Contact sports, accidents, and falls can lead to broken bones in your hand resulting in a fractured hand. When such happens, your doctor should make the proper diagnosis showing the bones are broken, thus classifying the injury as a fracture. You should consult a specialist like Dr. Daniel Brereton in La Jolla, who can immediately diagnose and treat the broken hand. When you get the proper medication and surgery after breaking the hand, you will heal quickly. Learn how to cope with a broken arm.

Signs of a Broken Hand

You will have different symptoms according to the severity of the injury, and the most common symptoms include pain, tenderness, bruising, swelling, crooked fingers, numbness, and audible snap at the injury time. The broken hand might have similar symptoms as a sprain; however, the broken hand involves injury to the bones while the sprain involves injury to the ligaments. If you cannot differentiate the symptoms associated with a sprain from those associated with a broken arm, you opt for X-ray and MRI examinations.

Appropriate First Aid for a Broken Hand        

Before getting the proper treatment for a broken hand, you can avoid moving your hand. You should immobilize the hand without trying to realign the broken bones.

Apply ice on the broken hand as it reduces swelling and pain. However, you should not place the cold compress or ice pack directly on the skin. Wrap it with a clean cloth first to regulate the exposure to the ice pack. If you are bleeding, you could seek ways to reduce the bleeding.

When to Go To the Hospital

You can go to the hospital as soon as you break the arm to get the fastest relief for broken arms. Again, you should see the doctor immediately if you have difficulties moving your fingers as it is a sign of broken arms. It is best not to ignore swelling and numbness as it might signify a severe injury.

Will Your Arm Heal By Itself?

Your arm can heal by itself; however, it might heal incorrectly without proper treatment as the bones would not align properly. Malunion might interfere with normal function, preventing proper hand function. If the hand heals by itself without adequate alignment, you might need surgery. However, prolonged treatment could impact the hand, and it would be wise to get the treatment right away.

Treatment for a Broken Hand

You would need a cast that immobilizes the hand preventing unnecessary movement, thus facilitating healing. Again, you will take pain medications to reduce the pain and swelling. Surgery might deal with improper healing, thus improving the treatment’s outcome. It might take about six weeks for your broken hand to heal correctly, and within this period, it would be wise to practice safe techniques such as hand immobilization. However, the overall health, severity of the injury, and break location might impact healing time.

Final Thoughts

A broken arm can impact your daily life, and you should find a solution to the injury. You should treat the arm immediately after injury. You can deal with injuries by immobilizing the arm using a cast, taking medications, and surgery.