posted
This post is a product of tentative typing, because I can only use some fingers without pain.
Last night I was helping break down the gymnastics equipment in my daughter's gym and was carrying a very heavy piece of spring floor. I had one end, another person had the other and we were carrying it flat like you're supposed to. A third person grabbed the side, trying to help and tilted the floor up - then the coach said No, it's better to carry it flat so she let go and I felt a bad pain in my wrist when I tried to balance the floor piece after she let go. I didn't think much of it though it hurt last night until this morning my wrist and hand were swollen and I couldn't remove my rings.
I think it's a strained ligament - whenever I either try to carry anything with weight in that hand, or when I rotate the wrist I get a sharp stabbing pain that goes from my little finger shooting up my forearm. I'm not a stranger to pain, nor am I a wimp, and yet this pain actually does make me whimper - it hurts very bad. It's my right hand too, and I had to take a final today and try to write with it which was hard.
I know, I know, if it's bad enough to post about see a doctor, but my mom is very sick, and she uses the same doctor I do and yet they took hours upon hours to see her and told her they were pretty much recommending everyone go to the ER if they're in bad shape. We have a huge outbreak of cold and flu and stomach viruses in this area - 500 kids absent from one elmentary school and my daughter's classroom yesterday had seven kids in it. I don't want to bother the doctor right now with a sore wrist, plus if I went to his waiting room I'd probably catch some nasty viral bug that I really don't need right now.
So, anyone had experience with this before? Besides the obvious (rest, ibuprofen) is there anything to do to speed healing? Would heat or cold be better at this point (18 hours orso after the incident)?
Any advice appreciated.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Rest, ibuprofen, not too much ice at this point, heat could help a little, don't move it too much, but don't let it stiffen excessively. Take care of yourself.
posted
You could get an over the counter wrist brace to help immobilize it like you would with a sprained ankle. It might help the pain in the short term.
posted
Maybe not your internist, but an orthopaedic specialist? Although I don't know how your insurance works, or what the waiting times are for those in your area.
Otherwise, the ER might be a better bet than the doctor's office, since they can do all that medical testing (like X-rays) at the ER.
But, yeah, if you have as much pain, swelling, and disability as you are reporting, you are in need of medical attention.
Sheesh! What is it with you guys! Call the ER, ask how busy they are. If they are out of control, call another ER, and ask them. But, you GO, girl!
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I might have overstated or not been clear - it doesn't hurt ALL the time. Well, it hurts a little all the time, but it's just mild soreness, like background noise.
I only get that sharp stabbing pain when I move it a certain way, or try to lift with it. Like right now, I can type and and it hurts a bit, but nothing disabling.
But I did try to cook some lunch, and when I went to put the pan in the oven, I dropped everything because my wrist wouldn't support the weight. The ibuprofen is kicking in though and it doesn't hurt as much as it did when I was trying to write earlier.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Oh, well, by all means, then. Don't even think about getting medical attention. Go play racquetball! Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I once had a fall - stepped too wide when I thought I was one step from a landing and it turned out I was two steps up. I landed with my foot underneath me. (Leg bent, sitting on foot, basically.) My foot and ankle hurt, so right away we went to the doctor's office instead of going home as we planned.
He said it was sprained, I got to go on crutches for a few days, end of story.
Several years later, in a job that required standing all day, I was having a lot of pain in that foot. I got the foot X-rayed and found out that there was a bone that had broken and healed improperly. I can't be 100% sure it resulted from that fall, but that's the only thing I can think of. To this day, it will give me problems if I stand too long.
So, my two mistakes were:
Not getting an accident report when I fell. I fell going down steps to a Chicago subway and the stairwell was dark. I couldn't see the landing.
Not getting an X-ray at the time of the accident. I might have had a chance of that bone healing properly if we knew that the bone was broken.
I say go to the doctor or ER.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Called doctor's office - he's way too busy to see me or talk to me on the phone. Nurse said elevate, take ibuprofen, rest. If it's still hurting Monday, call back and make an appt. If at any time I think the pain is worse or requires more treatment, go to the ER. Though she warned me they are all swamped.
She said, basically, use my judgment if I think it needs more attention, then go to the hospital. My judgment tells me not yet, but if it continues to be a problem, then I will.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
If the swelling is not severe and it doesn't turn blue in the next 24 hours or so, it's possible it's just a bad sprain. I think the nurse has the right idea.
If the pain is not helped by the ibuprofen, or it wears off, you can alternate with acetaminophen every 3 hours or so. (Keep taking the ibuprofen, though, because it's better for muscle swelling and inflammation.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
You can take up to four ibuprofen every four hours if you are careful to eat and/or drink milk so as not to hurt your stomach. Or so says my GYN.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Our floors aren't as fancy as those - we call it a spring floor but it doesn't have springs under it. It's plywood with foam bricks under it, so it has some give and spring, and a foam covering over the top. Those spring floors in that link are frightenly expensive.
My wrist is now immobilized in an over-the counter splint and feels much better.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Just make sure you take care of yourself. It is better to check it out now, than to self-treat and find years later that you did serious damage. Whatever the case, I will pray for a quick recovery and that it feels better very soon. Posts: 325 | Registered: Aug 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Belle: It's worse today. Tolerable when it's in the splint, but just.
I'm making an appt. for an xray on Monday.
Sorry it's worse. I'm glad that you're caving in and getting medical attention. Are you able to wait until Monday?
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Do you have point tenderness in the anatomical snuffbox? (picture at Wikipedia article) This would be exquisite tenderness (makes you jump) when you press on that spot.
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Edited to add: If you do have it and you tell your doctor, then I bet you'd be seen ASAP on Monday. It this bone breaks (the scaphoid), it needs to be addressed quickly, usually by a specialist.
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Edited again to add: You are most likely to break the scaphoid when catching yourself in a fall, but I've seen it broken by a young woman doing regular wear-and-tear type work in a pizza kitchen, just moving and lifting things jerkily at awkward angles as you describe. Less likely, but it should be ruled out.
( Well, I mean, bad because you have pain, but good because it isn't what i would worry most about. And you did actually press the bone at that point, just to be sure, yes? Right!
Let us know what happens, okay?)
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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Doctor still couldn't see me, when I called on Monday and I decided to give it one more day before going to the ER, and lo and behold after another day of rest and ibuprofen it was loads better on Tuesday. It's completely back to normal now, I was shooting baskets wtih my kids this afternoon (a family Christmas present was a basketball goal)
Again, thanks for asking. All is well now. I just got so busy with the holidays I forgot to update this.
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It's my right hand too, and I had to take a final today and try to write with it which was hard. 
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