Marked by swelling and a loss of mobility, a wrist sprain is a common and painful injury and the treatment and recovery period will depend on the severity of the sprain. The term sprain refers to a ligament that has either been stretched beyond its normal capacity, or even torn. Ligaments are the tissue that hold joints together. Luckily the majority of sprains can be treated at home. However, some sprains may require surgery.
RICE
Doctors, nurses and other health care professionals use the acronym "RICE" -- Rest, Ice, Compressive Bandage, Elevate -- to remember the steps for treating sprains, and this same acronym can be applied at home.
Rest: Avoid using your wrist until you no longer feel pain.
Ice: Place an ice pack directly on your wrist immediately after you have injured it, to avoid swelling. However, you don't need to continue to ice your wrist for an extended period of time after the initial injury.
Compressive bandages: Buy these at any pharmacy or department store in the first aid department. If you're not sure apply the bandage then choose an elastic or neoprene sleeve that you can slip easily over your wrist.
Elevate: Elevate your wrist to or above chest level to help reduce and prevent the swelling.
Professional treatment
Only try to treat mild sprains at home. If the sprain is severe, visit a doctor, as you may have a more serious injury such as a bone fracture. Your level of pain is an excellent gauge when it comes to figuring out how serious your sprain is. If the pain is mild, then you can treat it at home. However if your pain is severe or even moderate, be sure to visit a doctor.
The doctor will likely x-ray your wrist to ensure that it is not broken. He may also splint the injury.Your doctor may refer you to a hand surgeon for surgery if you have a torn ligament.
Surgery
A surgeon can sew or suture the ligament back together if it tears during a wrist sprain injury. Although traditional open surgery is still used, these days arthroscopic surgery -- done with smaller incisions and a small camera to help the surgeons' vision -- are becoming more common.
Recurring sprains
If you sprain your wrist often, your doctor may suggest reconstructive wrist surgery. These surgeries involve grafting tissue from tendons (tissue that connects muscle to bone) into the injured ligament.
Following this type of surgery your wrist will be immobilized by a cast, and when the cast is removed you'll probably require physical therapy.
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