Did you know the average person suffers bone fracture at least twice in their lifetime? Although most are traumatic, some bone fractures are pathological and caused by certain underlying conditions.
Are you at risk? The risk of bone fractures depends, to some extent on your age. Broken bones are common in children and seniors because as we age our bones become brittle and affect bone strength and stability.
Bones connect the joints and muscles, enable us to move, and also protect our organs from damage. Our bones are strong and able to withstand pressure, but when excess force is exerted on them, it can cause a crack, break or fracture.
Since the bone detaches from muscle support, you should treat it as a medical emergency and visit an ER near you.
Bone fractures occur differently depending on the force exerted and the location.
You have a closed or simple fracture if the bone doesn’t tear the skin. Open fractures, on the other hand, breaks the skin and exposes it to infections.
An incomplete bone fracture is just that, incomplete meaning the bone cracks, but doesn’t break all through. Incomplete fractures are more common children than adults because they have soft bones likely to bend.
Complete fractures occur when the bone is crushed into two or more pieces and affects people of all ages.
Apart from falls and accidents, fractures could be caused by bone diseases like osteoporosis. Healthy bones are strong, tough and resilient, and can withstand powerful impacts. However, our bone density decreases with age making the bone weak and brittle. This further increases the risk of falling and bone fractures.
Other than the excruciating pain and the vivid view of a dislodged bone, you might experience other symptoms like;
As aforementioned, bone fractures are a medical emergency and should be treated with urgency. Come to our 24-hour freestanding emergency room in Temple. We also have a 24/7 pediatric emergency room to cater to all conditions.
When you visit our Express ER in Temple center, the doctor will do a diagnosis and assessment using x-rays and other digital scans to determine the location of the fracture and the extent of the tissue damage, if any.
Often, bone fractures heal automatically, however, the doctor will give you certain treatments to hasten the process.
Immobilization takes 2-8 weeks, but the duration depends on the area affected and whether you have complications.
The doctor may prescribe physical therapy after the bone has healed to restore strength and mobility of the affected bone.
Surgery is done as a last resort if you have skin and tissue damage around the affected area.
Delayed unions are bones that take longer to heal while non-unions are fractures that don’t heal at all; in both cases, you will need advanced treatments such as;
Yes, certain complications may arise;
Bone fractures at times can be unavoidable, but you can reduce the risk using these tips;
When a bone fracture occurs, don’t wait, call us immediately to prevent any complications that may arise.