Heat is only great for relieving sore and aching muscles, not for sprains. Applying heat to a sprain will only make the swelling worse.
It’s important to know whether you’re only dealing with a sprain or if there’s bone fracture involved. However, this can only be determined with an X-ray. So what can you do to ease the pain in the meantime?
Instead of heat, apply ice on sprained area for about 20 minutes to relieve the swelling. But don’t apply the ice directly, otherwise your skin might get damaged.
In case you don’t have the ready-to-use ice pack, you can simply put ice cubes in an ice bag or plastic bag. Make sure to wrap it in a thin towel or cloth to protect the skin from ice burns.
For the first 24 hours, use the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation).
Wow, there’s so much to learn here. These suggestions can save lives, particularly for individuals who learned first aid from movies.