Musculoskeletal Injuries 101

Injury is inevitable when you push yourself to new limits or at those times when mistakes occur.  This post focuses on minor to moderate acute musculoskeletal injury and some simple measures you can take to repair quickly.  

(That means that I’m not talking here about micro-injuries that occur when muscles are stretched and need to reform, organ injuries from chronic illness or traumatic injuries, mental injuries when pressure exceeds built up confidence, and major acute injuries such as major car accidents or surgeries.  All these topics reach far outside the ballpark we are in with this blog post.)

After you suffer a minor or moderate musculoskeletal injury, first of all, use ICE.  I for ice, C for compression, E for elevation.  Do this for the first 36 hours.  Thereafter, use contrast hydrotherapy: alternately soak the body part in very hot water (3 minutes) then very cold water (30 seconds) 3 times, and do this 3 times a day until healing occurs.  Always start with hot water and end with cold water.  This alone can cut healing time in half. 

Next, eat well. I mean really well: 
1. Load up on antioxidants, like Vit C rich foods (fresh oranges and grapefruits along with the juice made from them, organic strawberries, red peppers, and cooked broccoli), Vit A rich foods (tuna, sardines, herring, carrots, cantelope, broccoli, red peppers, squash, and tomatos), Vit E rich foods (whole grains and nuts and green leafy vegetables), Vit B6 rich foods (whole grains, some fortified grains, potatoes with the skin, legumes, bananas, egg yolk) and omega-3 rich foods (salmon, flax seed oil, walnuts). 
2. Eat high quality protein frequently, such as fish, cage-free eggs, and organic, grass-fed meat. 
3. Eat your calcium (milk and cheese if you tolerate dairy, bok choy, kale, broccoli, fortified fruit juice). 
4. Eat your iron (beef, bison, oysters, black-strap molasses, firm tofu). 
5. Eat your copper (oysters, clams, nuts and seeds, lentils). 
6. Eat your manganese (caffeinated or decaffeinated black tea, blueberries, mussels, and clams). 
Note: There are dangers to taking some of these nutrients in supplement form.  For specific nutrient advice, please call the office to schedule a visit with me.

Lastly, use homeopathic products. 
1. Topical use: Traumeel and Topricin topical gels and creams are two great products. 
2. Internal use: Choose from one of the homeopathic remedies listed below.  Boiron is sold in many stores.  Taking the 30C strength as prescribed (in fine print) on the label will speed healing, decrease pain, and reduce additional damage that inflammation can cause. 
Arnica is really good for bruises and blows where swelling and red-blue-purple-black discoloration occurs.  If the injury has affected the mental/emotional level, the person doesn’t want company and wants to appear to be strong and not hurt.  They feel bruised, sore, and beaten.  Touch and movement hurts.  Things they sit on (like the bed or chairs) feel hard.
Bryonia is a remedy specific to joint injuries where any movement, even the slightest, is agonizing.  The pain is intense.  Applied pressure is too much.  The injured person is not friendly but instead is irritable and only can think about work and business. 
Rhus-tox is a remedy that’s called the rusty-gate remedy.  The condition is often caused by a strain or overexertion.  The pain is arthritis-like with stiffness and aching, especially on first movement or over-exertion.  The injured person is restless, and changing positions seems to help alleviate discomfort.
Ruta is a remedy for the reinjury of past injuries or chronic injuries like tendonitis.  There is a horrible stiffness and the part feels weak.  Cold, wet weather makes the symptoms worse.
Hypericum is a remedy for the injury of nerves and nerve-rich areas, such as the spine, fingers, toes, head, and teeth.  The pains are sharp and shooting.
Note: Homeopathic remedies are highly specific.  If you try a few remedies and they don’t seem to help, you need a more specific remedy.  For specific homeopathic advice, please call the office to schedule a visit with me.  Also, if you’re under constitutional homeopathic treatment, consult with your homeopathic doctor before using acute homeopathic remedies.

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