Hand fracture or broken hand

Hand fracture or broken hand

A Hand fracture means a break or crack in one or more bones of the hand. The injury is caused by direct falls, trauma, or accidents. Vehicle crashes also break the hand bones, sometimes into pieces, and require a surgical procedure for repairing. 

It is important to treat a broken hand as soon as possible. Otherwise, the bones might not align straight. This affects the ability to do everyday activities. Early treatment will minimize the risk of compilations.

Symptoms

A broken hand and hand fracture cause multiple signs and symptoms that include:BROKEN HAND SYMPTOMS CAUSES TREATMENT

  • Severe pain
  • Gripping or squeezing on moving hand
  • Swelling
  • Pain 
  • Tenderness
  • Bruising
  • Deformity, crooked finger
  • Stiffness or Unable to move hand, fingers, or thumb
Causes

Hand fractures or broken hand bones are caused by a direct fall or crushing injury. Vehicle accidents also cause hand bones to break, into many pieces. 

Risk factors

The risk of breaking a hand is increased if you participate in sports like football, soccer, rugby, or hockey, and multiple stunts. Also, Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the bones and increases the risk of breaking a hand. 

Complications

If not treated there are complications of a broken hand which are rare but severe, they include:

  • Low bone strength 
  • Permanent stiffness in bone
  • Ached bone
  • Longtime disability
  • Osteoarthritis 
  • Lifelong numbness 
  • Blood vessel and nerve damage
Treatment

If the broken bone doesn’t align, gaps occur between the pieces of bone or broken fragments and they may overlap. The doctor manipulates the broken pieces back into their real position. This procedure is known as a reduction. The procedure is done in General anesthesia or Local anesthesia and depends on the amount of pain and swelling the person has.

Whatever the treatment is, by moving fingers regularly while the fracture is healing helps to keep them away from stiffening. Ask the doctor about the best ways to move them or exercises for fingers. Quit Smoking if you do because it delays and prevents bone healing.

Medications

For reducing the pain, the doctor recommends over-the-counter pain-relieving medications. For severe pain, the patient might need opioid medication, for example, codeine.

If the person has an open fracture, which means if they have a wound or tear in the skin near the wound site, the person is more likely to be given an antibiotic to prevent i

infection.

Therapy

After the splint or crack is removed, the patient needs rehabilitation exercises and physical therapy to reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness, and revive movement of your hand. Rehabilitation is effective and helps a lot, but takes several months and longer for complete healing through exercises.

Surgical procedures

The person might need surgery for implantation of plates, rods, or screws to hold the bones in their place while they heal. A bone graft is also helpful to heal. There are further necessary options the doctor may suggest and the patient might need:

  • Open fracture
  • A fracture in which the bone pieces move before they heal
  • Loose bone fragments that could enter a joint
  • Fractures that extend into a joint. 

If bones move after reduction and immobilization with a cast or splint, the person might then need surgery.

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