Ankle Sprain

An ankle sprain is when the ligaments holding the ankle bones together go through a tear due to an excessive stretching or twisting of the foot. The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are most commonly affected. Sprains may be mild or severe depending on the intensity and number of tears.

Symptoms

Ankle sprains are characterized by acute pain in the ankle area followed by redness, soreness, swelling and bruising. If the sprain is severe, there may be tremendous pain and presence of dark bruising in the foot.

Natural Treatment

When ankle sprains occur, you should not put any weight on the injured ankle. Applying ice packs on the sprained area helps to reduce swelling to a great extent. You can also use essential oils like peppermint and camphor to very gently massage the sprain area. These oils have a cooling and calming effect on your sore ankle and also help to reduce the swelling and inflammation.

After gently rubbing essential oils into the area and applying ice packs for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, wrap a bandage around the injured ankle for support and to speed up the rate of healing. When the ankle sprain is serious, you may need surgical intervention to repair the torn and damaged ligaments. However, such serious sprains are usually only seen in sports injuries. Soak in Epsom Salt Epsom salt, isn't a salt. It's made up of minerals such as magnesium, which when dissolved in warm water, gets absorbed into the skin and replenishes the lost mineral in your body. As a pain reliever, Epsom salt will ease the pain and relieve inflammation. Pour a cup of salt into a basin of warm water and soak until the water turns cold. You can also make a compress and wrap the sprain with a cloth that has been soaked in an Epsom-salt water. Wrap it In Ice then Elevate When your ankle is sprained, the affected area will get inflamed. Ligaments are torn and bruised and the blood rushes to the area to help it heal. Put an ice pack on it immediately to help diminish injury. The ice slows down the blood flow to the injury and will keep the swelling down. But move the ice pack around: it should not stay in one place. And don't let it stay for more than 15 to 20 minutes. Switch it up, twenty minutes on, twenty minutes on. When icing the injury keep it elevated above heart level. Drink Tea If you don't want to take any over the counter medications, drink an herbal tea, such as green teas, chamomile, which are fantastic at reducing inflammation.

If you have a sprained ankle, you should make immediate changes in your footwear. Padded shoes are extremely comfortable in this situation. They should give your feet good support and balance. Exercise your feet and ankles to keep them supple and strong, as well as to speed up healing.