What is a fracture?
Bone fractures are a violation of their integrity. Most often, fractures occur when the bone is suddenly exposed to significant mechanical force, when the skeletal system is not changed. Bone fracture treatment depends on the degree of damage to the latter, as well as the nature of the trauma.
Fracture symptoms
This kind of injury has characteristic manifestations that make it possible to identify pathology when it occurs, which is very important to exclude complications. The main relative signs of a fracture are:
- Pain syndrome: sharp ache when a bone breaks and aching pain in the future, moreover, intensifying with longitudinal load or its imitation.
- Puffiness: swelling in the affected area develops gradually.
- Hematoma: different sizes in the affected area; a hematoma with pulsation indicates continued bleeding.
The absolute sign of bone fractures occurs as a result of direct destruction of the bone and indicates the completion of the process. These signs of a fracture are:
- A characteristic crunch: occurs when the bone tissue breaks.
- Unnatural direction of a limb or other bone.
- Increased mobility with a ruptured joint.
- Bone fragments are visible visually with an open fracture.
- Shortening of the limb when the fragments are displaced, protrusion of the broken bone.
Some signs of a trauma without displacement or incomplete fracture may not appear, making fracture treatment difficult. In case of such an accident, call our medical center and our doctors will do their best to help you as soon as possible.
What are the 7 types of fractures?
As a rule, there are several types of fractures, such as:
- Congenital fractures: occurring in utero, due to underdevelopment of the bone skeleton of the fetus, and when force is used to extract the fetus during childbirth.
- Acquired fractures: arising in the course of human life.
- Traumatic fractures: occur under the influence of mechanical force that exceeds the elasticity of normal bone.
- Pathological fractures: appear as a result of osteomyelitis, tuberculosis, syphilis, echinococcosis of bones and other pathological processes.
According to the presence or absence of damage to the skin, there may be open vs closed fracture. Open ones are considered more dangerous, as they can be accompanied by increased pain syndrome, profuse bleeding, infection of soft tissues and bones.
By localization, fractures are divided into:
- epiphyseal;
- metaphyseal;
- diaphyseal.
Besides, the fractures are classified: from squeezing, compression, twisting and tearing. Depending on the number of injuries, they are divided into single and multiple.
Fracture treatment
The main tasks of treating a victim with bone fractures are to save his life and preserve the limb, restore the integrity of the bone and the anatomical shape of the joint, the function of the injured limb and the victim’s ability to work. First aid is aimed at preventing the displacement of bone fragments, damage to soft tissues, wound infection, the development of traumatic shock and massive blood loss.
Conservative treatment depends on fracture symptoms and consists in immobilization, use of plaster casts after closed reduction of the fracture or without it. Surgical treatment is necessary for fractures of the jaw, restoration of spongy bones, excessive formation of calluses, etc.
Recovery time varies from several weeks to several months, including rehabilitation with massage and physical therapy. Depending on your fracture type, our team of professionals will immediately relieve the trauma and draw up a plan for further treatment.