A fracture is a ‘bone break or crack’ which can occur secondary to trauma, falls or high impact injuries, contact sports or osteoporosis. Fractures are quite common in all age groups and medical care should be sought immediately after.
What are the symptoms of fractures?
Signs and symptoms of fractures can vary according to the bone affected. Most often, the following symptoms are observed: pain, bruising, swelling, bending of the bone at an unusual angle, discoloration around the affected area, grating sensation around the affected joint or bone and bleeding if it is an open type of fracture. When a large joint or bone is affected, patient should be taken immediately to an orthopedic Surgeon in Lahore. In case a large joint is involved, the patient looks clammy and pale, feels intense nausea and might even lose consciousness.
What is the first aid for broken bone?
First-aid just after a broken bone can greatly help the patient till professional help arrives. Here is what you should focus on:
Stop the bleeding: for any bleeding wound, apply pressure to the wound, to decrease the loss of blood. Use a sterile piece of cloth, or a clean bandage to apply pressure to the wound. Elevation and pressure application are ideal to staunch the flow of blood until help arrives. If bandages are used, be sure to check every fifteen minutes if they are too tight or too loose.
Do not move the broken area: keep the affected region as still as possible. For instance, if someone broke their arm bone, be sure to tell them to keep the arm still. Immobilization helps to prevent damage to the internal structures due to the break, like the nerves and the blood vessels. A splint can be used to keep the limbs immobilized. Do not attempt to restore the position of the bone, or a dislocation back into place, as this could exacerbate the fracture.
Call for help: as soon as you suspect a fracture, call for help immediately. Professional care should be sought immediately for a fracture, and the patient should be stabilized as soon as possible. Sometimes, it’s difficult for a first aider to tell if there is a fracture or not; in this case, the injury should be treated as a fracture.
Apply cold pack: injured area should be iced for a period of ten minutes at a time to help deal with the swelling. Use a cold pack, or ice wrapped in a bag or cloth for this purpose.
Treat for shock: shock is quite common following a fracture; to deal with shock, get the patient in a comfortable position and cover them with a blanket or a cloth. Keep the patient warm and reassure them.
Start CPR: if the patient is not breathing, start CPR, or get the patient to an emergency room for prompt treatment.
The goal of treatment for fractures by Orthopedic Surgeon in Islamabad is to reduce the damage caused by the fracture, allow the fracture to heal, prevent infection and to restore functioning of the injured limb.