The human body is an incredible thing.
It’s ability to survive and thrive this thing we call life is no small feat. What’s particularly intriguing about the human experience is how pain has become an integral part of our survival.
Acute pain is our body’s primary response mechanism to warn us about a threat or disease within. Its ultimate purpose is to protect us from further and future harm, and can last from a few moments to months. Acute pain is the body’s way of telling us to stop what we’re doing to the affected area and recognise any potential damage to tissues. When tissue damage occurs, it kicks off a cascade of events within the body that start the self-healing process.
Typically, acute pain starts suddenly, has a defined location and often has a memorable cause. Think of that sharp pain after stubbing your toe on the bed, or breaking your arm - both instances produce that sudden sharp pain and both can heal if given the correct conditions. Unlike most cases of chronic pain (lasting longer than 6 months), acute pain often subsides when the underlying tissue damage has healed. However, it is also common that pain subsides before total healing has occurred.
Outlined below is the estimated range of healing times for commonly injured musculoskeletal structures:
Muscle: 1- 4 weeks.
Ligament: 2 - 8 weeks.
Tendon: 3-7 weeks.
Bone: 6-8 weeks.
Spinal disc: 3-12 weeks.
Spinal joint: 1-6 weeks.
Nerve: 1-3mm/day.
Depending on the degree of injury, personal lifestyle factors and individual treatment/management following an injury, healing times may extend beyond those outlined.
When treating acute pain patients, your Osteopaths seeks to support the body’s self-healing mechanisms and minimise pain. Your Osteopath will also aim to reduce compensatory issues, improve range of motion and support proper alignment to optimise recovery. They will also give you some take-home management strategies.
Self-management strategies are explained in our instagram video and listed below:
Immobilising the affected area for a short and appropriate amount of time.
Advice to avoid painful activities but continue to move as much as possible in low-to-no pain ranges.
Icing the effected for 20 minutes every 2-3 hours in the short term. If you aren't sure when to apply ice or heat, our Choosing the Right Therapy: Ice vs. Heat for Pain Management blog may be of interest.
Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) for 3-4 days as outlined on the packet or by a medical professional (only if tolerated and with food).
Prescribed exercises tailored to the complaint, to help restore function and strength.
Advice to continue to eat well, stay hydrated and maintain regular sleep to support the body in its healing process.
Pain is an inevitable part of life. Whether you are currently suffering from an acute pain episode or have been suffering for a while, please come and see one of our practitioners to get specific treatment and advice for your injury. Help is available and at Inner Wellness we provide personalised treatments that focus on the body as a whole. If you would like more wellness tips, subscribe to our newsletter.
This Post was thoughtfully curated by our wonderful Dr Talia Harris.
Resources:
Drzezo. (2019). Developing Treatment Pathways. https://musculoskeletalkey.com/developing-treatment-pathways/
Marieb, E, & Hoehn, K. (2013). Human Anatomy & Physiology (9th ed.). Sydney: Pearson.
Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F.& Agur, A.M. (2017). Clinically oriented anatomy. (8th ed.). Philadelphia:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Muire, P. J., Mangum, L. H., & Wenke, J. C. (2020). Time Course of Immune Response and Immunomodulation During Normal and Delayed Healing of Musculoskeletal Wounds. Frontiers in Immunology, 11(1056). https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01056
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