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A fracture is a serious physical injury in which muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and even nerves can be damaged by a broken bone. “Open” fractures are often accompanied by visible wounds and potentially infection. "Closed" fractures are when a bone fracture without external wound, less damaged than an open fracture but still painful and requires time to heal. Within these two basic types of fractures, many other types of fractures are also classified.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Identify the pattern of a fracture

1. 

   Understand open fractures. This is a cut through the skin, also known as a shoot fracture, and there is a risk of bacteria getting in and leading to infection. Look closely at the area around the impact or suspect a broken bone, if you see bones protrude or see any Part of the bone, it is an open fracture.

2. 

   
   
   Understand closed fractures. Closed fractures, as the name implies, occur when a bone breaks but does not puncture the skin. With this fracture the bone can remain in place, fracture horizontal, oblique fracture or fracture.
   • A intact fracture is when the fracture remains in line, barely deviating from its original position, and is also called a non-displacement fracture.
   • Oblique fracture is when the fracture occurs at an angle relative to the straight line of the bone.
   • A fracture (also called fragmentation) is when a bone breaks into three or more segments.
   • A transverse fracture is when the fracture occurs on a line relatively straight and perpendicular to the line of the bone.

3. 

   
   
   Recognize a fractured bone. There are two types of fractures that meet this criterion, but it is not easy to distinguish them. Subsidence fractures (also called avocado fractures) usually occur at the end of long bones when one bone is pressed against another. Compression fracture is similar to subsidence fracture, but usually occurs in the vertebra when the spongy bone deflates.
   • Compression fractures usually heal on their own over time, but keep an eye on the healing process. Subsidence fractures must be treated with surgery.

4. 

   
   
   Distinguish incomplete fractures. An incomplete fracture does not separate the bone into two separate pieces, but still presents the typical symptoms of a fracture. There are different variations of incomplete fractures:
   • Fresh branch fracture is incomplete transverse fracture, which mainly occurs in children because immature bones do not break completely into two parts under pressure.
   • A hair fracture (also known as a compression fracture) is difficult to detect with X-rays because it only presents as a very thin line. They will be easier to see after weeks of fracture.
   • A concave fracture is when a bone is indented. All bones at the intersection of fine fissures may be concave.
   • An incomplete fracture also has most of the same symptoms as a complete fracture. If a leg or arm is swollen, bruised, or bent, it is a sign of a fracture. They can deform and swing at an irregular angle. If the pain is so severe that you can't use your arms or legs to do everyday tasks, chances are your bone is broken.

5. 

   Understand other types of fractures. There are many other types of fracture categories based on the location of the fracture and how the injury occurred. Knowing the types of fractures will help you better understand, thereby finding ways to avoid or treat broken bones.
   • Torsion fractures occur when too great a torque is applied to a leg or arm, resulting in a fracture.
   • A longitudinal fracture occurs when a bone breaks on a vertical axis along its length.
   • A fracture is when a piece of bone where the ligament attached to the main bone is pulled away from the main bone. This injury can occur in a motorcycle accident when the victim tries to support his arms and legs while falling, resulting in shoulder and knee injuries.
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Part 2 of 3: Recognize the symptoms

1. 

   Pay attention to the click. If you hear a clicking sound from your arms or legs during a sudden fall or impact, chances are your bone is broken. Depending on the force applied, the severity and the angle of the fracture, the bone will break into two or more parts. The sound you hear is actually a cry when a bone or group of bones is broken under a sudden impact.
   • Some documents also refer to the sound of a crack when a bone is broken as a "crack".

2. 

   Immediate and severe pain, followed by numbness and tingling.You also experience burning pain (except for a rupture of a skull) with varying degrees after the injury. Numb or cold if the area below the broken bone is not getting enough blood. Since the muscles have to work harder to keep the broken bone in place, you may also notice muscle contraction.

3. 

   Watch for pain, swelling and bruising, with or without bleeding. The surrounding tissues swell because the blood vessels are damaged and cause blood to flow at the site of the injury. This causes fluid to build up, causing swelling and pain to the touch.
   • Blood flows in visible tissue in the form of a bruise. The bruise begins with a purple / blue color, then turns green and yellow as the blood is absorbed again. You may find the bruise a bit away from the fracture as blood from broken blood vessels travels there.
   • External bleeding occurs only if you have an open fracture and the bone is exposed or protruding from the skin.

4. 

   Look for signs of deformity in the limbs. Depending on the severity of the fracture, your arm or leg may be deformed, for example the wrist is bent at an abnormal angle, or the leg or arm has an unnatural bend in a position where there is no joint. In a closed fracture, the bone structure inside the limb is changed. In an open fracture, the bone will bulge out at the site of the injury.

5. 

   Watch for signs of shock. When the body loses a lot of blood (including internal bleeding), the blood pressure can drop suddenly and shock the victim. When shocked, the victim's body becomes pale, warm or red, but then when the blood vessels expand excessively, their skin becomes cold and wet. They become silent, lethargic, nauseous and / or dizzy. The breathing is rapid at first, but slowly decreases to a dangerous level if a lot of blood is lost.
   • It is normal to be shocked when trauma occurs. However, some people experience only very few symptoms of shock, so they may not realize they have broken a bone. If you are hit hard and even notice a single symptom of shock, you should go to the hospital immediately.

6. 

   The range of motion is impaired or abnormal. If a broken bone is located near a joint, it is usually difficult to move your limbs, which is a sign of the fracture. It is difficult to move your limbs without pain, or the injured part of your body cannot bear the load. advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Get a diagnosis by your doctor

1. 

   Seek medical attention immediately. Your doctor will often ask you about the situation of the injury, which will help them locate a potential fracture.
   • If you have had a fracture in the past, let your doctor know.
   • They often check for other signs of fracture such as pulse rate, skin discoloration, body temperature, bleeding, swelling or external injury.All of this information helps doctors to quickly assess fractures and to schedule treatment.

2. 

   X-ray. This is the first course of action when a doctor suspects or discovers a broken bone. X-rays allow you to find a break and help your doctor analyze the extent of the injury.
   • Before starting they will ask you to take off all your jewelry and metal objects, depending on the position of your body. You may have to stand, sit or lie down, and they may even ask you to stay still or hold your breath while taking the photo.

3. 

   Bone scan. If an X-ray can't find the fracture, they must scan the bone. A bone scan is not the same as a CT or MRI scan. Your doctor will inject you a small amount of radioactive material several hours before the scan, then monitor the radioactive material's path in your body to detect where the bone is showing signs of recovery.

4. 

   Request a CT scan (computed tomography). A CT scan is great for checking for internal or other physical injuries. Doctors perform this test when they notice a complex fracture or a broken bone. After combining multiple X-rays into a single computerized image, a hologram of the fracture was obtained with the CT scan.

5. 

   Consider an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. MRI scans use radio and computer pulses to capture detailed pictures of a part of the body. In the case of a fracture, an MRI scan can provide more information about the extent of the injury, which is useful for distinguishing between bone damage and cartilage damage from ligaments. advertisement

Advice

• Seek medical attention right away if you think you have broken a bone.