I got injured! What can I do? Of course we should always take the steps to avoid the injuries. But they can happen. And what can you do if you are injured and the doctor  can see you just in the next in three days? Or maybe you are just felling a light pain, which doesn't require a medical appointment, but you don't want to see it developing in a more severe condition. In these situations you can take advantage of a home treatment known as RICE method.

And what is this RICE method? It is something easy to remember, that you can do at home, and that is the best fast approach for most injuries. It means:

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

Easy to remember, isn't it? It is also easy to do. 

Let's explain how these four letters can help you to recover from injuries.

Rest:
It doesn't need too much explanation. Your body needs to rest in order to recover.

Ice:
Wrap ice cubes in a wet towel, or take a cold pack, and put it on the injured area. Don't put  ice directly over the injury because it can produce blisters and ice burns. The time limit for an ice application is 15 minutes, but you can repeat it every hour

Compression:
The goal here is to lower the blood irrigation at the injured area. You can use a bandage, but be aware to not tie it too thigh and block the blood circulation, which can cause gangrene. You can alternate the compression with ice applications. If the injured area became numb, release the bandaging.

Elevation:
Elevating the injured member reduces the blood pressure at the area.

The RICE method is effective for minor injuries. If the symptoms persist, look for a doctor.

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