Fracture
As anyone who has ever broken a bone already knows, broken bones are very painful. Not only are they painful, but they can also be very dangerous depending on where they are located. So, even if you don’t have access to an x-ray machine, there are ways to tell if someone has a broken bone. This way, you can get them the proper medical attention quickly.
1. Look at the injury
Photo by jesse k
First thing you want to do is take a look at the injury. Do you see anything abnormal about the injured part? Usually, if something is broken there is some kind of deformity in the way that the injured part looks.
For example, if it is an arm, it may look as if the person has an extra elbow, or from the wrist to the forearm may zigzag instead of being straight. Another sign of a break is bruising or discoloration in the skin and swelling. Compare the injured part to its counterpart on the other side of the person and see if there are any big differences between the two.
2. Talk to the victim
Talk to the injured person. Not only does this assist you with your assessment but it can also help keep the victim from going into shock. Find out how the injury happened and how far they fell when they injured the part. The further the fall and the greater the impact will help you to determine whether or not this is a broken bone. Also, the amount of pain that the victim is having can also point to a broken bone. Ask the person how badly it hurts, and if they think it is broken.
3. Touch the area gently
Very gently touch the area and see how the person reacts when you touch it. Is there a certain spot on the injured area that is especially painful? Does the area feel unstable? Are there spasms in the muscles surrounding the injured area? Instability and muscle spasms are both indicator of a possible fracture.
So, things to look for when assessing for a fracture:
Pain in the injured part
Discoloration
Swelling
instability
muscle spasms
Once you have assessed the victim and have decided that they do indeed have a fracture, you should avoid moving the victim at all costs unless they are in immediate danger because any movement could injure the person worse.
Even if you aren’t a medical expert, there are things that you can do to keep the personal comfortable until help arrives.
1. Cover the victim
This will help keep them from going into shock.
2. Elevate the injured part
Elevating the injury will help to keep swelling down. Move the part very gently when elevating it so that you do not make the injury worse.
3. Look for other injuries
Check the victim over for other injuries and clean cuts and other open wounds, but do not do anything if the fracture is an open or compound fracture.
4. Do not cover over the injured part
You want to be able to monitor the fractured part, so it’s important to have a clear view of it and be able to tell emergency personnel if there have been any changes to the injury since it happened.
5. Remove tight clothing or jewelry
If you can do it without affecting the injured part of the body, remove any tight clothing or jewelry from the victim. Especially in cases where a fracture is suspected, it’s important to keep the circulation going in the victim’s body.
Above all, remain calm and help to keep the victim calm. An injury and pain is hard on the body, but when they are excited, it makes it even harder on the body.
