During the examination, have the patient and/or bystanders support the rest of the injured arm to reduce discomfort. You can usually tell the location of the break based on where most of the pain is coming from. Broken bone pain is often described as severe, sharp and shooting. If part of the humerus is poking through the skin of the upper arm (known as an open compound fracture) then the person will need immediate medical attention to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. [4] X Research source Be very careful splinting this type of fracture due to risks of damaging blood vessels and nerves.
Common signs and symptoms of bone fractures include: intense pain, a visibly deformed or misshapen bone or joint, swelling, near immediate bruising, nausea, reduced mobility, and numbness or tingling in the affected limb. [7] X Trustworthy Source Cedars Sinai Hospital Website of one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source If the wrist and hand are weak or cannot grip anything without causing serious pain, the mid-shaft fracture may also have caused nerve damage or irritation. In this case, immediate medical attention is required. [8] X Research source
This type of fracture often causes damage to the radial artery and median nerve of the lower arm, which can cause numbness and/or tingling in the hand. [10] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source If a broken bone is considered complicated — multiple fragments, the skin is penetrated by the bone and/or the pieces are grossly misaligned — then surgery is a likely outcome regardless if you splint the bone or not.
If you are overwhelmed, scared or confused as to what to do in the face of such an emergency situation, then focus more on calming the injured person down and telling him to keep his arm still instead of trying to splint it. There’s no shame in that. Call for emergency assistance as soon as you realize a person is significantly injured, regardless of where the fracture is or what type it is. If you don’t have a phone, borrow the injured person’s or ask a bystander to dial 9-1-1.
If you are using something with sharp edges or splinters, then wrap it with cloth or plastic before applying it to the arm as a splint. If you can trim the splint, then size it the length of the entire arm, from the shoulder joint to the mid joints of the fingers. Take two or three layers of cardboard or paper and make an “L” shaped splint that is curved to the shape of the arm. Measure and adjust the length of the bend/ size of forearm to fingertip area and camber on the uninjured limb. (Remember to reverse the camber, however; it is going on the opposite arm. ) Hypoallergenic medical tape is ideal to wrap a splint, but avoid applying duct tape against a person’s skin if you can due to the likelihood of irritation. If you must use duct tape, place cloth or paper towel between it and the skin.
Avoid placing the tape / bandage / ties directly over the fracture site. You will need them above and below the fracture site and one to secure the lower arm to the splint. Ideally, you will want to bandage the entire splint to the arm. Otherwise, tie the bandages as firmly as you can without cutting off circulation. Do not attempt to bandage open fractures tightly, as this can cause bone fragments to injure soft tissue. Merely cover the open wound and secure the bandage gently; if it is bleeding freely, some soft compression using a bandage or tie may be necessary to stem the bloodflow, but always be mindful of the patient’s response or any grinding sensations you feel as you bandage.
Another way of checking for normal circulation is to pinch a fingernail on the hand of the injured arm for about two seconds and see if it quickly returns to its normal pinkish color. If it does, the circulation is fine; if it remains white and doesn’t turn pink, loosen the binding. Since the injury is swelling and possibly bleeding under the skin, continue to check for normal circulation every few minutes until medical help arrives.
If you have a large, square piece of cloth (about 1 meter on all sides), this will work perfectly for a sling. If you have an old pillowcase or sheet, you can cut or even tear it to the appropriate size. Fold the square in half, into the shape of a triangle. Slip one end of the cloth under the injured arm and the other end over the opposite shoulder. Bring the free end of the cloth up over the person’s other shoulder (the shoulder of the injured arm) and tie it to the other end behind the person’s neck.
