At the location of the fracture, your bones will produce lots of new cells and tiny blood vessels that rebuild the bone. Can you believe they use a saw to remove your cast? It might even tickle! Once the cast is off, the injured area will probably look and feel pretty weird. The body part that was in a cast might look strange at first. The skin might be pale, dry, or flaky. Body hair might look darker and the body part itself might look smaller because you might have lost some muscle while it was healing.
This is all temporary. In some cases, your doctor might suggest you do special exercises to improve your strength and flexibility. Accidents happen, but you often can prevent injuries by wearing safety helmets, pads, and the right protective gear for your activity or sport. Note: All information on KidsHealth is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. All rights reserved. Find a Doctor. About Us. Nondisplaced humerus fractures often heal after wearing an arm sling for a few weeks.
Non-displaced ulna or radius fractures often heal after wearing a cast for several weeks. Displaced fractures of the humerus, ulna or radius typically require surgery, where screws are placed to hold the edges of the fracture together. The wrist joint is composed of the edges of the radius and ulna, as well as eight smaller bones called the carpal bones.
The distal radius the larger of the two forearm bones, which is on the thumb side of the arm is the most common site for a wrist fracture. Displaced fractures usually require surgical repair. Hip fractures are the most common fracture in adults over the age of Home Common health questions Accidents, first aid and treatments Back to Accidents, first aid and treatments. How do I know if I've broken a bone?
The 3 most common signs of a broken bone also known as a fracture are: pain swelling deformity However, it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether a bone is broken if it is not out of its normal position. If you've broken a bone: you may hear or feel a snap or a grinding noise as the injury happens there may be swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injured area you may feel pain when you put weight on the injury, touch it, press it, or move it the injured part may look deformed — in severe breaks, the broken bone may be poking through the skin You may also feel faint, dizzy or sick as a result of the shock of breaking a bone.
Causes of bone fractures Symptoms of bone fractures Types of bone fracture Complications of bone fractures First aid for bone fractures Diagnosis and treatment of bone fractures Operation procedure for bone fractures Immediately after an operation on a bone fracture The healing process for bone fractures Other treatments for bone fractures Complications of bone fractures Self-care after a bone fracture Long-term outlook after a bone fracture Where to get help Things to remember.
Causes of bone fractures Causes of bone fractures can include: Traumatic incidents such as sporting injuries, vehicle accidents and falls Conditions such as osteoporosis and some types of cancer that cause bones to fracture more easily, meaning even minor trauma and falls can become serious. Symptoms of bone fractures Fractures are different from other injuries to the skeleton such as dislocations, although in some cases it can be hard to tell them apart.
The symptoms of a fracture depend on the particular bone and the severity of the injury, but may include: Pain Swelling Bruising Deformity Inability to use the limb. Types of bone fracture Different types of fracture include: Closed simple fracture — the broken bone has not pierced the skin Open compound fracture — the broken bone juts out through the skin, or a wound leads to the fracture site. Infection and external bleeding are more likely Greenstick fracture — a small, slender crack in the bone.
There may be damage to the veins, arteries or nerves, and there may also be injury to the lining of the bone the periosteum Comminuted fracture — the bone is shattered into small pieces. This type of complicated fracture tends to heal more slowly Avulsion fracture — muscles are anchored to bone with tendons, a type of connective tissue. Powerful muscle contractions can wrench the tendon free and pull out pieces of bone.
This type of fracture is more common in the knee and shoulder joints Compression fracture — occurs when two bones are forced against each other. The bones of the spine, called vertebrae, can have this type of fracture. Older people, particularly those with osteoporosis, are at higher risk.
Complications of bone fractures Other problems caused by bone fracture can include: Blood loss — bones have a rich blood supply. A bad break can make you lose a large amount of blood Injuries to organs, tissues or surrounding structures — for example the brain can be damaged by a skull fracture. First aid for bone fractures Good first-aid care of fractures is always important.
If you suspect a bone fracture, you should: Keep the person still — do not move them unless there is an immediate danger, especially if you suspect fracture of the skull, spine, ribs, pelvis or upper leg Attend to any bleeding wounds first. Stop the bleeding by pressing firmly on the site with a clean dressing. If a bone is protruding, apply pressure around the edges of the wound If bleeding is controlled, keep the wound covered with a clean dressing Never try to straighten broken bones For a limb fracture, provide support and comfort such as a pillow under the lower leg or forearm.
However, do not cause further pain or unnecessary movement of the broken bone Apply a splint to support the limb. Splints do not have to be professionally manufactured. Items like wooden boards and folded magazines can work for some fractures. You should immobilise the limb above and below the fracture Use a sling to support an arm or collarbone fracture Raise the fractured area if possible and apply a cold pack to reduce swelling and pain Stop the person from eating or drinking anything until they are seen by a doctor, in case they will need surgery In an emergency, call triple zero for an ambulance.
Diagnosis and treatment of bone fractures Doctors can diagnose bone fractures with x-rays. Depending on where the fracture is and how severe, treatment may include: Splints — to stop movement of the broken limb Braces — to support the bone Plaster cast — to provide support and immobilise the bone Traction — a less common option Surgically inserted metal rods or plates — to hold the bone pieces together Pain relief.
Operation procedure for bone fractures A cast made from plaster of Paris is one of the most common ways of immobilising a limb. Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, the operation procedures can include: Closed or simple fractures — the two ends of the broken bone are lined up and held in place. The limb is thoroughly bandaged, then the wet plaster is applied.
Sometimes, once the plaster is dry, the cast is split into two and the two halves are re-bandaged on the outside. This allows for any swelling that may occur Open or compound fractures — these are thoroughly cleaned in the operating room to remove debris before being set, because a broken bone exposed to the open air may become infected Long bones — long bones such as the bone of the thigh femur are difficult to keep aligned.
In adults these are often treated by internal nailing. A child may need traction for a couple of days before setting the bone in a cast. Once the two ends of bone start to show signs of healing, the leg and hip joint are immobilised in plaster of Paris.
0コメント