Stumbled over a rough bit of pavement yesterday and twisted my foot a little. Didn't hurt at the time and was more relieved that I didn't come tumbling to the ground than anything else. Could walk on it with no pain or issues.
About three hours later the whole foot became excruciatingly painful and couldn't bear weight, and I started running a fever. Paracetamol controlled the pain and the fever and I was able to limp to the hotel about an hour later.
It's now the next day and it's somewhat swollen and painful but will bear weight. Slight evidence of bruising on the top. Walking is OK, flexing toes upward really hurts.
I've always subscribed to the "if you think it's broken it's probably not" view of medicine but there seems to be a lot of stuff on Google about serious complications from foot sprains that are untreated. In terms of basic treatment it's had none of RICE because I'm in a poxy hotel in Sweden and they don't have an ice machine.
Are you likely to die?
Do you have proper travel insurance? The hotel manual should have a medical number
poxy hotel in Sweden
Run the taps long enough and the water will surely run cold.
Treat it, and rest it. They can hurt a while.
I have no idea whether you should go to A&E or not, but you would be better with ibuprofen than paracetamol as it will bring the swelling down.
MTFU
I have no idea whether you should go to A&E or not, but you would be better with ibuprofen than paracetamol as it will bring the swelling down.
It's a sprain, he did it yesterday, he's mobile does that sound like it needs an A&E? Paracetamol is anti inflammatory and a pain killer, Ibuprofen can hinder tendon and bone healing.
I'm back in the UK in four hours so it'll be a local hospital. No, I'm not going to die but last time I checked A&E is not just for the dying... It's more the fact that flexing my toes is incredibly painful because I want to know why.
@gofasterstripes First thing I tried, still comes out lukewarm. 🙁
No, I'm not going to die but last time I checked A&E is not just for the dying...
It's not for 24 old Injuires that aren't causing you issues other than a bit discomfort.
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Good luck flappy, I turned one of mine over so hard I have never been able to spread my toes since!
This isn't a churlish question for the sake of it, just I'm not familiar with the answer; Do most hospitals have a minor injuries unit, or are they found at GP surgeries?
They can be attached to a hospital or separate altogether I'm not aware of any being linked to GPs.
No wonder A&E is screwed.
Yup.
For future reference, just checked to find a local minor injuries unit.
It actually called an "Urgent Care Service".
That's very confusing! Urgent care sounds like A&E to me.
Drac, there isn't a mino injuries clinic anywhere near me...
They really should rename A&E.
He's had an Accident. That's the A part. Yet every time on these threads Drac you get all indignant and say "unless you're going to die in 20 minutes then it's not appropriate".
I don't wholly disagree, but why don't we rename them Emergency Rooms (for example), they're clearly not where you go when you've had an Accident, unless that Accident is also an Emergency, in which case the Accident part is redundant.
Flaperon - Where are you? What do you consider near?
No wonder A&E is screwed.
My local A&E isn't screwed.
Ours is but I think it's unique.Drac - Moderator
They can be attached to a hospital or separate altogether I'm not aware of any being linked to GPs.
OP - You want to get yourself seen by an ENT consultant.
Maybe you have balance issues?
Isn't this like the second time that you've fallen over in the street and injured yourself in a few months.
I CBA searching for the previous thread but seem to remember you were legging it from Romainan gangsters outside Tesco or summink?
Paracetamol is anti inflammatory and a pain killer, Ibuprofen can hinder tendon and bone healing.
Interesting you should say that because I recently had [url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Quervain_syndrome ]De Quervain Syndrome[/url] and the doctor recommended I took maximum allowed dosage of ibuprofen (four standard tablets, four times a day - ie, 16 each day - IIRC) and it worked.
Paracetamol [url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracetamol ]isn't a particularly good ant-inflammatory[/url] drug.
Whereas [url= http://www.drugs.com/ibuprofen.html ]ibuprofen[/url] is.
Edit: However it seems you shouldn't take ibuprofen[url= http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Sprains/Pages/Treatment.aspx ] for the first 48 hours [/url]for reasons Drac mentioned above.
Sounds worse than my silly accident from last night, I managed to semi-sprain my ankle while leaving the table to re-fill my glass of Pepsi Max, part way through a meal at the local Harvester pub!
By the time I can ride my bike again, I will have forgotten the concept of riding, at this rate! 😆
They really should rename A&E.
I don't know about anywhere else in the country but in London they're trying to rename them as Emergency Departments rather than A&E. Not sure how much of a difference it'll make though. The thing we have in London is that there's walk-in centres and minor injury units and loads of people don't realise that they're basically the same thing.
I don't know about anywhere else in the country but in London they're trying to rename them as Emergency Departments rather than A&E.
Pretty much country wide to try and get the message over to people.
Ours is but I think it's unique.
There probably is the odd I'd have thought.
My local A&E isn't screwed.
Sounds like it's unique.
Paracetamol isn't a particularly good ant-inflammatory drug.Whereas ibuprofen is.
Edit: However it seems you shouldn't take ibuprofen for the first 48 hours for reasons Drac mentioned above.
It's almost if I do it for a living.
ED is what most people write on specimen forms in my hospital.
Going after 24hrs + on a foot you can walk on & from your description is better than it was is a bit cheeky imo. But you obviously have every right to go to your local Emergency Dept at the moment. Give it 5 years of ever increasing pressures, costs & cuts & it might be a different story. Get your pennies worth while you can & sod the actual emergency patients
It's almost if I do it for a living.
It is almost. Shame you claimed paracetamol is an anti-inflammatory though...
It is almost. Shame you claimed paracetamol is an anti-inflammatory though...
It is but not great as your frantic googling has shown.
Quick question - I twisted / sprain my ankle on a ride last night. Rested overnight and this morning it is only a little swollen but hurts to walk on.
I will be resting it today but should I strap it up to support it when I walk?
With one fused ankle and one sprained ankle, walking is becoming a challenge. How do you limp on both legs? 🙁
How do you limp on both legs?
One crutch at a time?
It is but not great as your frantic googling has shown.
I Googled to confirm my understanding of one of the key differences between the two drugs based on my experience of being prescribed ibuprofen for a similar kind of injury. Nothing wrong in doing that.
In fact I was at the doctors with one of my daughters last week and the doctor wasn't sure what the correct dosage of a particular drug was so she checked online. I'd rather a professional did that rather than rely on what they [i]think[/i] they know.
In fact I was at the doctors with one of my daughters last week and the doctor wasn't sure what the correct dosage of a particular drug was so she checked online. I'd rather a professional did that rather than rely on what they think they know.
Did they ask in the bike or chat forum?
Drac - Moderator"My local A&E isn't screwed"
Sounds like it's unique.
I doubt it. My local A&E at Croydon University Hospital is functioning surprisingly well, but so is the next nearest A&E at St George's Hospital. I also know that the third nearest A&E at the East Surrey Hospital is also functioning and up to the job - they saved my sister's life just over a year ago.
The system doesn't not appeared to be screwed, f*ck*d, or broken. Despite the enormous strains put on it and the constant criticism from some quarters.
In fact I was at the doctors with one of my daughters last week and the doctor wasn't sure what the correct dosage of a particular drug was so she checked online. I'd rather a professional did that rather than rely on what they think they know.
Was it Wikipedia?
The system doesn't not appeared to be screwed,
Depends on who you ask
A) someone who benefits from it not appearing to be screwed with access to spin/media
B) someone who works within the system
Was it Wikipedia?
What do you think? Being a professional and all that.
Shall we Google?
What do you think? Being a professional and all that.
I'd use a BNF, NICE or my pocket book.
My 2 cents.
Go to AE, you may have seriously damaged ligaments even broken a bone. Do you think a professional sportsmen would take ibuprofen and mtfu ? I say AE as your GP will be worthless, my mother was just asked to wait 12 days for a follow up appointment after an emergency hospital admission
Go to AE, you may have seriously damaged ligaments even broken a bone. Do you think a professional sportsmen would take ibuprofen and mtfu ? I say AE as your GP will be worthless
What's the emergency?
I'd use a BNF, NICE or my pocket book.
I assume our doctor did something similar online.
Drac - ModeratorShall we Google?
Quote from the link :
[i]The hospital, which handles more than 1,500 emergency patients each week, said it had taken the measures to ensure the safety of those already receiving care in its department.
However it said it had not been forced to cancel any operations.
By declaring a major incident, hospital bosses are able to bring in extra staff - allowing them to open extra beds to cope with the demand.[/i]
Thank you for your googling skills and making my point Drac. As I said.....the system doesn't appear to be screwed, f*ck*d, or broken. Despite the enormous strains put on it and the constant criticism from some quarters.
What's the emergency?
Therein lies the problem. Members of the general public are not really the best placed to be able to self-diagnose what might be an emergency or not. I am sure any right-minded A&E doctor would rather see someone and say 'no, it's just a sprain, take some [insert name of correct drug here] and rest up'. than see someone who left an injury for two weeks without wanting to waste their time, then having to re-break an already fused bone and set it correctly, knowing they must have been in lots of discomfort for that time, worried about wasting someone's time.
Therein lies the problem. Members of the general public are not really the best placed to be able to self-diagnose what might be an emergency or not
Then go to a Minor Injuries Unit.
Then go to a Minor Injuries Unit.
See
Therein lies the problem. Members of the general public are not really the best placed to be able to self-diagnose
