Soft Tissue Injury: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Soft tissues are the tissues which connect and support other organs and structures of your body. Soft tissue injury (STI) refers to the damage caused to your ligaments or muscles. Soft tissue injury is caused due to a sudden trauma or blow, muscle flex, especially during any strenuous physical activity. Unlike a one-time injury or sprain, these injuries develop over time and can lead to serious complications if not treated at the right time. The common symptoms of soft tissue injury are- delayed or immediate pain and swelling in the injured area, bruising discoloration, stiffness.

The most common types of soft tissue injury are- strains and sprains, bruises or contusions, tendonitis and bursitis, overuse injuries. Depending on the symptoms, your doctor will first evaluate what type of injury you are suffering from. In order to confirm the diagnosis, he will perform a Comprehensive Muscular Activity Profiler (CMAP) test. This is a non-invasive and non-loading evaluation which does not require use of needles or lifting of heavy weights. You will need to go through some simple movements while your doctor sets sensors on the injured areas. CMAP collects data about the relation between your muscles and nerves during the movement. It simultaneously measures your strength and range of motion, and thereby allows your doctor to accurately assess the injury.

Ice is a great pain reliever that can help remove heat from the tissues and control inflammation if you suffer from a sprain or strain. Apply ice cubes wrapped in a towel or use an ice-pack for 15-20 minutes at an interval of 3-4 hours on the injured portion. Once the inflammation is reduced, it will stimulate relief to the injured areas. It is important to control the inflammation for a speedy recovery, otherwise it can hamper the healing process. A sling or cushion is used to support the injured limb and keep it elevated when you are resting. For those who suffer from a muscle tissue injury, the doctor will usually recommend use of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs after the first 48 hours of the injury as it could lead to severe bleeding. However, in case of a ligament injury or tendonitis, you can start taking these drugs immediately following the injury. Apply a bandage on the injured joints and surrounding area. Make sure it does not block blood circulation or induce additional pain. Your doctor may even prescribe use of pain killers such as Acetaminophen to ease the pain and symptoms of swelling.

If you experience a sudden trauma or blow on your ligaments or tendons, muscle flex, especially during any strenuous physical activity then you are eligible for the treatment. Anybody can encounter a soft tissue injury at any point of time so you will have to look out for symptoms such as- delayed or immediate pain and swelling in the injured area, bruising discoloration, stiffness.

There are no such exceptions since anybody can experience a sudden muscle flex or ligament injury, sprain or any other sort of soft tissue injury.

There are no adverse side effects of the treatment. However, overdose of pain killers or NSAIDs may lead to abdominal pain.

Post treatment guidelines for soft tissue injury involve the following- avoid exposure to heat and refraining from alcohol as it may increase swelling and blood flow, keep away from a massage therapy immediately after the treatment as it may lead to increased swelling. You may have to follow a few simple exercises which will help recover from the stiffness after the swelling is reduced. However, you should avoid participating in any strenuous activity like sports or weight lifting.

Recovery period depends on the health condition and age of the patient as well as on the severity of injury. Recovery from short-term soft tissue injury like a sprain takes 1-2 weeks, while much serious injury such as a ligament tear or tendonitis will take 2-3 months to recover.

The price for the treatment of soft tissue injury varies between Rs.50- Rs.500, depending on what sort of treatment you are undergoing- whether it’s the pain killers, ice packs or elevation cushions to support the injured limb.

The results of the treatment are not permanent. Injuries resulting from soft tissue damage can be long lasting or recurring in nature. Any sort of external pressure or injury may rupture the previously injured tissue which can worsen the condition. You will need to follow the post treatment guidelines in order to experience long lasting results.

Ayurvedic therapy can be an alternative treatment for soft tissue injury. The treatment involves ample amount of medicinal and herbal oil and a distinctive one or two therapist sequence which softens and relaxes the tissues. During the massage therapy, your body is massaged in the direction in which your blood from your artery flows, basically in the direction of the body hair. The scientific reason behind following this protocol is to increase the flow of blood to the most distal body parts and to avoid increasing pressure on the heart through venous return in case the massage is done in the opposite direction.