How long wrist sprain

A fall, a sudden movement, or twisting could cause either injury. A broken wrist occurs if a person breaks one or more of the eight bones located in the wrist. This is usually a break of the distal radius, which is one of the two bones in the forearm.

Often, the cause of a sprain is a sudden twist, impact, or movement that overstretches or pushes the wrist in a direction that it does not typically go. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons , outdoor activities and sports are common causes of injuries to the wrists. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons , some other symptoms of a sprained wrist can include:. These symptoms are similar to those of other, and sometimes more severe, injuries that require medical attention.

When a person visits their doctor for wrist pain or a suspected sprain or break, the doctor will likely ask questions to learn more about what happened to cause the pain. According to one article , a doctor may be able to diagnose the issue with an examination. However, if they cannot tell whether the person has broken or sprained their wrist, they will likely order an imaging test, such as an X-ray. They may also order other imaging tests if they need more information about the injury.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons , a person does not typically need to undergo surgery for a wrist sprain. Often, treatment can consist of applying ice, resting, and taking over-the-counter pain relief medications. A person should also wear a splint to help immobilize the joint. The doctor will likely need to reassess the wrist and recommend additional therapies, such as surgery.

Surgery is more likely when a person has sustained a complete ligament tear. This injury can sometimes destabilize the wrist.

Payments are processed using PCI Compliant service providers. Skip to content A wrist sprain recovery time is almost always dependent on the severity of the trauma to the wrist and the correct type of rehabilitation applied. Erector Spinae injury — treatment for torn back muscles. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. When should you call for help?

Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Your Care Instructions Your wrist hurts because you have stretched or torn ligaments, which connect the bones in your wrist. How can you care for yourself at home? Prop up your arm on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down for the next 3 days.

Try to keep your wrist above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling. MRI scan and CT scan aided by an arthrogram, a special dye that can be injected into the wrist joint to assess ligament tears, can be used to obtain accurate pictures of the wrist and ligaments.

X-ray imaging will show bone fractures and wrist bones alignment. Although x-ray will not show the ligaments, it can be used to rule out other diagnoses. After evaluating the hand and reviewing symptoms, the doctor will determine if the patients can continue treatment in an urgent care facility or be referred to a hand surgeon or specialist for further treatment. In order to treat a wrist sprain correctly, the doctor must determine the grade or severity of the sprain. For mild wrist sprain involving a stretched ligament, non-surgical treatment can be administered.

For severe wrist sprain involving a partial or a complete tear of the wrist ligament, an orthopedic surgeon will perform surgery on the wrist. A mild wrist sprain can be treated in urgent care facilities using home care treatments. Most home care treatment will aim to reduce symptoms of the injury until the ligament heals naturally.

RICE rest, ice, compression, and elevation treatment is recommended for mild sprains. Resting the wrist by reducing normal activity using the injured arm relieve pain. Icing and compressing the injured area will reduce swelling. A wrist splint or brace can be used to immobilize the wrist joint for up to two weeks. In the case of a severe wrist sprain with either a partial or complete ligament tear, it is important that the patient is referred to a specialist, particularly a hand and wrist surgeon.