![]() In some cases, the surgeon will immobilize your fracture by using an external fixation device. ![]() If your bones move, you might then need surgery. So your doctor likely will monitor your progress with X-rays. Damage to the surrounding ligaments, nerves or blood vesselsĮven after reduction and immobilization with a cast or splint, your bones can shift.Loose bone fragments that could enter a joint.A fracture in which the bone pieces move before they heal.These options might be necessary if you have: A bone graft might be used to help healing. You might need surgery to implant pins, plates, rods or screws to hold your bones in place while they heal. With external fixation, a metal frame outside your body immobilizes the fracture with two or more pins that pass through your skin and into the bone on either side of the fracture. Rehabilitation can help, but it can take several months or longer for complete healing. TherapyĪfter your cast or splint is removed, you'll likely need rehabilitation exercises or physical therapy to reduce stiffness and restore movement in your wrist. If you have an open fracture, in which you have a wound or break in the skin near the wound site, you'll likely be given an antibiotic to prevent infection that could reach the bone. Ask your doctor if you can take them for pain relief. NSAIDs can help with pain but might also hamper bone healing, especially if used long-term. ![]() If your pain is severe, you might need an opioid medication, such as codeine. To reduce pain, your doctor might recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever. You'll be advised to keep your hand above heart level as much as possible to reduce swelling and pain. To do this, you'll likely need a splint or a cast. Restricting the movement of a broken bone in your wrist is critical to proper healing. Smoking can delay or prevent bone healing. Ask your doctor about the best ways to move them. Whatever your treatment, it's important to move your fingers regularly while the fracture is healing to keep them from stiffening. Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you might need a local or general anesthetic before this procedure. Your doctor will need to manipulate the pieces back into position, a procedure known as a reduction. Matthew Drake, MD, please use our online tool or call or text our office at 81.If the broken ends of the bone aren't aligned properly, there can be gaps between the pieces of bone or fragments might overlap. If the wrist is sore after a fall, be concerned, and get it checked out! However, the essential part for me is to have the opportunity to perform an expert evaluation. One of the most fulfilling aspects of my practice is to help patients treat problems in a simple, practical fashion leading to good outcomes. Many times, the initial x-ray will not even show a fracture, therefore a cast should be applied and a follow up needs to occur in two weeks to determine best next steps. If there is tenderness over the scaphoid bone, x-rays should be taken. These problems are usually preventable! If a wrist injury occurs, particularly in the young athletic male age group, medical evaluation is advised. If the scaphoid does not heal, long term problems of wrist arthritis are sure to develop. If even a one -month delay occurs before treatment begins, the risk of the bone not healing or requiring a much more invasive surgery goes up significantly. Once the bone heals, the usual outcome is no long -term problems. If recognized right away, most scaphoid fractures will heal in a cast or with a minor procedure to place a screw inside the bone. The scaphoid bone has a difficult time healing due to poor blood supply, it’s just the way we are built. This is the most common location for a fracture. Illustration and x-ray showing a break in the mid-portion, or “waist,” of the scaphoid. However, if the scaphoid bone was broken and not treated, trouble is on the horizon. The initial symptoms are wrist pain and swelling, which does improve with time. Teenage boys and young men engaging in sports often break this bone after a hard fall at play. The scaphoid is a small peanut shaped bone in the wrist. A common issue I see in my practice is the scaphoid non-union. Drake, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeonīumps and bruises can often feel like minor issues that don’t require medical attention, however sometimes that is not the case.
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