Bone Fractures: Causes and Symptoms

'Fracture' is a medical term for a broken bone. According to an estimate, an average person has two fractures within their lifetime. When a force exerted is stronger than the bone itself, it can lead to a fracture. The risk and chance of fracture depend on your age. With age, bones tend to become brittle and, hence, a fall that would have been potentially harmless years ago can lead to a broken bone at a later age.

There are many types of bone fractures, but the main types are:

Closed fracture: A fracture in which the bone breaks but does not tear through the skin

Open fracture: Where the broken bone punctures through the skin and protrudes out. There's a greater chance of bone infection in an open fracture

Displaced fracture: In this type of fracture the bone snaps into more than two parts

Nondisplaced fracture: The bone cracks partly or wholly but it does continue to move

Some of the common signs and symptoms of a fracture are:

- Bruising and swelling of the bones
- Open fractures marked by protruding bones from the skin
- Loss of locomotive and functional ability of the injured area
- Deformity of the injured area
- Pain in the event of movement of the injured area

A fracture can be caused by a number of reasons, and they are:

- Injuries and accidents
- Falls and slips
- Wear and tear through overuse
- Sport injuries
- Fist fights and brawls
- Osteoporosis (a disease which causes bones to weaken in adults)
- Osteomalacia ( a disease caused due to softening of your bones, which is caused by a vitamin D deficiency.) Soft bones are more likely to bow and fracture than are harder, healthy bones.

Note:

Osteomalacia is not the same as osteoporosis. Osteomalacia occurs due to a defect in the bone-building process while osteoporosis develops due to a weakening of existing bones.



Bone Fractures: Causes and Symptoms

Spinal fractures occur as a result of an injury or dislocation of the bony vertebra. This causes the bone fragments to pinch and damage the spinal cord. Fractures can occur anywhere along the spine but the most common site of fracture is the lower back.

What causes spinal fractures?

Spinal fractures are often a result of the following-

  A sudden traumatic injury
  A high-velocity accident
  Falling from a height
  Sports injuries
  Spinal instability
  A whiplash

Types of spinal fractures:

Spinal fractures are classified into three categories, such as the following-

  Compression fracture - If you exert excessive pressure on the vertebra, it will break. This type of fracture occurs when the bones in the spine become fragile or weak to the extent that they easily crumble. People living with osteoporosis, certain types of cancer or tumours are prone to a compression fracture.

  Dislocation - When the discs and/or ligaments linking the vertebrae is torn or stretched, the bones may dislocate or come out of alignment.

  Fracture-dislocation - Torn ligament and broken bone lead to this condition. A fracture-dislocation is a debilitating condition and often requires surgical intervention.

Symptoms of spine fractures:

Following an accident or an injury, you can tell if you have ended up fracturing your spinal column by identifying these symptoms-

  Excruciating pain
  Tingling sensation
  Numbness
  Muscle spasm
  Swelling of the muscle
  Sudden onset of back pain
  Restricted spinal mobility
  The pain worsens if you walk or stand for long
  Deformity or disability of the spine

How are spinal fractures treated?

Spinal fracture treatment begins with administering pain-management drugs and medications to ease the symptoms, and stabilization methods to prevent injury. Depending on the nature of the fracture, your doctor may follow these lines of treatment-

  Fusion and instrumentation - These are surgical procedures to cure unstable fractures. Fusion refers to the joining of the vertebrae using a bone graft along with hardware such as hooks, rods, plates, or pedicle screws. The bone graft joins the vertebrae below and above to form a solid piece of bone.

  Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty - These are minimally invasive procedures, wherein the surgeon injects bone cement into the fractured body through a needle. During kyphoplasty, the surgeon first inserts and inflates a balloon to expand the compressed vertebrae and then fills it with bone cement.

Spinal fractures are an extremely uncomfortable and painful condition to live with. It can hinder your day-to-day activities and affect your quality of life. It is imperative that you seek immediate treatment if you end up with fractures or dislocation of the spine.

Spine Fracture - How Can You Get It Fixed?

Stress fractures are small cracks that may appear in a bone. It occurs due to repetitive application of force in the same area. It is very common among various sports such as running, tennis and football. It may also occur due to osteoporosis as this disorder weakens the bones and allows stress fractures to occur easily.


The majority of stress fractures occur due to overuse of a specific muscle. The bones and the muscles used in a specific movement do not get time to recover, thus leading to stress fracture.


Causes
The major cause of stress fracture is change in physical activity, such as a sudden increase in exercise. The other factors that may lead to stress fracture are -


1. Poor conditioning: if you are starting an exercise regimen without proper preparation, then it may cause stress on the muscles. It is important that you condition your body before doing any intense activity to prevent injuries.


2. Bone insufficiency: various disorders such as osteoporosis reduces bone strength and increases the likelihood of a stress fracture. If you have low bone density then you are at a higher risk of having stress fractures.


3. Change in surface: change in surface like shifting from running on grass to road tends to cause more stress on the legs, thus increasing the likelihood of a fracture.


4. Improper form: performing any exercise with improper form may lead to a number of injuries. It is recommended to learn the correct technique before exercising, so you may use a spotter or a trainer to guide you.


Symptoms
The symptoms of a stress fracture are: 


1. Pain: you may experience dull to severe pain if you have stress fractures. The severity of pain will depend on the severity of the fracture.


2. Swelling: pain may be accompanied by swelling on the sides and the top of the foot.


3. Tenderness: stress fractures may cause tenderness in the muscles around the affected area.

Causes and Symptoms of Stress Fracture

A broken wrist is known as a wrist fracture and it may occur due to a variety of causes starting from undue pressure on the wrist which can result in an injury as well as debilitating conditions like arthritis, which makes the bones and joints prone to fractures. There are also non displaced breaks, which are stable kinds of fractures and in which, the wrist remains in its place. Let us find out more about the kinds of fractures and the procedures for treatment of the same.

Type of Fracture: The wrist is basically made up of eight small bones that connect the two long arm bones, which are known as the radius and ulna and create the forearm. The broken wrist can take place in any of these bones. A hand surgeon will generally take a look at this kind of fracture and determine whether it is displaced, stable or open. As discussed earlier, a wrist fracture can be of various types. While a non displaced wrist fracture is a more stable kind that does not really require much more than rest or medication, a displaced wrist fracture is a non stable kind where dislocation happens.

Other Factors: There are a variety of other factors that will be taken into consideration in order to repair this kind of a fracture. To begin with, the Orthopaedic specialist will consider your age and the kind of job, hobbies and other kinds of activities that you indulge in. Also, the doctor will try to ascertain whether or not you are in good health on an overall basis. The presence of other injuries will also be taken into account for this kind of an injury in there has been a bike or car accident that has caused the fracture.

Treatment: The method of treatment will vary as per the considerations listed above. A padded splint may be installed in order to align and support the bones and wrist respectively, so that there is ample relief from the acute pain as well. Further, an unstable fracture will require a cast as to support the entire forearm and give proper rest to the region so that the bone can grow back together and get aligned again. Surgery may also be required for very severe cases, and pins, screws, metals and plates may also be used depending on the exact location and type of fracture.

Recovery: Remember to move your fingers as much as you can so as to prevent them from getting stiff while they are held up in a splint or a cast.
Hand therapy will be helpful in gaining back motion and function of the wrist.

Wrist Fracture Procedure - Facts You Should Know About 

Breaking a bone can be counted among one of the most painful experiences that one can possibly suffer from. Inflicted usually by external injuries, fractured bones generally require surgeries for recuperation. In the occasion of minor fractures however, plasters often facilitate recovery. Although these are the primary treatments that are meted out, recovering from fractured bones entail much more. For some, the time to restore normalcy takes longer than others. In such cases, one tends to opt for palliatives to ease out the pain.

Homeopathic medicines not only offer respite to the pain but also provide a holistic cure for the emotional anxiety one goes through in such times. Many therefore seek out homeopathic remedies for treating bone fractures. Some of the most effective antidotes in this regard have been enlisted below.

1. Arnica: Arnica is extremely helpful at curbing swelling and as a consequence, reducing pain. Prolonged use of Arnica can potentially minimize the swelling to absolute normalcy.
2. Hypericum: This soothes the fracture induced pains, especially when the fractures affect the nerves. This is a beneficial remedy for fractures in fingers, toes and the spinal regions.
3. Bryonia: Bryonia is known to bring relief in cases of the jarring pain that surfaces post trauma. Sometimes, even the slightest movement in the affected area can lead to a lot of distress. This is an ideal cure for such cases.
4. Calcarea Phosphorica: This speeds up the healing process following a bone fracture. Consumption of Calcarea Phosphorica accords a calming effect on the moods of the patient and helps to deal better with the pain, anxiety and irritability in the due course.
5. Eupatorium Perfoliatum: This helps in mitigating deep wounds and the consequent aches. The healing powers of Eupatorium Perfoliatum are extremely pervasive and results in quicker recovery.
6. Ruta Graveolens: This re-nourishes the damaged body fibers and soothes the bruised areas. It is also known to reduce restlessness.
7. Symphytum: It is extremely helpful in the rejoining of bones. It enables the body to heal faster and effectively cures joint pains.

5 Best Homeopathic Medicine for Bone Fracture Treatment

A bone fracture occurs when a strong external force is applied on the bones causing it to break. It is an extremely painful condition that results in days of immobility and rest. There are several reasons which can result in bone fracture, some of them being:

1. Injuries caused in sports
Any sport requires and demands extreme physical exertion and participation. Being involved in any sport therefore automatically increases your risk of incurring injuries. Bone fractures therefore are mostly reported during sports.

2. Osteoporosis
Due to the deficiency of calcium, the bones of both men and women tend to get weak and more susceptible to fracture and breakage. It is one of the primary causes that lead to bone fracture.

3. Osteomalacia
This also refers to a condition wherein the bones become weak and brittle. Much like osteoporosis, osteomalacia too significantly contributes to instances of bone fractures.

4. Osteosarcoma
This is a rare form of bone cancer that most often develops either near the femur or near the shinbone. An instance of this form of bone cancer is most often found in children and weakens the bone, consequently leading to fractures.

Though there may be different causes of broken fractures, its symptoms remain similar. Some of them are-

1. Swelling
One of the most common symptoms of bone fracture is perceptible swelling. If any of your bone is fractured, that particular part will be visibly swollen.

2. Deformity
Bones give your body the shape it has, thereby, any fracture anywhere would inevitably manifest itself as a clear deformity of that particular part.

3. Extreme pain
It goes without saying that a bone fracture would entail excruciating and extreme pain. This pain sharply increases with mobility thereby necessitating complete rest.

4. Temporary loss of function
The part of the body where the bone is broken temporarily becomes dysfunctional. For instance, if the bone in your hand is broken, you will find it extremely difficult to move and do any work with it.

Causes and Symptoms of Bone Fracture

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