Some people just cannot seem to catch a break in life. Others do catch a break...but not in a good way. When you take a tumble or a bad step it is easy to strain, sprain or just plain break something. How to fix what went wrong depends on determining exactly what the injury is. Strains and sprains may require localized immobilization and, depending on their severity, physical therapy. For very severe muscle injuries, surgery may be the best course of treatment to follow. Things can only bend so much before they break, and a medical exam and an X-ray imaging test will reveal if your bone is broken and what type of break it is.
Pain levels vary from sprains to breaks, and both will take you out of the game for varying lengths of time. Almost all sprains hurt, and some take even longer than a broken bone to heal. A sprain is what happens when the ligaments, or fibrous tissue, connecting bones at a joint pulls or tears. Breaks and fractures can occur when a bone is hit with more force than it can bear. When the irresistible force meets the immovable object the result can be "Ouch!"
You do not have to strain your brain to understand what a sprain is. Strains and sprains can be mild, moderate, or severe. Tendons,ligaments,and muscles may be completely or partially torn. If it happens that a tendon is completely torn, the affected body part usually cannot move. If only a portion of the tendon is torn, movement is unaffected. However, the tendon may continue to tear and may later tear completely, especially if people put considerable pressure on the affected part.
Glass rarely breaks in only one piece and in many cases this is also true of bones. A fracture may also cause damage to the tissues and ligaments around it. Any injury that breaks a bone could also seriously damage other tissues, including the skin, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and organs. Injuries of this type may complicate treatment of the fracture and/or cause temporary or permanent problems.
Until you can see your doctor basic first aid for sprains consists of a system known as RICE. This term stands for four steps:
R est
I ce for forty-eight hours
C ompression, such as wrapping the injured area with an elastic bandage
E levation, or raising the sprained area above the heart
Over-the-counter pain medication, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, can be taken to relieve pain. Children should avoid aspirin as it can cause Reye's syndrome.
Ocala Family Medical Center
Phone: 352-237-4133
Fax: 352-873-4581
Of all the things that might get "on our nerves", pain is the one we need the least. When we experience numbness and tingling into our feet and/or hands, a burning sensation into either or both extremities, a loss of sensation in these areas and weakness in our arms or legs we might be diagnosed with neuropathy. This condition can effect the peripheral nervous system and lead to difficulty with or loss of balance amongst other symptoms.An accurate diagnosis is essential in developing a treatment plan that will reduce the symptoms and return you back to an active lifestyle. Neuropathy can have a wide variety of causes; the most common are certain vitamin deficiencies, diabetic-related complications (Diabetic Neuropathy), or a side effect of exposure to certain chemical toxins (Chemotherapy Neuropathy). No matter how you acquired neuropathy, the symptoms are due largely to damage to the motor (muscle strength) and/or sensory component of the affected nerves.
MicroVas therapy stimulates nerves, muscles and all 3 branches of circulation (arterial, venous & lymphatic). Quite unlike other forms of electrical stimulation which penetrate only a fraction of an inch and have both positive and negative electrodes on the same surface, MicroVas therapy treatments pass completely through the limb or body area under treatment. MicroVas stimulates blood flow in these regions to remove toxins, speed healing, and restore balance and proper function. This increased capillary blood flow raises the oxygen level in the tissues in order to promote healing.
This therapy can lead to new growth. The MicroVas System also stimulates angiogenesis, that is, budding of new capillaries and generation of denser capillary networks in the tissues. This lays the groundwork for new tissue growth and repair in the healing process. MicroVas has a potent effect on the microcirculation: transcutaneous oxygen probes have demonstrated marked increases in tissue oxygen levels within minutes of initiating treatment. Tissue oxygen levels with successive treatments continue to improve. The patient essentially just sits and relaxes while the unit is attached to the patient’s leg and gradually increased in intensity to their level of tolerance. The pads that emit the current are placed opposite each other (top and bottom of foot, left and right side of calf, etc.) so the current passes completely through the tissue, not just to a certain depth. Most patients only feel a tingling sensation during the treatment. Micro-Vas therapy is completely non-invasive and has been shown to be a useful way to treat both diabetic and non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Phone: 352-237-4133
Fax: 352-873-4581
