Orthopedic Doctors And Broken Bones

No one wants to make an appointment with one of the orthopedic doctors in the area for a broken bone but sometimes, accidents happen. Sometimes children play without any thought to the consequences and shortly thereafter, someone is coming into the house with a lot of tears and an arm that looks slightly out of place. Adults in car accidents may find that one or more bones were broken during the incident. In each situation, the break needs to be diagnosed, reset, and the treated.

Diagnosing a Broken Bone:
For someone outside the medical field, it is not always easy to determine whether someone is suffering from a broken bone, a small fracture, or in some cases, a sprain. If it even looks a bone could be broken, it is important to seek medical attention right away. Orthopedic doctors understand the benefit of diagnosing and setting the bone as soon as possible. It is going to be painful no matter what but the early it is done, the better.

Sometimes a person will actually hear that sound of a bone breaking or it is possible to look at the area and know that there is a bone out of place. Other times, there may be pain when the area s touched or if it is a leg, pain when attempting to walk and put weight on it. Swelling and bruising are common however this does not necessarily indicate that the bone is broken.

Setting the Bone:
Orthopedic doctors, after diagnosing the situation as a break, need to realign the bones. The pieces need to be put back together the way they were originally. This means matching up the two or more pieces so that as the area heals, the bone is in the right place. Every injury is different. In severe cases, a patient needs general anesthesia to give the physician an opportunity to set things right. Other times a local anesthetic will work just fine.

This is usually not easy for an injured person to watch or a friend or family member that is standing nearby. Kids especially tend to struggle through this process and have fear and concern associated with putting the bone back together. Distractions often help and allow orthopedic doctors to take their time and get things back as best as possible.

Treatments:
Casts are one of the most common ways that orthopedic doctors treat broken bones. This immobilizes the area and ensures that no further damage can be done while the bone heals. Depending on the extent of the break, a cast may need to be work for anywhere from two to eight weeks. In more severe cases, a person could need traction to put weight on one part of the area to ensure that the bone maintains its proper length. Patients can also undergo surgery. Screws and plates are often used in this type of surgery.