Management of common minor injuries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management of common minor injuries - Essay Example Somatic pain that emanates from the skin, muscles, bones, ligaments, and joints can be regarded as the most prevalent form of pain encountered in musculoskeletal injuries. Somatic pain can be categorized into two types: deep and superficial. Usually, deep somatic pain is lasting and mainly indicative of sizable tissue damage to the internal joint structures/muscles (O'Connor 2013, p.87). Wrist and sprains have analogous signs and symptoms but differ anatomically. Wrist sprains and sprains mainly result from a fall onto an outstretched hand. The hand’s position and/or rotation at point of impact determine the form of and severity of the injury. Complex wrist and hand anatomy can render a diagnosis of wrist injuries on a challenging task (Parmelee-Peters and Eathorne 2005, p.35). The scaphoid represents the most dominantly injured carpal bone, accounting for close to 70% of carpal fractures. The management of wrist injuries should encompass rehabilitation of muscles weakened and motion lost by pain, immobilization, and inflammation. The rehabilitation should respond to five goal-oriented phases: (1) minimizing pain and inflammation, as well as oedema, if present; (2) enhancing pain-free range of motion; (3) reinforcing and enhancing general condition; (4) enhancing coordination and flexibility; (5) returning to normal work with prevention of injury that may include utilization of protective equipment (Moulton and Yates 2012, p.125). Discussion Scenario 1: The immediate pain in the left wrist below the thumb could arise from sprained thumb injury sustained after the fall. A sprained thumb is a dominant cause of thumb pain and swelling. This may emanate from damage to the Ulnar Collateral Ligament at the base of the thumb. In cases where the patient experiences severe sprained thumb injuries, there is frequent immediate thumb swelling and bruising may develop. The capability to pinch grip small objects maybe frequently impaired owing to the resultant instability within the Meta-Carpo-Phalangeal (MCP joint). Diagnosis for sprained thumb made through physical examination, whereby stressing the Ulnar Collateral Ligament may reveal instability within the joint (Kamper, Mahoney, Nelson, and Peterson 2001, p.371). This can be confirmed by undertaking an x-ray while stressing the joint; nevertheless, x-ray evidence may not be always helpful in isolation. Sprains usually tend to resolve in a period of about 4-6 weeks and can be aided by physiotherapy treatment. Ultrasound can be an effective mode of assessment in the early stages, coupled with mobilization, can help