Broken Bone

Fracture

Broken bones, or fractures, are a relatively common occurrence.  The average person will undergo two fractures in his or her life.  A fracture occurs when a bone is broken or cracked.  This injury most commonly occurs as a result of trauma, but fractures can also happen when a person's bone strength is compromised by osteoporosis or other degenerative bone diseases.  When bones are weakened, trivial amounts of stress or damage can cause the bone to break.

Because fractures share many of the same symptoms as sprains and strains, it's important to have any injury examined by a doctor to determine exactly what damage the tissues have undergone.  Swift treatment is vital to ensuring that the bone heals correctly and without any complications.

 

 

Fractures are generally divided into four categories:

-- Displaced fractures, where the bone snaps in a way that its pieces do not align cleanly.  The affected body part may appear malformed and will not be able to support weight.  If the bone is broken in multiple places, it's called a comminuted fracture. 

-- Non-displaced fractures are those where the bone is cracked or broken but the pieces stay in alignment with each other.  The patient may or may not be able to put weight on or use the affected area.  These fractures can sometimes mimic the symptoms of a sprain or strain. 

-- A closed fracture can be either displaced or non-displaced.  Any fracture where the bones stay contained within the skin is considered a closed fracture. 

-- An open fracture is one that breaks the skin.  The broken ends of the bone may puncture through the skin, or it may recede back inside the wound.  In either case, open fractures are very serious because they pose a significant risk of infection. 

Some fractures are easy to diagnose.  If the limb appears malformed or any bones are visible, the fracture is obviously present.  Broken bones can have subtler symptoms, however, and the patient may not realize right away that the bone is broken.  Some signs of a fracture include swelling, bruising, tenderness and weakness in the affected area.

Treatment for a fracture consists of immobilizing the affected bone, reducing inflammation and managing pain while the bone regenerates and the fracture closes.  NSAID painkillers may be sufficient for some cases, but some patients will require stronger medications to manage their pain. Displaced fractures may require surgical intervention to realign the broken pieces of bones, and the use of bone screws and plates can help to reconstruct severely fractured bones.