Does a bone fracture hurt?

Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
Updated on August 31, 2024
00:00
00:00

Patients with bone fractures will experience pain. This is because local bleeding occurs after the fracture, along with congestion and edema of the soft tissues, which stimulates the surrounding nerves, causing pain. Therefore, it is accurate to say fractures can cause pain. Common pain relief methods require strict rest and protection of the affected area to prevent micro-movements of the fracture ends. If the fracture ends do move, they can stimulate the surrounding nerves, making the pain difficult to alleviate. Additionally, the use of pain relief drugs can help ease the patient's pain. Furthermore, patients should avoid spicy and stimulating foods, and abstain from smoking and alcohol, as these can affect the healing of the fracture.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Guan Jing Tao
Orthopedics
45sec home-news-image

Does a bone fracture hurt?

The answer is definitely yes. After a bone fracture, apart from local pain, there can also be soft tissue damage, inflammation, and local swelling, and even functional limitations may occur. That is to say, if the fracture occurs in the limbs, it will affect movement and cause swelling. At this point, it is necessary to take an X-ray. If diagnosed with a fracture, it is necessary to apply a plaster cast for external fixation, in order to avoid aggravating the fracture or causing displacement due to movement or accidents, and even the potential of having to undergo surgery again. Therefore, after a fracture, it is necessary to use a plaster cast and have regular check-ups to monitor the healing of the fracture.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Cheng Lin
Orthopedics
43sec home-news-image

How to treat a fracture?

Patients with bone fractures, due to the force applied causing partial fractures in the bone, do not necessarily represent a complete break and won’t exhibit noticeable symptoms of displacement or misalignment. Generally, patients with bone fractures only require a plaster cast for immobilization, typically for about four weeks. After a month, you can visit the hospital to get an X-ray to check for osseous union at the fracture ends. If the fracture ends have achieved osseous union, then normal activities and weight-bearing walking can be resumed. Thus, for bone fractures, simply applying a plaster cast for immobilization for four weeks is sufficient.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
46sec home-news-image

Can a bone fracture heal by itself?

A bone fissure is actually a type of fracture where there is a crack in the cortical bone, but the stability of the bone is maintained. Symptoms of a bone fissure can include pain, swelling, and limited mobility. Therefore, it should be treated like a fracture, for example, by properly immobilizing and resting the area which can promote the healing of the fracture. As long as proper immobilization and rest are ensured, a bone fissure can heal on its own. However, it is crucial to monitor the blood supply around the fracture and the swelling to avoid symptoms of compartment syndrome. It is also important to pay attention to the joints at the distal end of the affected limb to prevent joint stiffness after prolonged immobilization.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
36sec home-news-image

Is soaking feet good for bone fractures?

Bone fissures are actually a type of fracture, characterized by cracks in the cortical bone, but the stability of the bone remains intact. In the early stages of a bone fissure, immobilization is necessary, along with appropriate cold compresses and rest. After the acute phase, warm compresses can be applied, symptomatic treatment is given, and soaking the feet may be helpful to improve peripheral circulation, aiding in the healing of the fracture. However, immobilization should still be maintained, avoiding excessive walking and activities that might worsen the severity of the fissure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Cheng Bin
Orthopedics
1min 2sec home-news-image

Post-fracture sequelae

For the sequelae of bone fractures, usually, patients who have sustained a fracture will not have sequelae if they actively cooperate with treatment. However, if treatment is improper, a series of sequelae can easily occur, with the most common manifestations being the following. First, after the fracture, if there is no active and strict attention to rest, protection, and immobilization, later muscle traction can cause displacement at the site of the fracture, leading to deformity healing and affecting the patient's normal function. Second, after a fracture, due to prolonged inactivity, the joints may become stiff and the muscles may contract. When it becomes possible to exercise later, patients may exercise insufficiently due to fear of pain, resulting in very poor joint mobility, which affects the normal function of the patient. Third, for fractures in some special areas, such as a femoral tibial fracture, this may lead to avascular necrosis of the femoral head in patients.