How do I know if my foot injury is serious?

You should make a doctor’s appointment after a foot injury if:

1. you feel pain in your foot for most of the day and it’s been a few weeks since your injury.
2. you have swelling that isn’t getting better two to five days after your injury.
3. you feel tingling, numbness, or burning pain—especially in the bottom of your foot.

How long does swelling last after foot injury?

What to Expect: Pain and swelling most often get better 2 to 3 days after an injury. Swelling is most often gone in 7 days. Pain may take 2 weeks to go away.

How do I reduce swelling in my foot after injury?

Treatment

1. Rest: Stay off the foot or ankle.
2. Ice: Apply an ice pack to the injured area, placing a thin towel between the ice and the skin.
3. Compression: An elastic wrap should be used to control swelling.
4. Elevation: The foot or ankle should be raised slightly above the level of your heart to reduce swelling.

How long should swelling last after an injury?

If your swelling is chronic, or lasts longer than 2-3 weeks, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will be able to recommend medication, exercise or therapy to resolve the swelling. Remember, swelling is the body’s reaction to an injury; if the swelling is still present, so is the injury.

How do you tell if your foot is broken or just bruised?

In general, a broken foot tends to be more painful than a sprained foot, and the pain lasts longer. Bruising, swelling, and tenderness are also more severe if your foot is broken. Another way to tell the difference between a broken foot and sprained foot is the sound the body makes when the injury occurs.

How do I know if my foot is sprained or fractured?

Is it a break?

1. Pain located directly on top of the bone – where there is no soft tissue.
2. Pain becomes worse when you apply pressure or move the injured limb.
3. Severe swelling, or bruising over the top of the bone, numbness or tingling.
4. A “cracking” (not “popping”) sound at the time of the injury.

Why is my foot still swollen after sprain?

But swelling that persists for more than three months may be a sign of trouble. The lining of the capsule surrounding a joint is called the synovium, and anything inside the joint that irritates the synovium will cause it to secrete fluid. Swelling inside of a joint is often a sign that something is causing irritation.

Should you wrap a swollen foot?

Compression, or wrapping the injured or sore area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap ), will help decrease swelling. Don’t wrap it too tightly, because this can cause more swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight.

Can you walk with a hairline fracture in the foot?

The worst choices for resumed activity while you recover from a foot or ankle stress fracture are running or even walking on hard surfaces. You can easily reopen your fracture and have to begin the recovery process again. During recovery, wear comfortable, supportive shoes without a raised heel.

Does ibuprofen reduce swelling in feet?

Swelling due to injury may require bone resetting, a cast, or surgery to repair the injured area. For swelling that’s painful, a doctor may prescribe a pain reliever or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen ( Advil ) or naproxen sodium (Aleve).

How do you make swelling go down fast?

Applying an ice-pack or cold compress to an injury is the fastest way to deal with immediate swelling. It helps reduce swelling by restricting blood flow to the area and slowing down cellular metabolism. Cold therapy systems and ice baths are other methods you can use to apply cold to the area.

Does walking help swollen ankles?

Simple changes to reduce or prevent swelling You can make small changes to your everyday life to help reduce swelling: Take a short walk every hour. Drink eight to 10 glasses of water daily. Drinking less actually promotes swelling.

Is swelling a sign of healing?

Swelling. Swelling is a sign that your immune system is repairing your wound. The blood vessels widen to ease blood flow and send oxygen, vitamins, and minerals to your injury.

How do you reduce swelling from injury?

Applying cold immediately after an injury helps reduce swelling by restricting blood flow to the area and slowing down cellular metabolism. You can use ice packs, cold therapy systems, ice baths, or cryotherapy chambers to deliver cold to the affected area.

Is swelling good or bad for healing?

Swelling isn’t good for us all the time. It initially helps by recruiting healing factors that accelerate how quickly cells migrate to the site of injury – but swelling is also bad because it destructs and distends the tissues, and distorts the anatomy.