A patient comes in looking for an OTC pain reliever for her daughter to take. Her daughter sprained her wrist yesterday and wants a pain reliever on hand in case her daughter can’t handle the pain from her sprain. Be able to dose OTC analgesics to children based on weight and understand when it should be taken.
Since the doctor recommended they take an OTC pain relief, you could suggest an non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) containing ibuprofen. However, these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. They should be used only occasionally, not everyday.
Some non-pharamcologic remedies for a wrist sprain, since this one is minor, are to rest your wrist for at least 48 hours, ice your wrist to reduce pain and swelling, do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain is gone, elevate your wrist above your heart on a pillow or back of a chair, as often as you can.
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