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Athlete with sprained ankle, been a week only bad complications are arising.

Okay, this is my first time on here. I hope i can get some advise.  I hurt my ankle a week and a day ago, i have a bad ankle that sprains easily and I always wear a brace.  Only this time I sprained it worse than usual.  The injury felt normal, I knew how to treat it for the first day and I went to the doctor, no break.  Im expecting to be good to apply pressure in a week like most of my past sprains, 4 days go by and I feel okay, my swelling is going down.  Pain is decreasing.
Only now, a week later, the pain is increasing.  
-Everytime I stand up (not on my foot of course, on just one foot) the blood flow comes down hard on my foot and it hurts very bad for a couple of minutes, sometimes so painful i have to sit back down for a bit and try again.  
-Swelling has increased dramatically, the foot is very fat, discolored on th esides, and I can barely move my toes.
-Cant sleep in positions taht were comfortable 4 days ago.  
The pain is only increasing, I feel like its infected or something, and im certainly not ready for any kind of physical therapy, even at a slow pace.  Ive hurt my ankle about 11 times before this, but this is the worst.  A blood vessel breaking maybe? Infection? Ligament damage? should I get an MRI? I will be scheduling another appointment with my doctor very soon.  Thanks guys.
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Avatar universal
Maybe this will help someone. I sprained my ankle playing soccer. 8 days later and my ankle was more swollen than day number 2, 3, or 4..  My foot was red & my toes almost looked black. Felt like my skin was on fire. Come to find out 5% of people who have high blood pressure like myself have a reaction to ibuprofen where they retain excess fluid. I was taking 800mg ibuprofen 3x a day & my foot was so swollen and it burned every time I tried to get out of bed and walk. It felt like pins & needles with a hot burning painful feeling. The pain was debilitating.  It hurt so bad. I retained 10 pounds of fluid & my blood pressure was high. After going back to the doctor I switched to Tylenol (2 pills of 250mg each) every 6 hours and stopped taking the  prescription ibuprofen immediately and the swelling went down dramatically within 24 - 36 hours. I drank alot of water to cleanse my kidneys & help flush out the excess fluid. My blood pressure went back to normal within 24 hours. I peed out all the fluid I had retained within 4 days & lost the 10 pounds of fluid.. The burning feeling got better within 24 hours & went away completely within 36 hours. The severly bruised (almost black) toes went back to normal after 48 hours. Hope this helps someone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i definately know how you feel. it isn't fun i am 16 and have gone through 2 ankle surgeries. i have been on crutches for more than half of high school so far, the doctors kept telling me it was sprained until i went to a specialist who immediately found out it was a torn tendon.
i would suggest you go to a specialist right away or it might be even longer of a healing process.
Best of luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i wont wrote it off.
but i still dont like the thought of voluntarily letting some one put needles in me.....

thanks for the tip :)
Helpful - 0
436973 tn?1217947089
Many acupuncturists  will work on a sliding scale.  And I promise it is really not that painful and is actually quite relaxing.  I wouldn't write it off
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
ok.

the acupuncture is kinda out of the question b/c the insurance dosen't cover it.... and i have a phobia of needles.
I do use the ice before and after i march for 15 minutes, but that doesn't really do anything either.

we keep treating my ankle like it's tendonitis, but everything i have read suggests it's a torn ligament or a tear in a tendon.
Helpful - 0
436973 tn?1217947089
I can give you no idea as to what is causing this, but maybe offer some suggestions for relief.
It seems that "western medicine"  has been of little use.  Maybe you should try acupuncture.  It often helps  in cases where nothing else does.  Also,  are you icing it after marching, and at the end of the day?  Keep ice on for 20 minutes at a time, but no longer. Have you tried arnica gel?  It can be bought at health food stores or online and is a wonderful oinment for this sort of pain.  
I hope this is of some help.  Take care
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
there is surgery to tighten the ligaments, but most times it is only a temporary fix.

maybe one of you guys can help me, i have posted this same thing else where and gotten nowhere.....

  I am a 16 y/o female that has chronic lateral (outside) ankle pain. I am currently a marching band member, but not involved in any other high-stress activities. My pain started about 2 years ago (when i started marching), and it wasnt too bad in the begining, easy enough to block out as an common ache. I have had NO ankle sprains, and cant find out what might have started this. My pain is constant and it gets worse when i am on my feet, there is a little swelling but it is not extreme.  
  I went to the doc, and she told me it was prob. just tendonitis, and physical therapy would help.... that was three months ago, and PT has had little effect. I was put in a walking boot to help ease the amount of activity and stress my ankle endured, and instead of helping it, the boot made my symptoms worse.
  I have had a MRI  and multiple x-rays taken but both came back negitave for "abnormalities".
  My doc cast my feet for orthotics, and when i started wearing them (around 2 months ago) they did not make a differance good or bad.
I know that there is something that we are missing, that could ultimately provide relief, but i cant figure it out, and i have less than 1 month untill i am on my feet more than 10 hours a day.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have hurt my ankles like you over 15 times a piece I have sprained them so many times,and it doesn't get easier. I really wish I would just brake them so maybe they would heal and I wouldn't roll them walking it's so horrible I totally unerstand . I wish there were some kind of surgery to tight the ligiments. Does any one know if there is ???
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi just wanted to say i completely understand...
did mine a week ago too and hurts more today than last week.
I go to see my doc next week...hope to start PT soon
Finding it very frustrating!

Good luck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
yeah, i returned to the doctor and he says that ill be out 2 more weeks due to what he says is obvious ligament damage.  And that I will be getting an MRI soon to see where the damage is, but he hasnt mentioned an operation at this point, just that I should treat it like a severe sprain, keep it above my heart , and chill out a while to reduce swelling.  Gah, I almost want to amputate.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It is good to return to the doc for further evaluation. Get a new xray done to make sure that it isn't a fracture not seen on the first xray.  Put your foot at the height above the level of your heart to prevent swelling.  Lay on the sofa and put the foot on pillows (don't forget to support the knee) until it is above the level of the chest. Ice may be used to reduce the swelling.  Use a package of frozen veggies you don't like to eat (so you won't mistakenly eat them later) as an ice bag.  It will form around the foot giving you better "fit" than a regular ice pack.  Don't put it directly on the skin, but wrap it in a cloth first.  Put the ice pack on the foot for about 15 minutes and then back in the freezer for 30 minutes before putting it back on the foot. If you want to sit up, you can try soaking the foot in cool water with epson salts, too. If you haven't seen an orthopedist, get a referral and see one. Sadly sprains and strains are often worse than a fracture would be, especially when it occurs repeatedly.  Good luck
Helpful - 0

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