Should I Visit A Doctor For A Sports Injury?

By Author: Monica Quinn
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Sports people are used to dealing with discomfort. Is your elbow a bit uncomfortable from your foul shot? You'll be sure to ice it after the game. Is your back feeling tight throughout your golf swing? A soak in the hot tub after your match will help to loosen things up. However, what happens if the discomfort persists after a few days and looks to be worsening? You might have a sports injury that requires care and competent medical guidance.

Even mild sports or overuse injuries are best addressed by a pain medicine specialist. It's a good idea to consult with a sports medicine specialist or physician to determine the source of your discomfort and how to effectively treat it. However, if you have any of the following symptoms, you should seek emergency medical attention immediately:
- Shortness of breath;
- Fever;
- Broken bones or stress fractures;
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities.

How do you determine when you should visit a pain doctor for minor injuries? One clear symptom is that you are still experiencing pain even ...
... after resting and icing your injury. The injury is divided into acute and overuse types. An acute injury results from a fall or collision. Common signs of an acute injury include difficulties performing weight-bearing tasks, pain and swelling in the afflicted region, and weakness or instability.

Overuse injuries occur when you perform the same activity repeatedly, affecting your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. For example, jumper's knee is a frequent overuse condition that affects athletes who must constantly leap and land in their activity.

What Can a Physical Therapist Do to Treat Sports Injuries?
Physical therapy is a valuable resource for recuperating from a sports injury. Your physical therapist is a specialist in orthopedic sports medicine who understands how to treat your problem. During your PT sessions, you'll learn stretches and strategies for avoiding future injuries. You will also rehabilitate your injuries so that you may resume athletics without discomfort.

A pain doctor can collaborate with a physical therapist to help your sports injury recover rapidly. Using pain pharmaceutical treatments in conjunction with physical therapy allows you to return to the field fast. Sports injury clinics clinics provide a variety of pain medication treatments, including:

- Steroid injections
This method of pain therapy employs corticosteroids, which are potent anti-inflammatory medications. Your knee pain doctor finds the precise place for the injection and administers a local anesthetic to numb it. Next, the corticosteroid is delivered. This technique requires very no downtime, and you will get pain relief nearly immediately;

- Nerve blocks
A nerve block prevents pain impulses from reaching your brain and recording discomfort. Deactivating the nerves relieves your discomfort for weeks, if not months;

- Lubricant or hyaluronic acid injections
If you have osteoarthritis-related knee discomfort, a lubricant injection can help. During this surgery, your knee pain expert will inject hyaluronic acid into your knee joint. Hyaluronic acid is the fundamental component of joint fluid, and it declines as we age. Restoring this fluid allows your knee to move more smoothly, increasing your range of motion.

How Do I Treat Overuse Injuries At Home?
The RICE approach is one of the most effective treatments for overuse injuries. RICE means "rest, ice, compress, and elevate." After your training or game, take a few days to rest in the affected region. Avoid strenuous movements or activities that may worsen the injury. Ice the region for 20 minutes at a time, then alternate with a heating pad if it feels comfortable.

Compress the wounded region with a bandage or brace to provide support and reduce swelling. Elevate the wounded region with cushions or a chair whenever feasible to improve blood flow and healing. You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers.

Greetings, my name is Monica. I graduated from New York Medical College and work as a nurse in Queens Hospital at the moment. The thing I love the most is morning jogging, because it is a wonderful way to keep myself in tonus. I like to communicate with people who care about their health. I became a vegetarian five years ago. Now my daily menu consists mainly of vegetables, fruits and different cheeses. I am a member of water polo team and I love gardening. I like to see how huge flowers grow out of the tiny petal, it dazzles me because I love spending my time outdoors. My goal is to visit all the USA parks, and then all over the world)