Symptoms, Fracture Treatment and Prevention

August 23, 2011

A break in the bone or the underlying tissue surrounding it is called Bone Fracture and it results in the inability of that part to bear the body and resulting pain. A fracture can occur due to various reasons be it an accident, an assault, slipping or falling from a height, bone disease like osteoporosis and rickets that gradually affects the bone. The symptoms of a fracture and fracture treatment may differ depending on the types of bone fracture, its location, as well as its severity. The terms medically used for a fracture is a crack or a spilt and it can be of any size. If only the bone breaks without affecting the tissues it is called as closed or simple fracture but what’s more complicated is open or compound fracture. In this kind of fracture the broken bone damages the underlying tissue and the skin that is difficult to treat as it has complications of infection.

Another type of fracture is the hairline fracture also known as stress fracture which occurs due to the prolonged stress on a particular bone. During a fracture if there is a tear in Periosteum surrounding the bone, it leads to the damage in the blood vessel which further results is hemorrhage or clotting of blood and swelling. Symptom of a bone fracture can vary from a mild pain to brutal pain, bleeding and helplessness in moving that body part. It might also result in the inability to breathe if it’s a rib fracture and might hurt the patient on each breath. Fracture treatment involves immobilization of the fractured part and usually it is done using a cast mould to help if from dislocating. Cast and fiberglass are used depending on the availability and requirement and in most of the cases in which the dame is not that sever, splints are used. Splint is a more comfortable option available and provides almost similar results as a cast.

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