Sprains and Strains : Symptoms

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Sprain refers to damage or tearing of ligaments or a joint capsule. Strain refers to damage or tearing of a muscle.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
A sprain is an injury to ligaments and/or the joint capsule that occurs in response to large stresses. A strain is disruption of the contractile elements in muscle and/or tendon. An easy way to remember the difference between sprain and strain is ...
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
A sprain is damage to or tearing of ligaments or a joint capsule. A strain refers to damage to or tearing of a muscle.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Ankle pain involves any discomfort in one or both ankles.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 5, 2008
Certain symptoms suggest a serious cause of ankle pain that requires prompt attention. It's important to ask questions about these symptoms first.
Source:StayWell
Pain is an unpleasant sensation triggered in the nervous system that can range from mild discomfort to unbearable agony. Pain receptors located throughout the body send electrical impulses via the spinal cord to the brain.
Source:HealthLine
Date:September 30, 2007
Nonspecific back pain refers to pain in the back due to an unknown cause. See also: Low back pain
Source:ADAM
Date:May 12, 2008
Back pain may occur in the upper, middle, or lower back; it is most often experienced in the lower back. It may originate from the bones and ligaments forming the spine, the muscles and tendons supporting the back, the nerves that exit the spinal column, or even the internal organs.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders
Instead of looking for a quick fix, try to develop a longer view. Healing takes time and is a gradual process. By doing daily stretching and stress-management exercises, the time it takes to heal your back will be shortened.
Source:StayWell
Four out of five adults suffer back pain sometime in their lives, experts say. And most of that back pain is in the lower back. That's because the low back bears most of the weight and is the most common site of poor posture.
Source:StayWell
Back pain has many sources. It can originate in the joints, muscles, or ligaments of the back itself or be caused by problems in other parts of the body.
Source:StayWell
As your body changes during pregnancy, your back must work in new ways. This can be painful if your back isn’t prepared.
Source:StayWell
The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that in one year, more than 10,000 children ages 5 to 14 see doctors with backpack-related complaints.
Source:StayWell
Up to eight in 10 Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. For most people, back pain resolves, but for 5 to 10 percent, low back pain becomes a chronic condition.
Source:StayWell
More than half of American adults seek medical treatment for back pain at some point in their lives.
Source:StayWell
Ice reduces muscle pain and swelling. It helps most during the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury.
Source:StayWell
These exercises will strengthen your back and buttocks muscles.
Source:StayWell
Back pain is something you don't want to repeat. Recovering properly from a back injury and taking preventive measures can help you reduce your risk of going through it again.
Source:StayWell
To heal your back and make your spine healthy, it's essential to build up and nurture the back muscles. This is accomplished by systematic stretching of not only the muscles in the back, but the other muscles in the body as well, since virtually all muscles in the body affect the back in one way or another.
Source:StayWell
People who work in certain occupations, such as nursing, are likely to have back pain. But so can folks who work in an office every day if they don’t take proactive steps to protect their backs.
Source:StayWell
Smoking damages your arteries, and it’s thought that the damaged arteries in the discs and joints in your back may lead to pain and injury.
Source:StayWell
Back pain can be caused by many illnesses and conditions, including stress or injury, being overweight, improper lifting, pregnancy, and diseases such as fibromyalgia and arthritis.
Source:StayWell
Learning the proper ways to bend, lift, and carry objects may help relieve back strain. It will also help you protect your back after your baby is born. Remember, if you’re having trouble protecting your back, it’s okay to ask the people around you for help!
Source:StayWell
Four out of five people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.
Source:StayWell
Your back is important to almost every move you make, but you probably won't realize that until you hurt it.
Source:StayWell
Before trying these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure they are safe for you. Ask your healthcare provider how many times to do each exercise.
Source:StayWell
If the pain occurs because of an accident or injury, or fever is present, you should see your health care provider immediately. Pain not accompanied by fever or not associated with an accident or injury may not need immediate treatment.
Source:StayWell
Did you know that standing, sitting, or lying in certain ways can lead to back pain? To ease pain, use positions that support your body comfortably.
Source:StayWell
If you have loss of bowel or bladder control, seek emergency help at once. Paralysis of the bowel and bladder could result if not attended to promptly.
Source:StayWell
Before trying these exercises, talk to your healthcare provider to make sure they are safe for you. Ask your healthcare provider how many times to do each exercise.
Source:StayWell
Is back pain in children common? What should you do if your child has back/low back pain?
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on bruising or black eye
Source:StayWell
A bruise is an area of skin discoloration. A bruise occurs when small blood vessels break and leak their contents into the soft tissue beneath the skin.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 17, 2007
Bruises, or ecchymoses, are a discoloration and tenderness of the skin or mucous membranes due to the leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel into the tissues. Pupura refers to bruising as the result of a disease condition.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Detailed information on bruises in children
Source:StayWell
Bruises are a part of life. By the time you notice a bruise, though, it's already started to heal.
Source:StayWell
We bruise when blood vessels beneath our skin rupture and bleed. As alarming as these purplish marks can be, they're usually harmless. With passing years, however, they become increasingly common with the mildest bump or blow.
Source:StayWell
Is there a particular vitamin I can take that might diminish bruising? I am a 53-year-old woman who has bruised easily since I was much younger.
Source:StayWell
Bruises, or ecchymoses, are a discoloration and tenderness of the skin or mucous membranes due to the leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel into the tissues. Pupura refers to bruising as the result of a disease condition.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Bruises, or ecchymoses, are a discoloration and tenderness of the skin or mucous membranes due to the leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel into the tissues. Purpura refers to bruising as the result of a disease condition.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membranes caused by lack of oxygen in the blood.
Source:ADAM
Date:March 1, 2007
Detailed information on the most common skin color changes in a newborn
Source:StayWell
This article describes aching or other discomfort in the elbow that is not related to direct injury.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 6, 2007
The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have ulnar neuropathy because swelling in the elbow compresses the nearby nerve.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on elbow pain and problems
Source:StayWell
Pain or discomfort can be felt anywhere in the foot, including the heel, toes, arch, instep, sole, or ankles. See also: Ankle pain; Heel pain.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 12, 2008
Detailed information on foot pain and the most common types of foot problems, including heel spurs, corns, bunions, Morton's neuroma, hammertoes, ankle sprain, and foot fractures
Source:StayWell
Foot pain may develop for a number of reasons--fracture and infection are among the most serious while sprains and arthritis are among the most common.
Source:StayWell
Groin pain refers to discomfort in the area where the abdomen ends and the legs begin. This article focuses on groin pain in men.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 23, 2007
Pain - heel The most frequent causes of heel pain are not single injuries, such as a fall or twist, but repetitive or excessive heel pounding.Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick connective tissue on the sole of your foot that attaches t...
Source:ADAM
Date:May 12, 2008
Understanding Heel PainYour heel is the back part of your foot. A band of tissue called theplantar fasciaconnects the heel bone to the bones in the ball of your foot.
Source:StayWell
Hip pain involves any pain in or around the hip joint.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 25, 2007
Hip stiffness is a feeling that it is difficult to move the hip although the person may have no structural limitation to full range of motion in the joint..
Source:HealthLine
Date:November 30, 2007
Irritability is an excessive response to stimuli.
Source:ADAM
Date:November 12, 2007
Children can become cranky, fussy or irritable for many reasons. Often it's because they're hungry or just tired. But sometimes irritability can be a sign of illness in children.
Source:StayWell
Don't Catch a Bad MoodLike the common cold, human emotions are highly contagious."It's easy to get swept up in somebody else's emotions," says James Page, M.D., a psychiatrist in Greenville, SC.
Source:StayWell
The hip is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has a large range of motion. Some of these structures, including the bursae, muscles, tendons, or ligaments are common causes of hip pain, even when the joint itself is fine.
Source:StayWell
Sprained ankles and wrists, arthritic knees and hips and torn rotator cuffs all have one thing in common: They result in joint pain.
Source:StayWell
Joint pain can affect one or more joints. See also: Arthritis (inflammation of joints; Bursitis; Muscle pain.
Source:ADAM
Date:April 24, 2008
Pain - knee Knee pain usually results from overuse, poor form during physical activity, not warming up or cooling down, or inadequate stretching. Simple causes of knee pain often clear up on their own with self care. Being overweight can put you a...
Source:ADAM
Date:July 25, 2007
Knee pain refers to any aching or burning pain in the knee joint. Knee pain can be a symptom of numerous conditions and diseases, including knee stress, osteoarthritis , injury, gout , infection, and bursitis .
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Detailed information on knee pain and the most common types of knee problems
Source:StayWell
Reducing Knee Pain and SwellingMany treatments can help reduce pain and swelling in your knee. Your doctor or physical therapist may suggest one or more of the following treatments.Icing your kneehelps reduce swelling.
Source:StayWell
The knee's complicated anatomy allows the strength, stability and flexibility of this important joint.
Source:StayWell
I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, but have continued to run. Now I have developed outside knee pain. Does running with plantar fasciitis cause other injuries?
Source:StayWell
Walk, jump, climb, or sit, your knees and hips take a lot of use and abuse. This report describes the most common knee and hip conditions along with treatments and preventive tips.
Source:StayWell
Knee swelling may develop for a number of reasons. If you have new, unexplained knee swelling that followed a significant injury or you have fever, this guide is not the best place to start! See your doctor first.
Source:StayWell
Therapeutic taping can reduce pain from osteoarthritis of the knee, but several medications are also worth considering.
Source:StayWell
Leg pain is a common symptom and complaint. For more specific information, see: Foot pain; Knee pain; Joint pain; Hip pain; Muscle pain; Shin splints.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 17, 2007
The symptoms in your back or leg may be due to pressure on a nerve. This pressure may be caused by a damaged disk or by abnormal bone growth. Either way, you may feel pain, burning, tingling, or numbness. If you have pressure on a nerve that connects to the sciatic nerve, pain may shoot down your leg.
Source:StayWell
Pain felt in your lower back may come from the spine, muscles, nerves, or other structures in that region. It may also radiate from other areas like your mid or upper back, a hernia in the groin, or a problem in the testicles or ovaries. You may feel a variety of symptoms if you've hurt your back. You may have a tingling or burning sensation, a dull aching, or sharp pain. You also may experience weakness in your legs or feet. It won't necessarily be one event that actually causes your pain. You may have been doing many things improperly - like standing, sitting, or lifting - for a long time. Then suddenly, one simple movement, like reaching for something in the shower or bending from your waist, leads to the feeling of pain.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 5, 2008
Low back pain (LBP) is a common complaint- second only to cold and flu as a reason why patients seek care from their family doctor. It may be a limited musculoskeletal symptom or caused by a variety of diseases and disorders that affect or extend from the lumbar spine.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Detailed information on low back pain, including causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
Source:StayWell
Sometimes back pain can be caused by a condition that needs immediate medical evolution.
Source:StayWell
Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal symptom that may be either acute or chronic. It may be caused by a variety of diseases and disorders that affect the lumbar spine.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Detailed information on low back pain, including causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on low back pain, including causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on low back pain, including cause, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Most back pain occurs in the lower back because that's the part of the spine that bears the most weight.
Source:StayWell
Back pain is a common complaint: Nearly everyone will have low back pain that interferes with work or daily activities at some point in his or her life.
Source:StayWell
You likely position yourself differently now than you did before you were pregnant. Did you know that standing, sitting, or lying in certain ways can lead to back pain? To ease pain, use positions that support your body comfortably.
Source:StayWell
Think through each move before you make it, so you'll use the right muscles for the job. If you practice these safe moves now, they may come naturally to you by the time your baby's born.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on lumbar strain, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on lumbar strain, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
Can you tell me the purpose and basis of VAX-D treatment for spinal problems?
Source:StayWell
The cause of most back pain cannot be identified specifically, and is likely due to a conbination of factors. Imaging tests are not very useful and do not improve the outcome of treatment.
Source:StayWell
Detailed information on lumbar strain, including causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Source:StayWell
This report details the latest diagnostic techniques and describes treatments, including exercise, home-based therapies, and surgery.
Source:StayWell
Although back pain tends to be a universal complaint, middle-aged people are more likely than younger and older folks to have back pain that’s related to lifestyle.
Source:StayWell
Low back pain can be caused by problems with any part of the lumbar spine.
Source:StayWell
Some men are able to successfully treat their lower back pain with medication, but some require additional treatment such as physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery.
Source:StayWell
Muscle cramps are involuntary and often painful contractions (movements) of the muscles.
Source:ADAM
Date:July 21, 2006
Muscle cramps -- involuntary muscle contractions -- are common. But even though they can be quite painful, they don't cause damage.
Source:StayWell
Cramps do not mean there is a problem with the muscle itself; rather, experts believe they happen when the fluid and electrolyte imbalance catches up to you or when a nerve overstimulates a muscle.
Source:StayWell
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. The rapid, uncontrolled muscle contraction, or spasm, happens unexpectedly, with either no stimulation or some trivially small one.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health
Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions. Most people are familiar with the sudden pain of a muscle cramp.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine
Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones, and organs. See also: Muscle cramps; Joint pain.
Source:ADAM
Date:May 17, 2007
Muscle stiffness is feeling of tension and contraction in the muscles, that may limit normal range of motion. Sometimes muscles feel stiff after periods of vigorous use, for example athletic activities, physical labor or weight lifting.
Source:HealthLine
Date:December 31, 2007
Neck pain is a nonspecific symptom of discomfort that has a number of possible causes. Depending on the cause, neck pain may be experienced as limited to the neck itself (localized), or as radiating to the shoulders and upper arm.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Detailed information on neck pain and the most common types of neck problems
Source:StayWell
Physical therapy for back and neck pain is the treatment of this pain using professionally accepted techniques and procedures carried out by a physical therapist. Purpose The ultimate purpose of physical therapy is to restore normal function to the patient.
Source:Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Do your neck and shoulders feel stiff when you awake in the morning? Or do they seize painfully with no warning? If so, you have plenty of company. Doctors estimate that 7 out of 10 people will be troubled by neck pain at some point in their lives, often causing daily aching in the neck and shoulder area. One in 10 adults is hurting right now, and for 1 in 20, the pain is longstanding and intense enough to severely limit the ability to work and play.
Source:StayWell
Learn the most effective exercises, therapies, and erg