{"id":7520,"date":"2019-06-14T08:05:50","date_gmt":"2019-06-14T08:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=7520"},"modified":"2021-04-13T20:44:00","modified_gmt":"2021-04-13T20:44:00","slug":"14-tips-to-treat-sprained-thumb-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-tips-to-treat-sprained-thumb-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Tips to Treat Sprained Thumb at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A sprained thumb is an injury <\/a>to the tissue or ligament of the bones that combine at the base of the thumb. There are more than 200,000 Americans who suffer from a sprained thumb each year.
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It is an injury that can be treated at home. It usually will heal within days to weeks. It just depends on how severe the sprain is. When you have a sprained thumb, you\u2019ll experience pain, numbness, and swelling. In order to treat the sprained thumb, there are things you need to do to get rid of the swelling and pain.
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There may be some bruising as well. Whatever the case may be, the sprained thumb needs to be taken care of immediately. By waiting too long to treat it, it can get worse and in order to get the relief, you\u2019ll have to go to a doctor who will give you pain medication. It is best to treat it at home first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Resting the thumb is one tip to treat a sprained thumb at home.
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Resting the thumb for the first 48 hours is important. It is important not to use the hand at all during this time. You may have to take off from work if your dominant thumb is injured. You won\u2019t be able to use it. If you try to use your hand, you\u2019ll experience pain and swelling<\/a>.
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By allowing your thumb to rest, some of the swellings can go down. If your dominant thumb is injured, you\u2019ll need to learn to use the other hand. It will be difficult, but it will allow your other thumb to rest. Once 48 hours are up, you can use other measures to relieve the pain and swelling.
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Resting is good for a sprained thumb, but you\u2019ll need to do other things at home to get it to heal quicker.
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2. Icing the thumb is another tip to treat a sprained thumb.
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Ice will reduce pain <\/a>and swelling. Apply the ice as soon as you notice that your thumb is a sprain. Apply the ice to the sprained thumb for 20 minutes at a time. It can be applied every hour.
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It is a good idea to not place the ice directly onto the skin because you could get frostbite. It is a good idea to have a clean cloth and place the cloth onto the sprained thumb. Put the ice on the cloth and let it stay there for 20 minutes. Keep the thumb as still as possible when icing.
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There is no need to keep moving the ice to see if the swelling has gone down. It will take a while before swelling will go away. When you finish icing, leave the thumb in a resting position since you want to limit the amount of movement.
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3. Compression is a tip to treat a sprained thumb.
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Compressing a sprained thumb will allow the swelling to go down much quicker. When you compress your thumb, you will wrap an elastic bandage around it. It shouldn\u2019t be wrapped too tightly because if you do it will cause pain and more swelling.
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After you compress the sprained thumb, let it rest. It is important after you treat your sprained thumb that it rests. The more it is allowed the rest, the quicker it will heal. Lightly touch the elastic bandage ever so often to see if it feels as if the swelling has gone down. It is a good idea to change the bandage often to wash the thumb and to prevent getting an infection<\/a>.
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If it gets infected, it will take longer to heal and only a doctor can treat it. You want to be able to heal it at home without going to the doctor.
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4. Elevating your sprained thumb is a tip to remember.
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Elevating your thumb above your heart <\/a>allows the swelling in the thumb to go away. While you\u2019re resting your hand, elevate it as well. It can rest on your shoulder or above your head so that your hand doesn\u2019t get tired out.
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It is a good idea to do this while you\u2019re lying down so that it is more comfortable for you. That\u2019s why it is a good idea to take some time off from work when you have a sprained thumb because it needs to be in a resting position. While working, you will more than likely use your hand where the injured thumb is.
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It\u2019ll take much longer for the swelling to go away when this happens. If you can try to use your other hand to do things around the home. It\u2019ll take you much longer, but it\u2019ll allow your sprained thumb to heal.
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5. Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is another tip to treat a sprained thumb.
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Some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs you can take are Tylenol, aspirin, and Ibuprofen<\/a>. You don\u2019t want to take all three, but choose one and take that one whenever you have pain.
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs will help reduce the swelling as well. If you are compressing, elevating, and taking over-the-counter pain medication for your sprained thumb, your swelling should go in no time. When you take over-the-counter pain medication it is a good idea to just take what is directed on the package.
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Another tip to remember is when you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is to take the extra-strength formula. You want the strongest formula when you\u2019re dealing with pain. It is good to drink a full glass of water and with food. Don\u2019t take it with alcohol. You\u2019ll have side effects that will keep your sprained thumb from healing.
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6. Splinting the sprained thumb is another tip to remember. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Splinting your thumb allows it to rest and prevents you from moving it. Whenever your sprained thumb is moved, it will cause pain. You buy a splint or make your own at home. When you make a homemade splint, you can use clean popsicle sticks and adhesive tape to keep your thumb in place.
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Wrap an elastic bandage around the splint for additional protection. Whichever splint you decide to use, it is a good thing to wear. You can wear the splint 24 hours a day. Since you don\u2019t want to move your hand in the first 48 hours, wearing a splint is a good idea. Once the swelling goes away, remove the splint. The splint protects your thumb from further damage during those first few days.
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A lot of the times when a person has a sprained thumb, he or she will continue to do their normal activity and cause more damage to the ligament<\/a>.
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7. Massaging the thumb with topical analgesic cream is a tip for a sprained thumb. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Topical analgesic <\/a>cream helps to reduce the pain in a sprained thumb. It should be applied in a thin layer since it is so strong. It can be applied up to four times a day.
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Topical analgesic creams come in hot and cold therapy formulas. It is best to choose the cold therapy formula since you are treating a sprained thumb. The ligament is injured, not the muscle. When massaging the cream onto the thumb, do it gently since the thumb is sore and painful. Most analgesics creams have a strong odor, so you may want to apply it when you don\u2019t have to go anywhere.
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Also, since the analgesic cream is a cold therapy formula, you won\u2019t want to use it in the wintertime and then go outside since your pores will be open.
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8. Using Epsom salt is a way to treat a sprained thumb at home. <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Epsom salt<\/a> will reduce swelling in the sprained thumb. Fill a bath pan with cold water and pour a cup of Epsom salt into the water. Dip your sprained thumb or the entire hand into the pan for 10 minutes. This can be done as many times as needed.
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There is no need to use hot water since you are treating the ligament and not the muscle. After using Epsom salt, apply topical analgesic cream and rest it. The more times you soak the sprained thumb in Epsom salt, the swelling will go down. Another method you could use Epsom salt is instead of dipping your hand or thumb into the bath pan, use a clean washcloth and place it into the pan.
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Wring the cloth and place it around the sprained thumb for a few minutes. Dip the cloth back into the water mixture and repeat a few times.
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