Fractures - Symptoms - Better Medicine

What are the symptoms of fractures?

Symptoms of fractures commonly include pain, swelling, bruising, and a change of shape at the surface of the skin due to the protrusion of a bone in the affected region. More rarely, a fracture can break through your skin, resulting in bone protruding from a wound.

Common symptoms of fractures

You may experience fracture symptoms immediately after an injury, while sometimes it may take more time for symptoms to appear. Common symptoms of a fracture include:

Bleeding
Deformity
Inability to move a joint
Numbness and tingling in the affected region
Pain
Redness and warmth
Swelling

Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition

In some cases, fractures can be life threatening. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms:

Bone protruding through the skin
Confusion or loss of consciousness for even a brief moment
Profuse bleeding
Suspected fracture of the neck, back, skull, pelvis, hips or femur
Vision changes or loss

INTRODUCTION

What are fractures?

A fracture is a broken bone. Fractures can range in severity from a crack (known as a hairline or greenstick fracture), to a complete break and separation of a bone that may protrude through your skin (known as an open or compound fracture).... Read more about fractures introduction

CAUSES

What causes fractures?

Your bones are some of the strongest tissues in your body. If an impact or a force is stronger than the strength of the bone on which it is acting, then a fracture may result. The most common causes of fracture are falls, motor vehicle accidents, and a weakening of the bone called osteoporosis.... Read more about fractures causes

TREATMENTS

How are fractures treated?

Fractures are treated in a variety of ways. The intention of most treatments is to realign the fractured bones in their original orientation and then to eliminate movement so the bones can heal. Realignment of the bone pieces in a fracture is known as reduction of the fracture. Treatment can vary from using ice and pain relievers (for a mild broken nose) to immediate emergency surgery.... Read more about fractures treatments