How Long Should Swelling Last After an Injury?

Swelling is your body's natural reaction to an injury, and can actually be a sign of healing. However, if swelling becomes chronic or severe, you may need to seek medical treatment.

Understanding Swelling After an Injury

It's important to recognize that swelling after an injury is a normal and expected reaction. To some extent, swelling can occur after any type of injury, whether it is minor or severe.

When an injury occurs, the afflicted individual is first overcome with pain. It's only after the pain begins to subside that the swelling starts to set in. While some swelling is normal, the body can overreact at times and excessive swelling can occur.

Duration of Swelling After an Injury

There is no set timeline for how long swelling can or should occur. Ultimately, the duration of swelling after an injury will depend on the location of the injury and its overall severity.

Generally speaking, if you are experiencing serious swelling for more than a couple of days, it may be a good idea to have a physician or physical therapist take a look.

Factors Influencing Swelling Duration

The duration and severity of swelling can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as:

• The location of the injury.
• The extent of the injury.
• The measures that were taken immediately following the injury.

Managing Swelling at Home

When an injury occurs, you can take several important steps that can help you manage swelling at home. These steps include:

• Protecting the injured area. Wrapping or bracing the affected area can significantly reduce immediate swelling.
• Resting and elevating the injured body part. Giving your body a chance to naturally heal itself can minimize swelling.
• Applying a cold compress to the affected area. Ice or cold compresses not only work to reduce swelling, but can also minimize pain.

These at-home measures are most effective when you take action immediately following an injury.