Therapy | Sprained hand

Therapy

The therapy of a sprained hand mainly involves general measures that are useful for all sports injuries. The aim is to spare the hand and control the symptoms, which supports healing and alleviates the symptoms. The PECH-rule is of central importance here, which takes into account four strategies:Immediate relief of the wrist is an important measure.

Sport should be paused for some time, and even in everyday life it is recommended to take care of sprained hands. This should also avoid heavy carrying of loads. No less effective for a sprained hand is a prompt cooling with cool packs, ice or similar.

This has the effect of tightening the vessels, thus reducing the swelling with bruising. In addition, cold increases the excitation threshold for nerve fibers and thus helps to alleviate the pain somewhat. It is recommended to start cooling immediately after the sprain of the hand and to cool down every 2 hours for 20 minutes during the course of the treatment, especially on the first days.

Ice or cool packs are better than ice spray. In addition to resting and cooling, compression is another useful measure to help a sprained hand heal and relieve symptoms. The aim is to reduce the swelling and immobilize the affected joint.

An elastic bandage can be helpful in this context, which must be applied under tension without, however, preventing the blood supply. If the fingers turn blue or numb, the bandage should be loosened immediately. Raising the bandage above heart level has the least effect on sprains of the hand, but also contributes to faster healing.

Due to the force of gravity, the decongestant effect is somewhat accelerated. All these measures are all the more effective the earlier they are started. Especially for cooling and resting, the earlier the better.

In addition to the PECH-rule, the affected person can use other remedies and aids for sprained hands. Pain medication plays an important role. The classic drugs that can be used here are diclofenac, ibuprofen or paracetamol.

They should be taken as needed and only in the first few days without medical advice. Especially in the context of a sprained hand, ointments are popular that act locally and are not associated with the general side effects of oral pain medication. A popular remedy here is Voltaren, which also contains the active ingredient diclofenac. To stabilize the wrist, there are other types of splints and supports that can be used for long-term injuries. Once the sprain of the hand has been cured, it is important to ensure that the load is increased slowly.