What Do Pineapples And Rice Have To Do With Healing From Injuries?

When we get injured, the experience can be frustrating and very inconvenient. For a Portland Chiropractor, its common to see injured patients be reminded of how fragile their bodies can be, and just how much they take it for granted. It can force us to do a 180 from focusing on our external lives to our health when we suffer an injury.
So how do rice and pineapples help us when we get injured? Regardless of the type of injury,It doesn't matter what kind of injury we are talking about, whether a slip and fall at work , stubbing our toe during the night, ankle sprain, or whiplash from a recent car accident injury, our body will go through the same steps to get us better. The signs of the body's attempt are pain, redness, swelling, and heat at the affected site.
So where do pineapples and rice come in to the picture? Let's start with rice. RICE is an acronym that reminds us of what to do to lessen the formation of the signs mentioned in the last paragraph, and to speed along our healing .
R stands for rest. The affected area should be rested. If it is an ankle, then sit down or lay down. If it is a shoulder, then lay down or get the arm into a sling to take the weight off of the shoulder.
I stands for ice. Icing involves placing actual ice, or something frozen such as a bag of frozen peas, onto the affected area. Always be sure there is at least one layer of fabric, like a thin towel or old t-shirt is between the frozen object and our skin, or we can get a burn from the ice. Ice for 20 minutes or until numb, whichever comes sooner. Then take 60 minutes off from icing. Repeat as often as necessary to lessen pain and prevent swelling.
C is for compression. We aren't talking about a tourniquet. The goal is to apply mild pressure. Compression is best applied to a bleeding wound. It may not be of much benefit to a bruise, spring, or strain.
E is for elevation. By elevating the affected area above the level of the heart, you will decrease blood pressure at the injury. This lessens swelling and decreases the pain that is associated with swelling.
One of the goals of RICE is to help prevent swelling and its consequences. This matters because the more swelling we have, the longer it will take to heal, the more pain and redness we'll see, and the longer it will take to restore full mobility to the affected area.
So how about those pineapples? Well, there is a supplement that is made from pineapples that will also work to lessen swelling and pain, and speed recovery. It's called bromelain, and can be found most any place that has a decent supplement selection. When we take this supplement, it lowers inflammation, helps the body clear away dead tissue, and speeds up the process of healing.
One other important thing to discuss, is whether or not you should see a doctor for your injury. Usually the answer is a strong "Yes"! Your best bet for dealing with injuries are Chiropractors, because they specialize in the kind of physical medicine needed to prevent loss of function after your injury heals.
These post-injury function losses include decreased ability to use the joint, extra scar tissue preventing proper muscle and ligament function, and a decreased ability to coordinate the movements of the previously injured area. So do yourself a favor, and visit your Portland Chiropractor as soon as possible after your injury.

Are you hurting from an auto accident injury or other injury? Visit your Portland Chiropractor at Vitality Health Center. Why visit your Portland Chiropractor? To get you back to pre-injury status quickly.