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- $Unique_ID{BRK02074}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{"RICE" and "DIETS" as Mnemonic Devices for Remembering Joint Injury
- Treatments}
- $Subject{RICE DIETS mnemonic device mnemonic devices joint injury treatment
- joints Rest Ice Compression Elevation Drugs Injection Exercise Therapy Surgery
- NSAIDS nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication pain inflammation cortisone
- sprained ankle sprains}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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-
- "RICE" and "DIETS" as Mnemonic Devices for Remembering Joint Injury Treatments
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- QUESTION: I can't afford a regular doctor so I go to a clinic at the hospital
- when I need help. When I had a bad sprained ankle, I was examined and
- listened as the two doctors talked about my treatment. They mentioned a "rice
- diet" that was good for ankle injuries, but never mentioned just what I could
- eat. All they did was bandage the ankle and give me some pain pills. Could
- you give me the diet, to help me heal faster?
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- ANSWER: You can hear some amazing things when you listen to doctors converse
- among themselves, especially if you confuse some of the words used as
- abbreviations for words you are more familiar with. They are called
- "mnemonics" are used to help remember complicated lists, and are often created
- from the first letters of all the facts you need to remember. Both "RICE" and
- "DIETS" are plans for treating joint injuries, including those of the ankle.
- RICE stands for: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is used
- immediately after an injury, keeping the patient off his feet, keeping the
- injured area cold over the first 72 hours after the accident, bandaging it,
- and keeping the joint above the level of the heart to reduce the amount of
- swelling that can develop. The more severe the injury, the longer you must
- continue with the RICE therapy.
- DIETS therapy translates into: Drugs, Injection, Exercise Therapy, and
- Surgery. The drugs may include NSAIDS, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
- medications to reduce pain and inflammation. Injecting cortisone-like
- medications into long standing problem joints is a consideration, as well as
- removing excess liquids that can accumulate in the injured joint. Exercise
- therapy is used to get the joint active and to restore it to full function.
- Of course surgery is reserved for those situations where the recovery is
- incomplete, or where there is injury to, or inside, the joint that must be
- repaired before full function can be achieved.
- So you can see, there is no special diet for me to give you, although
- good nutrition is always required for any situation where the body has been
- injured and must undergo a process of repair.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-