What to do if I am in pain? How to self-manage

Whether it is pain from an injury, an accident, or... for no apparent reason, in most cases, you can take action to self-manage your pain.

Be sure to consult your health care practitioner if some of the following symptoms are present : tingling, numbness, burning, worsening pain or feeling of weakness.

If the painful area is swollen, red and hot to the touch, the following is advised - RICE -

R: Rest - Rest the injured limb.

I: Ice - Ice 15 to 20 min every 2 hours.

C: Compression

E: Elevation

If there is muscle tension (tight knots), good old self-massaging will do the trick, add to it the application of heat for 15 minutes and you will be able to avoid pain build up.

if you have severe pain, you can wear a splint while you wait for your health care practitioner appointment.

The pain has it's own language, the more you understand this language, the more you can deal with the pain by yourself. In most cases, an intensification of the pain means a worsening of the condition. What you might not know is, if the pain gets wider and wider from the area where it began, this also means that the condition is getting worse or that you are doing a movement or taking a position that exacerbates your condition.

if self-managing your condition is not enough, Physioproxy is here to help!

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