The human body is a wondrous thing, capable of doing so many things, from walking to running to lifting things to playing sports. Having all these moving parts though, can mean that it’s also easy to have pain in one of those body parts. This can be due to just garden-variety overuse or it can be due to an injury from a fall or even just from sleeping wrong on it.
While it’s always good to see a medical professional to determine exactly what the problem is and then possibly a physical therapist afterwards, here are some things that you can do to help manage your pain before making those appointments.
Foot And Ankle Pain
Sometimes some people are prone to foot or ankle injuries. Whether it’s from a twisted ankle or something else, the best thing to do is to initially stay off the foot. Lay down and prop up your feet to elevate them. Do you see possible swelling in the area of the injury? Put ice on it for 20 minutes at a time. You can put a compression bandage on it to both add stability and minimize any swelling. It’s also a good idea to take topical pain relievers.
Sometimes the pain will go away on its own, especially if you follow the above directions and you will be able to regain mobility in a day or two. If it lingers or you find that it is getting worse, then you should go see a doctor to make sure that it is not something more serious.
Back Pain
Millions of people all around the world have back pain that can range from mild stiffness to being bedridden with nearly no ability to stand for more than a few seconds. When you feel that muscle tug after lifting something or even just standing up, do not try to gut your way through it. Lay down. Rest. Take some over-the-counter medication. If it feels tight, put a heating pad on it to loosen the muscles. When you are better, you can do things like stretching your hamstrings – since tight hamstrings can pull on your lower back.
If the pain does not go away after resting or if you feel numbness in your lower body, see a doctor. If you have trouble with your bowels, see a doctor. Otherwise, you should be able to recover pretty quickly.
Elbow Pain
Having an elbow that hurts is really aggravating. It’s a part of our body that is almost always in motion. We use it when we do everything from eating to lifting things to writing. When that range of motion gets compromised, you notice how much you use your elbow. That’s why it’s important to take care of it.
Do a lot of the similar things for the other body parts. Rest it. Keep it protected. Put a compression bandage on it. Ice the sore area. Elevate your arm. If you see any deformity or a bone sticking out, see a doctor immediately. Also, if there is a lot of swelling and if you can’t turn your palm up and down, see a doctor. If the pain persists after resting, see the doctor.
Hip Pain
When it comes to this, there are several reasons that it can happen and it can be from different parts of the body – ranging from your spine to your knees. Your hips absorb a lot over the course of a lifetime, so it makes more sense that older people tend to have hip pain – it can range from just being overused to arthritis. There may even be fractures.
The best way to deal with this is to rest as much as possible. Stay off your feet and don’t put pressure on the hips. Apply cold packs to your hips for 15 minutes at a time. Do low impact exercise like swimming. It can also help to shed some pounds. Extra weight can put a lot of pressure on your hips.
Knee Pain
It can happen a variety of ways. You can hyperextend your knee when running or even standing up. There can be pain from arthritis as you bend your leg. It’s a pivotal part of your leg and it does so much whether you are sitting or standing at a given time. If there is a problem with it, you notice it… often.
Rest the knee. Keep your leg elevated. Put ice on the knee.. Take pain relievers. Knee braces can give a lot of stability around the area and make walking around and bending down or standing back up much easier. If there is continuous swelling or if the pain does not go away, see a doctor as soon as possible. Weight can play a part, so shedding some pounds can help.
Neck Pain
People get neck pain for many different reasons. They can sleep in a bad position or have a pillow that is either too flat or too big. A pet, like a cat or a dog, may like to sleep on top of their head while they sleep. Car accidents can result in neck whiplash. Whatever the case, the results can range from a constant mild twinge to being almost completely unable to turn one’s head in one direction or another for several days.
If the pain is not too severe and there is not weakness in your arm or leg and it doesn’t last for more than three weeks, you can put ice on the area and then follow it with a heating pad. Gently stretch your neck. See a doctor if you have the above symptoms or if you develop a fever. Good posture can help ward this off.
Shoulder Pain
Our shoulders also play a big part – they help with everything from shrugging to raising our arms. When something happens, we feel it and it can result in things like broken sleep. Like most of the other conditions, rest. Take anti-inflammatories or pain relievers. Use both a cold compress and heat therapy. There are muscle relaxants that can also make life much easier.
Wrist / Hand Pain
This usually can be traced, barring an accident, to carpal tunnel syndrome. Many people use improper form when doing things like typing. Most of the time people feel weakness in the hand or there can be shooting pains in the hands. Hand braces can help along with exercises and stretches. Rest may be necessary, first.
While all of these situations can range from making one’s life mildly inconvenient to being downright difficult, the vast majority of the time, either rest or keeping the affected area immobile and doing things like applying ice can drastically shorten the amount of time you are out of action.
Basically, it boils down to knowing your own body and how fast it usually heals. Do not ignore signs, though, that things have progressed to a worse stage before you might wind up needing more extensive medical care than just a doctor’s appointment. If there’s no improvement in a day or two or if you feel a fever or nausea, get medical attention. Otherwise you risk not being on your feet for a much longer time.
Whatever the situation, the staff at Empire Physical Medicine and Pain Management can help you get stronger and manage your pain. Dr. Steven Moalemi has extensive experience in diagnosing and prescribing therapy for all kinds of injuries. Come to either the Midtown Manhattan or Wall Street location. You can call them at 646-665-7109 to make an appointment.
Published By:
Empire Physical Medicine & Pain Management
7 W 45th St floor 9,
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (646) 665-7109
Website: https://manhattanpainrelief.com
