More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles
Sports Injuries Tips for Speedy Recovery
When you've suffered a sports related injury, you want to get back in the game as quickly as possible. It may seem like surgery is your only option to a speedy recovery, but many low to no side effect health solutions exist to help you heal while possibly avoiding the complications of more invasive surgical options.
Immediately after an injury, the concern is inflammation. Inflammation is the body's way of immobilizing the area to prevent further injury while keeping harmful bacteria from entering through the site of the wound. However, prolonged or extreme inflammation can be harmful, slowing down the ability to bring blood and healing nutrients to the site in order to rebuild the damaged tissue.
Ice is a common recommendation to reduce inflammation, but care must be taken not to overuse it. Ice constricts blood vessels to reduce swelling and numb nerve endings, but do not apply more than 10 minutes at a time to areas of thin skin such as ankles. Prolonged use can damage cells and create long-term stagnation of blood in the area of injury, creating long-term pain. Once swelling is reduced, heat should be applied to increase blood flow to the area thus increasing arrival of repair cells and clearing out of old blood and damaged cells. Ice should not be applied to an old injury.
Some vitamins and supplements have natural anti-inflammatory properties as well as immune system boosting abilities to repair cells, such as vitamin C and essential fatty acids (EFA's) found in fish oils. Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple, is a strong anti-inflammatory which can also be helpful in reducing allergies.
Foods that increase inflammation include caffeine, citrus fruits, sugar, milk, spicy foods, and red meats. These should be avoided when you are working to heal an injury.
Some supplements can help the re-growth process of bones, tendons, and cartilage such as glucosamine and chondroitin. Patients with shellfish allergies should not use these. Foods containing sulfites, such as onions, garlic, asparagus and eggs, increase calcium absorption, which helps to rebuild broken bones and muscle tears.
Acupuncture can be used to stimulate the body's ability to build bones, muscle and quality blood while encouraging release of natural pain relief hormones or “endorphins.” Other Chinese medicine techniques such as cupping or plum needle can be used to clear blood stagnation and break down scar tissue.
Chinese herbal formulas such as “bones and sinews” and homeopathic topical creams containing arnica alone or in formulas like topricin work to reduce swelling while healing damaged cells.
With many options you may be able to avoid the need for surgery, or if you decide surgery is the best route to recovery, these complimentary options can support your body to reduce recovery time.
