Bone Fractures- types, treatment, and symptoms

Bone Fractures! Has it ever happened that you have had a fall, and after that, the pain persists in your bone? When you visit a healthcare provider, they tell you it is a fracture?

It often happens with millions of people in the world annually. Fracture, also known as a broken bone, is a condition in which the continuity of your bone is broken. Mostly, it happens due to high impact shock, like motor vehicle accidents, falling, or high impact shocks.  However, it can happen due to other various reasons too. A fracture can also occur due to bone conditions like osteoporosis or osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, or malignancies like multiple myeloma. When a fracture happens due to any other health condition, it is known as a pathological fracture. A fracture can break your bone into two or multiple pieces.

A fracture takes quite a long time to heal. Sometimes you may even need to have bed rest. Treatment of fractures depends on the kind of it that happened. Sometimes over-the-counter pain relievers are enough, while sometimes, you may need to get a surgery done. Generally, to finalize the diagnosis of fracture, your healthcare provider may ask to get an X-ray done. However, now you can also get MRI in Lahore done. 

What are the Types of Bone Fractures?

Depending on the features, a fracture is classified into various types. The categories can include;

• Closed fracture- a type in which skin does not open or a wound is not formed.
• Open fracture- also known as a compound fracture, in which skin opens or a wound is formed. It usually happens due to high impact shock.
• Complete fracture- a type in which bone breaks completely into two parts.
• Displaced fracture- a type of fracture in which a gap occurs where a break occurs. Often, it needs surgery to get treated.
• Partial fracture- a type of fracture in which break does not go all the way through the bone.
• Stress fracture- a fracture in which bone gets a crack in it. It is sometimes difficult to find.

The further classification of partial, complete, open, and closed fractures can be discussed as follows.

• Avulsion- the ligament or tendon pulls the part of the bone off. Tendon connects muscles to bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones.
• Comminuted- a fracture in which bone is shattered into various little pieces.
• Compression- also known as crush fracture, is a fracture in which the bone gets flattened or crushed. Mostly, it occurs in the spongy bone of the spine.
• Impacted- bones get driven together.
• Oblique- a fracture in which a break in the bone occurs diagonally.
• Spiral- at least one part of the bone gets twisted.
• Transverse- the break occurs in a straight line across the bone.

What are the Symptoms of Bone Fracture?

Bone Fractures! The signs and symptoms of fractured bone vary with the type of fracture that occurred, bone involved, patient’s general health, age, and history. However, the common signs and symptoms of a fracture may be;

• Pain in the bone
• Swelling
• Bruising in the affected area
• The affected area may be bent at an unusual angle- a condition called angulation.
• The patient is unable to lift a weight from the affected area
• The patient is unable to move the affected area
• A grating sensation in the affected area- either bone or joint
• Bleeding if the fracture is open

If the large bone-like pelvis or femur is fractured, the patient may look sick and pale and have nausea and vomiting.

If it is possible, try not to move the person with a broken bone until medical help arrives. If you lift the person in the wrong position it may further complicate the case. But if the person is in a dangerous position, like in the middle of a busy road, you have to act fast and save their life.

What is the Treatment for Bone Fracture?

The healthcare providers will prescribe over-the-counter pain relievers to get rid of pain and will apply cast and splint to immobilize the affected area. Doing that helps in the regrowth of the bone. However, if it occurs in the areas like toes or fingers- an area whose bone is small, they may just put a cast.

Sometimes the healthcare provider may need to put traction around your bone to promote its healing by pulling the muscles and ligaments.

In some cases, you may need to get surgery done in which the healthcare providers use fixators, stainless steel screws, and plates to hold the bone steady.

Conclusion

Bone fracture is a painful condition that needs urgent medical help. If left untreated, the shape of your bone may deform. Therefore it is essential to visit a healthcare provider. You can also get an MRI in Karachi done.

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