Other common symptoms of broken bones include: limited use of the injured area (reduced mobility or unable to put any weight on it), immediate local swelling and bruising, numbness, or tingling downstream from the break, shortness of breath, and nausea. Be very careful when assessing the injury not to cause much movement. Moving a person with an injured spine, neck, pelvis or skull is very risky without medical training and should be avoided.
Even if you think your fracture is not life-threatening, resist the urge to drive yourself to the hospital. You may not be able to operate your vehicle properly or may lose consciousness from the pain and become a road hazard. If the injury appears severe, stay on the line with the 9-1-1 dispatcher in case conditions get worse in order to get helpful instructions and emotional support. Call emergency services if you notice the following: call for emergency help if The person is unresponsive, isn’t breathing, or isn’t moving; there is heavy bleeding; gentle pressure or movement causes pain; the limb or joint appears deformed; the bone has pierced the skin; the extremity of the injured arm or leg, such as a toe or finger, is numb or bluish at the tip; you suspect a bone is broken in the neck, head or back. [3] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source
A lack of oxygen for much more than five to seven minutes causes, at least, some degree of brain damage, so time is of the essence. If you’re not trained in CPR, then provide hands-only CPR — uninterrupted chest compressions at a rate of about 100 per minute until paramedics arrive. [5] X Research source If you’re well-trained in CPR, begin with chest compressions immediately (about 20 – 30) and then check the airway for obstruction and start doing rescue breathing after tilting the head back at a slight angle. [6] X Research source For a spine, neck, or skull injury, do not use the head-tilt-chin-lift method. Use the jaw-thrust method of airway opening, but only if you have been trained on how to do so. The jaw-thrust method involves kneeling behind the person and placing a hand on either side of her face, middle, and index fingers beneath and behind the jaw. Push each side of the jaw forward until it juts out.
If the bleeding won’t stop from an injured limb, you may have to tie a tight tourniquet above the wound to temporarily cut off the circulation until medical help arrives. A tourniquet can be made of virtually anything that can be secured tight — string, rope, cord, rubber tubing, leather belt, necktie, scarf, tee-shirt, etc. If there is a large object penetrating into the skin, do not remove it. It may be clotting the wound, and removing it could cause severe bleeding.
The best method of immobilization is to make a simple splint. Place a piece of stiff cardboard or plastic, a branch or stick, a metal rod, or rolled up newspaper/magazine on either side of the injury to support the bone. [9] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to source Tie these supports together firmly with tape, string, rope, cord, rubber tubing, leather belt, necktie, scarf, etc. When splinting a fractured bone, try to allow movement in the adjacent joints and don’t secure it too tight — allow appropriate blood circulation. Splinting may not be necessary if emergency services are coming right away. In this case, splinting may cause more harm than good if you don’t have the appropriate training.
Apply ice for about 20 minutes or until the area is completely numb before removing it. Compressing it against the injury may help reduce swelling even more as long as it doesn’t increase the pain.
Signs of shock include: feeling faint / dizzy, pale complexion, cold sweats, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, confusion, irrational panic. [12] X Research source If it looks like the person is in shock, lay him down with his head supported and elevate his legs. Keep him covered with a blanket or jacket, or even a table cloth if those things are not available. Shock is dangerous because blood and oxygen are routed away from vital organs. [13] X Research source This physiological state, if left untreated, can ultimately cause organ damage.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil) are helpful for pain and inflammation, but they inhibit blood clotting, so they aren’t a good idea for internal injuries such as broken bones. In addition, aspirin and ibuprofen should not be given to young children, because they may cause dangerous side effects.
