Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for a wrist injury. You might have injured a bone, ligament, muscle, or tendon. Or you might have a repetitive use injury from doing the same motion with your wrist over and over.
Treatment depends on the type of wrist injury you have and how severe it is. The doctor might have put a cast or splint on your wrist. This keeps your wrist in the correct position so it can heal.
How long it will take to heal depends on the type of injury. Most take weeks to months to heal.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment as instructed. You might need to see a specialist called an "orthopedic surgeon."
●Wear the cast or splint as instructed. If you have a cast, make sure you know if it can get wet.
●The doctor might have told you to wear an elastic bandage (such as an ACE wrap). If so, make sure you know how to wear it.
●Take all your medicines as instructed:
•Take non-prescription medicines to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
•If you got a prescription for stronger pain medicines to take for a short time, follow the instructions carefully.
●Prop your wrist on pillows, keeping it above the level of your heart. This might help lessen pain and swelling.
●Ice can help with pain and swelling. Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel over your wrist. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Use for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury.
●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help. Injuries take longer to heal if you smoke.
●Follow all the doctor's instructions about what activities are safe to do. You might have to limit activity or movement until your wrist is healed. Increase your activity slowly.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●You still have bad pain even after taking pain medicines.
●The pain or swelling gets worse.
●Your fingers are numb, tingly, blue, or gray.
●The cast or splint gets damaged.
●The cast or splint gets wet, and it's not supposed to get wet.
●You have new or worsening symptoms.
Patient education: Common wrist injuries (The Basics)
Patient education: Wrist fracture (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your child's cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a splint (The Basics)
