Why does breaking a bone hurt

Sometimes there is a deformity — this means that the body part looks crooked or different than it did before the injury. Doctors order X-rays if they think a bone is broken. An X-ray usually can show if there is a break, where it is, and the type of break.

Doctors treat most broken bones with a cast , splint , or brace. This keeps the broken bone from moving while it heals. Even broken bones that don't line up called displaced often will heal straight over time.

Sometimes the displaced bones are put back in place before the cast, splint, or brace is put on. This is done through a procedure called a reduction. This is also called "setting the bone. In the first few days after a fracture, the body forms a blood clot or hematoma around the broken bone. This protects the bone and delivers the cells needed for healing. Immediately after you suffer the injury, an intense ache or sharp pain is typically produced by both the fracture and by other injuries to your body near the fracture site.

You may also experience pain during the fracture healing process. In general, there are three stages of pain following a bone fracture. These are referred to as acute pain, subacute pain and chronic pain. Acute pain usually occurs immediately after you suffer the injury. After about a week or two, the worst pain is usually over. What happens next is that the fractured bone and the surrounding soft tissue begin to heal.

This takes a couple of weeks and the pain you might experience during this stage is called subacute pain. The last stage of pain is chronic pain.

This type of pain continues long after the fracture and soft tissues may have healed. All fractures cause either all or some of these types of pain. Although most people will experience all three types of pain, not everyone has to deal with chronic pain. On the other hand, some people may only experience acute pain.

But regardless of the type of pain you're experiencing, it's good to know more about them. Immediately after you suffer a fracture, you will experience acute pain. During this stage, medication is often prescribed to reduce the worst pain. Reviewed by: Richard W. Kruse, DO and Susan M. Dubowy, PA-C. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is a Broken Bone? How Do Broken Bones Happen? What Are the Kinds of Broken Bones? Types of bone fractures include: A greenstick fracture: a break on one side of the bone only A buckle or torus fracture: an outward bend on one side of the bone without breaking the other side An avulsion fracture: when a tendon or ligament pulls off of a tiny piece of bone A growth plate fracture: a break in the area of a child or teen's growing bone A stress fracture: a tiny crack in the bone A comminuted fracture: a bone breaks into more than two pieces A compression fracture: a collapsing of the bone What Are the Signs of a Broken Bone?

Bone fractures. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Causes of bone fractures Symptoms of bone fractures Types of bone fracture Complications of bone fractures First aid for bone fractures Diagnosis and treatment of bone fractures Operation procedure for bone fractures Immediately after an operation on a bone fracture The healing process for bone fractures Other treatments for bone fractures Complications of bone fractures Self-care after a bone fracture Long-term outlook after a bone fracture Where to get help Things to remember.

Causes of bone fractures Causes of bone fractures can include: Traumatic incidents such as sporting injuries, vehicle accidents and falls Conditions such as osteoporosis and some types of cancer that cause bones to fracture more easily, meaning even minor trauma and falls can become serious. Symptoms of bone fractures Fractures are different from other injuries to the skeleton such as dislocations, although in some cases it can be hard to tell them apart.

The symptoms of a fracture depend on the particular bone and the severity of the injury, but may include: Pain Swelling Bruising Deformity Inability to use the limb. Types of bone fracture Different types of fracture include: Closed simple fracture — the broken bone has not pierced the skin Open compound fracture — the broken bone juts out through the skin, or a wound leads to the fracture site.

Infection and external bleeding are more likely Greenstick fracture — a small, slender crack in the bone. There may be damage to the veins, arteries or nerves, and there may also be injury to the lining of the bone the periosteum Comminuted fracture — the bone is shattered into small pieces. This type of complicated fracture tends to heal more slowly Avulsion fracture — muscles are anchored to bone with tendons, a type of connective tissue.

Powerful muscle contractions can wrench the tendon free and pull out pieces of bone. This type of fracture is more common in the knee and shoulder joints Compression fracture — occurs when two bones are forced against each other. The bones of the spine, called vertebrae, can have this type of fracture. Older people, particularly those with osteoporosis, are at higher risk. Complications of bone fractures Other problems caused by bone fracture can include: Blood loss — bones have a rich blood supply.

A bad break can make you lose a large amount of blood Injuries to organs, tissues or surrounding structures — for example the brain can be damaged by a skull fracture. First aid for bone fractures Good first-aid care of fractures is always important. If you suspect a bone fracture, you should: Keep the person still — do not move them unless there is an immediate danger, especially if you suspect fracture of the skull, spine, ribs, pelvis or upper leg Attend to any bleeding wounds first.

Stop the bleeding by pressing firmly on the site with a clean dressing. If a bone is protruding, apply pressure around the edges of the wound If bleeding is controlled, keep the wound covered with a clean dressing Never try to straighten broken bones For a limb fracture, provide support and comfort such as a pillow under the lower leg or forearm. However, do not cause further pain or unnecessary movement of the broken bone Apply a splint to support the limb.

Splints do not have to be professionally manufactured. Items like wooden boards and folded magazines can work for some fractures.

You should immobilise the limb above and below the fracture Use a sling to support an arm or collarbone fracture Raise the fractured area if possible and apply a cold pack to reduce swelling and pain Stop the person from eating or drinking anything until they are seen by a doctor, in case they will need surgery In an emergency, call triple zero for an ambulance. Diagnosis and treatment of bone fractures Doctors can diagnose bone fractures with x-rays.

Depending on where the fracture is and how severe, treatment may include: Splints — to stop movement of the broken limb Braces — to support the bone Plaster cast — to provide support and immobilise the bone Traction — a less common option Surgically inserted metal rods or plates — to hold the bone pieces together Pain relief.

Operation procedure for bone fractures A cast made from plaster of Paris is one of the most common ways of immobilising a limb. Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, the operation procedures can include: Closed or simple fractures — the two ends of the broken bone are lined up and held in place. The limb is thoroughly bandaged, then the wet plaster is applied.

Sometimes, once the plaster is dry, the cast is split into two and the two halves are re-bandaged on the outside.