Natural Healthcare: Rice, An Effective Ankle Sprain Remedy

Life is too short, and moves at too fast a pace, to be sidelined for very long with an ankle sprain leaving us wonder what the most effective ankle sprain remedy could be. We denizens of the modern era take a lot of pride in our ability to do more than we have ever done on a daily basis, with fitness and active living being hallmarks of our modern lifestyles. As such, it sometimes becomes a bit daunting or problematic when this functionality is taken away. Why, some of us might not even truly appreciate how well our bodies actually work until an injury or other problem gets in the way of the body’s commonly-taken-for-granted smooth day-to-day functions.

For example, we never really have cause to stop and analyze the surprisingly complex inner workings of our ankles, despite how much they do. We only really pay attention to the many working parts of this sophisticated mechanism once something has gotten in the way, but there are truly a lot of things to discover if we took a closer look. The ankle is one of many joints in our body. Joints employ a complex yet intuitive system of interacting parts: bones meet at the joint, where layers of cartilage prevent the ends of the bones from causing friction. Tendons and ligaments link the bones to the muscles that run alongside them, whose contraction and expansion moves the bones and the associated limbs or extremities.

All seemingly very simple, and yet astounding when one takes into account where the ankle is actually located: at the bottom of the body, the last line of support between the entire body’s weight and the feet that it rests on. Not only when standing, for that matter: the ankle carries and transfers this weight when one walks, or jumps, or runs. All of this, of course, gets compromised when the ankle sustains an injury like a sprain.

The RICE Method – An Ankle Sprain Remedy Must!

The RICE method for ankle sprain follows the usual logic for treating joint problems and combines multiple natural remedies for sprained ankle.

• Rest – It’s perfectly logical that a sprained ankle be given time off to heal. Keeping it from being used allows the internally damaged portion some time to knit itself back together, while it would be unable to do so if it were still in use. This can be tricky sometimes because we don’t always have the option to completely cut movement out of our daily routines, but it will help to reduce our activity any way we can.
• Ice – putting the sprained ankle on ice, so to speak, allows the cold to work its magic in two ways. First, the cold reduces the swelling as it allows the injured portions to contract instead of expand. Second, the cold numbs the affected nerves, allowing the pain to subside a bit. Don’t keep the joint constantly on ice, but make it a regular portion of the day.
• Compression – keeping the sprained ankle wrapped with reasonable tightness that doesn’t cause further pain is a good move. For one, it will keep swelling down; additionally, the layer of wrapping will keep the sprained ankle from getting banged up even more with ordinary movement.
• Elevation – this has to do with reducing or slowing blood flow, which will help keep the sprained ankle from throbbing and getting more painful. It may also reduce the swelling somewhat. Combine elevation with rest for best results.

One may also seek medication with the aid of a doctor, who may prescribe painkillers and other NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Be careful to avoid self-medication, as these drugs can have adverse side effects that may vary from person to person – some cause headaches, while others may cause bleeding or even hamper the recovery process.

Other Tried and Tested Ankle Sprain Home Remedies

Another option is the tried-and-true home remedy. There are many home remedies for sprained ankles, just as there are for other injuries.

• Turmeric is a popular home remedy and pain reliever because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It works for other joint sprains too because of this. One way to use turmeric is by making a paste: mix one tablespoon of lime juice, two tablespoons of turmeric powder and a it of warm water to make a thick paste. This will be applied to the sprained ankle before wrapping it with a bandage. The bandage can be left on for 10 hours.
• Another turmeric application is as a drink: mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder with a glass of warm milk, and drink twice daily for one week.
• Garlic is another plant with good anti-inflammatory qualities. Thanks to these qualities, it’s good for reducing pain as well. Garlic can be mixed in with almond oil or warm coconut oil to form a salve that can be gently rubbed into the sprained ankle three or four times daily.
• Epsom salts are popular remedies for most sprains thanks to the way the magnesium sulfate crystals calm the nerves and soothe the pain. Dissolve one cup of Epsom salts in warm bathwater, and soak the sprained ankle for at least thirty minutes. This can be done twice daily for up to four days.

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