Urgent Care Clinics Can Help with Broken Bones!
April 26, 2016
Did you know the human body is made up of 206 bones? Or that you are likely to sustain two fractures in the course of your lifetime? On average, medical providers treat 7 million broken bones each year in the United States alone, but not all of these breaks need to be treated at an ER. In fact, many of those typically thought of “emergencies” can be treated at an urgent care facility like Texas MedClinic.
Despite what most patients think, a break and a fracture are the same. One is not worse than the other. However, there are several different types of breaks or fractures. In a closed fracture the fractured bone has not pierced or broken through the skin. In an open fracture the broken bone is sticking out of the skin. In a simple fracture the bone has only broken in one place. And, in a compound fracture the bone is broken in several places.
The treatment for a broken bone depends on the severity of the break and the bone that is actually broken. Some breaks are severe and need immediate attention while others can be stabilized and properly set by an Orthopedic Specialist several days later.
It is important to know that if any of the following occur, you should seek immediate medical attention or call 911:
- there is heavy bleeding or if gentle pressure or movement causes pain.
- the limb or joint appears deformed.
- the bone has pierced the skin.
- the extremity is numb or bluish at the tip.
- the neck, head, hip or back appears broken.
If the person who is injured is not experiencing any of the above symptoms, you should first stabilize the injury by using a splint or making a splint. Keep the injury elevated and seek medical attention. Most fractures can be diagnosed with an X-ray. Once diagnosed, a medical provider will splint or stabilize the fractured bone and refer you to an Orthopedic Specialist, if needed. The specialist will properly “set” the bone and either splint or cast the broken bone to stabilize it while it heals. More complex breaks and fractures may require surgery and/or additional treatment measures.
Most of the time it’s easy to tell if a bone is broke, but here are a few symptoms to validate your thoughts. If you see swelling, bruising, or tenderness at the site of an injured area, it is difficult to move and bearing weight on the injured area is painful, it is quite possible a bone is broken.
Unless its a true emergency, as outlined above, Texas MedClinic can treat broken bones and fractures until you’re able to see an Orthopedic Specialist. We’re open seven days a week from 8a.m.-11p.m., come in and see us if you need a physician for a non-life threatening emergency.
