Understanding Your Broken Bone
By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com Guide to Orthopedics
Having a broken bone is one of the most common reasons to seek orthopedic treatment. Knowing what to do for treatment of your broken bone will help ensure your speedy recovery from these injuries.
What is a Broken Bone?
Broken bones and fractures are the same thing. While there is a misconception that a fracture and a break are different, they mean the same thing. A broken bone occurs when the bone cannot support a force and then fails.
Types of Broken Bones
There are endless types of broken bones, but there are some broad categories that can help you understand what is going on with your fracture. Broken bones are generally categorized by the bone that is broken or the mechanism by which the break occurred.
Cast Treatment
Most broken bones are treated with a cast. Sometimes the broken bone will need to be reset to improve the position, while other times the break is not out of position and only protection is needed. Either way, casts are often used for broken bone treatment.
Surgical Treatment
Surgery is sometimes needed for treatment of a broken bone. The usual reasons that surgery is recommended for treatment of a broken bone are either if the bones cannot be adequately aligned or if the broken bone cannot be held in place with a cast.
Accelerate Bone Healing
We live in an impatient world, and no one wants to give their broken bone time for healing. Here are some possible ways to speed bone healing so you recover from your fracture as quickly as possible.
- How to Heal Quickly
- Does Surgery Speed Healing?
- Magnet Therapy
- Ultrasound Stimulators
- Electrical Stimulation
Complications of Bone Healing
Most often with proper treatment a broken bone will heal. However, there are times when bone healing can be difficult. Determining the cause of the slow bone healing will help guide treatment.
