First aid for a broken bone: Don't try to move the patient

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor - Department of General Surgery & Anesthesia - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Fractures are caused by external forces from daily-life accidents, traffic accidents, etc., which cause broken bones. Broken bones are one of the common accidents that need to be treated promptly and properly.

1. Symptoms of a broken bone

Some of the symptoms that can occur with a fracture include:
Pain, swelling, bruising or deformity of the injured area; Severe pain during transportation Numbness in the injured area Loss of function in the injured area Bones protruding from the skin The injured area bleeds heavily

Broken bones are a common injury. This condition, if not treated promptly and properly, can lead to lifelong disability or even death.

2. First aid for broken bones

When you break a bone, you need medical help if:
The person is unresponsive, not breathing or not moving. Start CPR if there is no breathing or heart rate. Heavy bleeding occurs Even slight pressure or movement causes pain. The limbs or joints appear deformed. The bone has penetrated the skin. The extremity of an injured arm or leg, such as a toe or finger, is numb or bluish at the tip. You suspect a broken bone in your neck, head, or back. Do not move the injured person unless necessary to avoid further deterioration. While waiting for medical help you should do the following:
Stop bleeding : apply pressure to the wound. with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth, or a clean piece of clothing. Immobilize the injured area: Do not attempt to realign the bone or push the bone back. If you have had training in splinting and professional help is not available, apply a splint to the area above and below the fracture site. Padded splints can help reduce discomfort. Apply an ice pack to limit swelling and help relieve pain: Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Wrap the bandage in a towel, piece of cloth, or some other item.

Treating shock: If the person feels faint or is breathing with short, rapid breaths, lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the body and, if possible, elevate the legs. First aid for leg fractures:
Place the victim on a flat surface, straighten the leg, and the foot perpendicular to the shin. Use a splint to place the inside and outside of the injured area Padded cotton on the ends of the splint and the inside and outside of the bone ends Secure the two splints together and secure the foot perpendicular to the shin Do not tie too tightly to save Blood circulation First aid for broken arm
When breaking the arm bone, place the broken arm close to the victim's body, the forearm perpendicular to the 2 splints. Fix the splint above and below the fracture. When the forearm is broken, the forearm should be close to the body, perpendicular to the arm. Splint from the palm to the elbow, the outer brace from the tips of the fingers to the elbow. Fix the splints of the hand and forearm body. In case the elbow cannot be bent, do not use force to bend it. Lay the casualty down and place the injured hand along the torso. Place a long pad between the injured hand and the torso. Tie the injured hand to the body around the wrists and thighs, around the arms and chest, and around the forearms and abdomen. First aid for spine fractures:
If neck fractures: place the victim on his or her back on a stiff stretcher and immobilize the victim. Keep the head straight and use soft pillows to cover the sides of the victim's neck. If the spine is broken in the back: lay the victim on his back, keep the victim's head straight, feet perpendicular to the shins. Immobilize the victim, use soft pillows to insert into the victim's sides. In cases of broken bones, it is necessary to give first aid to fix the injured area and quickly take the injured person to a medical facility for timely treatment. treatment.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital applies the surgical method of combining bones on the bright screen in the treatment of fractures. This is a method to help people with fractures without a cast, has only been applied in the past few years, with the following advantages:
Less damage to surrounding soft tissue, short surgery time, accurate exposure the location of the fracture, minimize the risk of infection, reduce the number of days in hospital after surgery, reduce pain during surgery and after surgery well, facilitate early rehabilitation exercises, patients soon return to normal activities; With high aesthetics, the patient does not need a cast, minimizing complications During his work, the doctor has successfully performed many high-tech surgeries and is always the leading doctor in the implementation of techniques. New in the field of Orthopedic Trauma in Hai Phong such as: arthroscopic surgery to reconstruct the knee cruciate ligament by All inside technique, arthroscopic shoulder surgery to suture rotator cuff tear, knee and hip replacement surgery. ..

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Reference source: Mayoclinic.org