Would you go to a doctor for a sprained ankle?? UPDATE post 14

[vivilasvegas]

I twisted my ankle last night, but it wasn't too bad. But this morning when I woke up, man!!! It's swollen around the whole ankle and hurts a lot more than yesterday.

People are saying to go to the doctor, but really, what can he do? I just popped some advil and am trying to keep my foot up at work.

would you go?

 

[Servants of Evan]

800 mg ibuprofin (advil) 4x a day, elevate and ice. 30 minutes on/30 minutes off.

 

[liamsaunt]

I used to sprain my right ankle all the time because the joint is hyperextended (or used to be, it has not happened in about 10 years). Anyway, you are right, there isn't much the doctor can do for you. In addition to the pain relievers, elevation, and icing already mentioned, I found it very helpful to wrap the sprain tightly with ace bandages--the whole foot and ankle area, and halfway up the calf. It helps a little with the swelling and will give you support if you have to walk on it.

 

[luvmydogs]

No, I wouldn't go--I've had so many sprains and strains that I've learned to treat them all myself. I also have an old pair of crutches and a cane form a previously torn Achilles, so I have all the supplies I need by now.

Use RICE--Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation--take pain meds as previous poster stated, keep it wrapped, ice it and rest when you can--it will probably be sore for a while! After a few days, I'd remove the bandage and apply some heat/soak it in warm water to encourage blood flow. Slowly mainipulate the ankle a few times a day--rotate it in circles to work out any stiffness, and take it slowly--you don't want to do any more damage. Use the ACE bandage when support is needed, and slowly resume normal activities.

If the swelling or pain becomes worse, then I'd see your doctor. Hope you're feeling better soon!

 

[DawnCt1]

Ultimately, it depends upon how long it takes to heal. If everyday seems to show improvement and you know that you are on the road to recovery, there is no need to see a doctor. I jumped off of my deck to move a sprinkler in flip flops. I slipped and sustained an awful sprain. I think I would have been better off it I had broken my ankle. I could not bear weight at all and after a few days with no improvement I did see an orthopedist. The bruise extended from my ankle to up behind my knee with deep purple everywhere in between. They could not find a fracture but I did require an air cast for about 4 weeks and ultimately physical therapy because I lost proprioception (which helps you to maintain balance) and had some weakness, which leads to future sprains. So again, wait and see how you improve. If you don't, call your doctor and do all of the other things that the other posters suggested in the meantime.

 

[Dodie]

No. I'd go only if it doesn't get better in a reasonable amount of time. Then, you might want to make sure nothings "torn."

 

[Shugardrawers]

I would go and have xrays just to make sure it wasn't fractured. Other than telling you that, no there really isn't much a doc could do for you. Except maybe give you some fun painkillers if it really hurts a LOT

 

[FergieTCat]

If it's swollen and discolored, I'd got to a doctor. It could be a stress fracture.

And this is coming from someone who walked around with a torn achilles tendon for months before she saw a doctor. I learned my lesson the hard way!!

 

[Rajah]

I agree -- I'd go in to make sure it wasn't fractured.

 

[THE HAT]

last winter i was wearing a pair of very high boots, and there was a patch of ice near my car in the parking lot at the store so i (tried) to jump it, and came down on the side of my ankle. fig i just twisted it no big deal, well the next day it was swollen, and i couldn't even touch it, gave in the evening and went to the express care. no break but, i had torn the ligaments in my ankle. so i had an air cast for 4 weeks, then a soft brace for 2 more. so i would go get it checked better to be safe then sorry. and yes i still wear those boots in the middle of winter, i just don't jump over anything in them anymore!!

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

And this is coming from someone who walked around with a torn achilles tendon for months before she saw a doctor. I learned my lesson the hard way!!

What did your torn achilles tendon feel like? I have an ankle that gives me problems from time to time. If the tendon gets really sore, there is even a place on it that feels swollen - kind of like a knot on the tendon. I went to an orthapedic (sp?) guy that I wasn't very impressed with a couple of years ago. He xrayed it and put me in one of those big plastic boots but it didn't help very much. Since then, when it acts up, I just try to stretch it out and warm it up before walking when I have to do things like walk to lunch or walk to and from the parking deck at work.
I am hoping that any xrays the guy took would have shown if there had been any tearing in the tendon but like I said before, I wasn't very impressed with him.
You can pm me if you want - don't want to hijack the op thread

 

[minkydog]

It's hard to tell the difference between a fracture and a sprain at first. If it gets better with ice, rest and Advil, then you're in luck--it's likely a sprain. If it stays painful and swollen despite all your efforts, have it checked--you may need a special cast or be on crutches for awhile.

I broke a bone in my foot once and didn't know it. I finally went to the doctor after 5 days of pain. The weird thing was, it wasn't even swollen, just bruised. But I couldn't even stand to have a sheet over my foot--it hurt that bad. Ten weeks in a cast fixed me right up

 

[vivilasvegas]

thanks everyone.

I took the advil, and it helped for a couple hours, but now it hurts again. I'm at work, so I can't really ice and elevate it that much. It's okay to lightly stand on, but hurts in my heel and up the top of my foot/bottom of calf when I walk...well, hobble!

It hasn't gotten more swollen, but it's not really going down yet. And now it's bruising.

Oh well, I'll stay off it when I get home, and if it's not better by Friday, guess I'll see the doctor.

thanks!

 

[vivilasvegas]

so I ended up at the ER on Sunday, more swollen and painful than before.
Turns out nothing was broken, but the doc said it was one of the "uglier" sprains that she's seen.
Then they made my stay 'cause my blood pressure was 143/90 and my heart rate was 122 when I got there!! They said it was probably because of the pain and the strain to walk.
I had to stay 'til my heart rate went down to 100...at this point I was so nervous about the blood pressure, there's no way I could slow down my heartbeat!!
I'm fine now! (had it checked at work yesterday)

So now I'm wearing an Air-Cast and using crutches...which means I'll probably fall again!

 

[THE HAT]

glad you went and got it checked! take it easy and be careful on the crutches!