take up to a year. You can't be sure that it's just a mild sprain until you get an xray. It could be a hairline fracture. Anything that's still waking you up in the middle of the night four days later needs to be looked at. I know you know this!

 

[MsDisney23]

I hope you feel better soon.. First I must have your co-pay up front before I can give advise!

 

[Blondy876]

It's funny you should ask this question today. I sit here typing with my ankle elevated and in ice. I had a child throw a chair at me today and I triped while trying to get out of the way. It's swollen and so sore. I hope yours feels better soon. I hope mine feels better soon too.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

Sorry to yell, but my sister walked around on a broken ankle for two weeks before going in. They casted it and chewed her out.... it took forever to heal and is still not as strong as it should be.

Good luck.... but I think you'll feel better if you find out for sure it's not broken!

 

[Missy Mouse]

GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

Sorry to yell, but my sister walked around on a broken ankle for two weeks before going in. They casted it and chewed her out.... it took forever to heal and is still not as strong as it should be.

Good luck.... but I think you'll feel better if you find out for sure it's not broken!

Exactly.

 

[ADisneygirl]

Thes kinds of injuries take a very long time to heal. Month's ago my mother accidentily put the church kneeler down before the rest of us were in the row and she put it on my foot and proceeded to kneel down! I felt like going into the crying room in the back where all the babies were.

The top of my foot swelled up and hurt terribly. Went to the doctor and they x-rayed it -- nothing broken. I did the rest, ice, elevation rotation for days. It got a bit better, but still was swollen. The doctor said it could take months. Fast foward a few months and it still hurts!

My advice is to rest it as much as you can. I spent much of the time on my foot -- had to because I teach and I am constantly walking the campus and standing. Anyhow, I think that I would have healed had I stayed off of it. Now it seems to be a chronic problem for me.

 

[Missy Mouse]

It's funny you should ask this question today. I sit here typing with my ankle elevated and in ice. I had a child throw a chair at me today and I triped while trying to get out of the way. It's swollen and so sore. I hope yours feels better soon. I hope mine feels better soon too.

You're another one! If there's no change in 24 hours go to the doctor.

 

[robinb]

GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

Sorry to yell, but my sister walked around on a broken ankle for two weeks before going in. They casted it and chewed her out.... it took forever to heal and is still not as strong as it should be.

Good luck.... but I think you'll feel better if you find out for sure it's not broken!

I agree. At the very least your doctor should give you an aircast to help support your ankle while it heals.

 

[Missy Mouse]

I sprained my ankle Thanksgiving day. it's still swollen and I can walk on it, but it's painful, like a toothache. Not acute unless I turn it the wrong way, but it woke me up in the night hurting. I'm taking arthritis strength Tylenol for pain and it helps a little, I guess(I'm highly allergic to Advil). Mostly I'm sitting around. I'm a peds nurse and I know what you're going to say--go to the doctor. But I don't want to go and waste their time(and mine) if it's something that just needs more time to heal.

So how long does it take to heal a sprained ankle?

Can you take any type of nsaid? Is it just Advil or all anti-inflammatory agents? Naproxen will help if you can tolerate it.

 

[horseshowmom]

You shouldn't be walking on it. Are you rotating ice and heat, and elevating it? You should also get an ace bandage and wrap it tightly. The length of time for healing depends on the severity and location of the sprain. If you tore a ligament it can take up to a year. You can't be sure that it's just a mild sprain until you get an xray. It could be a hairline fracture. Anything that's still waking you up in the middle of the night four days later needs to be looked at. I know you know this!

I had a friend that did the same thing you did (you know, "it's "just" a sprain, and they really won't do anything anyway, will they?"). She had the fracture that MM is talking about, and it did create some problems later.

 

[Missy Mouse]

I had a friend that did the same thing you did (you know, "it's "just" a sprain, and they really won't do anything anyway, will they?"). She had the fracture that MM is talking about, and it did create some problems later.

They are no fun, no fun at all. It's better to risk being told it's just a simple sprain than to assume it is one and not get checked out. The consequences are much more dire for your future functional mobility if it is a hairlilne fracture that goes untreated.

 

[themarquis]

I messed up my ankle last year... it looked AWFUL (hugely swollen, black and blue) and felt not great (though not as bad as it looked) -- about what you're describing. Went into the doc and got x-rayed and all that. The doc, the x-ray tech, and the nurses who looked at it all were sure it was broken because it looked so messed up.

They were all surprised to find out it was not! The doc explained that a sprain can actually do more damage than a break, because it can really mess up the muscles in your ankle. He also said that there is no way of telling if it is broken without an x-ray to confirm it.

So basically, I'd agree with the other posters that you'll probably need to get an x-ray at some point. My ankle turned out fine, but maybe you are not so lucky. Since you are a nurse, is there any way you can get a buddy to hijak an x-ray machine for you and take a quick pic? Maybe get a dr. to take a look at it? Might be easier than doing it the official way with a doctor's visit!

 

[minkydog]

Can you take any type of nsaid? Is it just Advil or all anti-inflammatory agents? Naproxen will help if you can tolerate it.

I've been afraid to try anything else. I had an anaphylactic reaction to Advil last year, very dramatic, EMTs, the whole 9 yards. I have arthritis in my thumbs which is pretty bad and my rheumatologist has agreed to try something there in the office(just in case I crash )

I agree with you. If a patient called me up with these symptoms I would advise her to see a doctor(and roll my eyes, probably ) The post-tib tendon is still very tender and swollen and every now and then I tweak something juuust right and I'll call my doctor in the morning, I guess

 

[liamsaunt]

Do go to the doctor. You'll feel better knowing one way or the other. If you have an ace bandage in the house, it will help you if you wrap it around your injury. Start at the base of the toes, go over the entire foot, and up and around the ankle. Wrap it tight, but not so tight as to cut off circulation. Keep it elevated to help with the swelling.

And, like everyone else said, go to the doctor! I hope you feel better soon.

I know the pain you are experiencing--I have suffered multiple severe ankle sprains due to a hyperextended joint (hasn't happened since college, knock on wood).

 

[Missy Mouse]

I've been afraid to try anything else. I had an anaphylactic reaction to Advil last year, very dramatic, EMTs, the whole 9 yards. I have arthritis in my thumbs which is pretty bad and my rheumatologist has agreed to try something there in the office(just in case I crash )

I agree with you. If a patient called me up with these symptoms I would advise her to see a doctor(and roll my eyes, probably ) The post-tib tendon is still very tender and swollen and every now and then I tweak something juuust right and I'll call my doctor in the morning, I guess

Do you have RA, or just severe osteoarthritis? Was that your first time using an anti-inflammatory, or just an out of the blue reaction? I wouldn't roll my eyes. As health care workers we tend to suck it up and make light of situations because of what we deal with on a daily basis. We make terrible patients! It can't hurt to get checked out. Try to minimize impact until you get checked out.

 

[minkydog]

I have osteoarthritis in my feet, my back, and both thumbs, the left is severe. I'm trying to hold off thumb joint replacement as long as possible. I used to be able to take NSAIDS. I took Voltaren for years, for my feet. I took Motrin/Advil for migraines and a herniated disc. Then BOOM! I had a full-blown anaphylactic reaction in the New Orleans airport. Almost as soon as I took the Advil I knew I was in trouble. It was quite dramatic. So I've been afraid to try again.

Nurses make THE WORST patients My doctor always says, "why do you wait 'til you're half-dead to drag yourself in here?" I think it's because we know too much