If you’re looking for fractured or broken hand treatment, book an appointment today by filling out the form on this page. To diagnose a broken hand, a doctor will use several tests. Scaphoid fracture of the wrist. If you have a broken hand, a doctor is the best person to diagnose and treat it. NSAIDs help decrease swelling and pain or fever. Whatever your treatment, it's important to move your fingers regularly while the fracture is healing to keep them from stiffening. Overview of finger, hand, and wrist fractures. Don’t use your hands to wipe away debris in a machine; use a brush http://www.assh.org/handcare/hand-arm-injuries/wrist-fractures. Restricting the movement of a broken bone in your hand is critical to proper healing. With proper medical help, your hand will be more likely to return to its normal strength and function. A broken hand often requires a visit to a doctor, and you may need months of rehabilitation care. Immobilization. This can help regain strength and decrease stiffness in your hand. Pountos I, et al. In certain cases, you might also need a bone graft. Petron DJ. The sooner you get medical attention, the better your hand can heal. You’ll have to wear the cast, splint, or brace during the entire time. © 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Fractured hand symptoms can be similar to those of sprained hand symptoms, but the treatment for broken hand injuries is very different to sprained hand injuries, which commonly just require a period of rest. The best option depends on your specific injury. The purpose of treatment is to help your hand heal correctly. A broken hand usually doesn’t require surgery. It may also happen if a joint in your hand twists out of place. NSAIDs can help with pain but might also hamper bone healing, especially if used long-term. This is different from a sprained hand, which is the result of an injury to the muscle, tendon, or ligament. Are There Home Remedies for a Broken Hand? A broken hand is a break or crack in one or more of the bones of your hand. If you recently been in a crash, they’ll ask about what happened and how your hand was injured. Broken knuckles are usually sustained by hitting a hard surface or landing awkwardly during a fall. It also ensures that your bones line up correctly. In most cases, a hand fracture will heal well with nonsurgical treatment. To prevent skin injury from the coldness of the ice, wrap the ice pack in a clean cloth before applying. Your hand is made up of 27 bones, including those … Bone health. Broken Hand Treatment Self-Care at Home Generally, any hand injury—except for the most minor one—should be seen by a doctor. If your bones move, you might then need surgery. Whether you have a broken hand or a sprained hand, your doctor will recommend one of the following treatment plans: Cease All Physical Activity Ceasing all physical activity that can further aggravate the injury is a step in the right direction. This ensures that the bone heals correctly. Make a donation. Do nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs affect bone healing? They’ll also recommend the appropriate dose and frequency. Accessing free treatment for a broken finger or broken fingertip could speed up your recovery time. A fracture in which the bone pieces move before they heal, Loose bone fragments that could enter a joint, Damage to the surrounding ligaments, nerves or blood vessels, A description of your symptoms and how, where and when the injury occurred, Information about your and your family's medical histories, All the medications and dietary supplements you take, including doses. However, the best way to know if your hand is broken or sprained is to see a doctor. To reduce pain, your doctor might recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever. Metacarpal fracture occurs when one of the long bones get injured. Be sure to follow their directions. Hence they are more prone to injuries and are the most frequently injured part of the hand. A broken hand happens when one or more bones in your hand break as a result of an accident, fall, or contact sports. This can be accomplished with a hand or finger splint.1 During fixation, the doctor will usually treat pain with medi… Treatment options include: Immobilization limits unnecessary movement, which promotes proper healing. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The Scientific World Journal. These options might be necessary if you have: Even after reduction and immobilization with a cast or splint, your bones can shift. This injury is also known as a fractured hand. https://www.uptodate.com/home. A doctor will have you get an X-ray. But without proper treatment, it’s more likely to heal incorrectly. Common ways to tell Broken hand treatment may include: Cast or splint immobilization , which is the most common treatment for simple and displaced fractures and typically lasts 3 to 6 weeks Surgery to reposition the bone pieces and put pins, screws, plates or wires in them to hold the bones in place. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. If you have an open fracture, in which you have a wound or break in the skin near the wound site, you'll likely be given an antibiotic to prevent infection that could reach the bone. This content does not have an Arabic version. If you experience new symptoms, or if the pain doesn’t go away, let your doctor know. A critical analysis. Learn about the many kinds of FOOSH (fallen onto on outstretched hand) injuries, as well as how they are treated and about the recovery process. Simple first aid, however, can help prevent further injury. Your doctor will need to manipulate the pieces back into position, a procedure known as a reduction. Wrist fractures. To monitor your progress, your doctor will order multiple X-rays in the weeks after your injury. If you have a broken hand, a doctor is the best person to diagnose and treat it. Metacarpal fractures are often difficult to effectively mobilize and will likely require surgery. Restricting the movement of a broken bone in your hand is critical to proper healing. You will also be given painkilling medicines for the pain. A hand fracture is caused by physical trauma, such as: These injuries can happen during scenarios like: If you think you have a broken hand, see a doctor immediately. They can diagnose and treat your injury. You may need any of the following treatments: You may need any of the following treatments: Brace, cast, or splint: A brace, cast, or splint may be used to decrease your hand movement. To do this, you'll likely need a splint or a cast. This is the band of tissue that connects two bones in a joint. So your doctor likely will monitor your progress with X-rays. • Control any bleeding by placing a• There are several…. Have the person bend the arm at the elbow. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00012. Depending on the type of fracture, your hand surgeon may recommend one of several treatment methods. The metacarpals (long bones of the palm) and the phalanges (finger bones) make up the bones in your hand. 2013;6:18. In general, broken hand recovery takes 3 to 6 weeks. The most common type of fixation is internal, using surgery to place pins through, or wires around, various bones to hold everything in place.1 Fractures of the hand and fingers can also be treated without surgery as long as they can be held in proper alignment long enough to heal. Here's how to apply one correctly. The symptoms of a broken hand depend on the severity of your injury. You’ll also need surgery if your hand was already immobilized but didn’t heal correctly. Fingers have the highest risk of injury of all the parts of the hand. Hand therapy is often recommended to help regain the range of motion and strength following a broken arm. A sprain occurs when a ligament is stretched or torn. Once a definitive fractured hand diagnosis has been made on the extent of damage done to the bones in your hand, a doctor would then decide on the best course of treatment. Here are some of the best on the market…. Treatment for a broken arm or wrist When you get to hospital the affected arm will be placed in a splint to support it and stop any broken bones from moving out of position. Tie a splint on the lower arm with fabric or elastic bandages. You will likely undergo a second set of X-rays about a week later to ensure that the broken hand bones have remained in the proper position. https://www.uptodate.com/home. You might first seek treatment for a broken hand in an emergency room or urgent care clinic. What causes hand fractures and breaks? 2. You'll be advised to keep your hand above heart level as much as possible to reduce swelling and pain. Control any bleeding by placing a clean cloth or gauze pad over the wound and apply direct pressure. Treatment depends on which bone in your hand was broken and what kind of fracture you have. You may also be asked to continue therapy after your cast has been removed. Accessed May 22, 2017. If the bones are misaligned, you’ll need surgery to realign them. This medicine is available with or without a doctor's order. Treatment of a broken hand (recovery) If the ends of a broken bone are not aligned correctly, then the doctor will have to adjust the pieces back into their correct positions. These include: A doctor will check your hand for swelling, bruising, and other signs of damage. To prevent hand injuries on the job: Look for hand threats prior to a mishap can take place. 2012;2012:606404. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2012/606404/. A broken hand can be caused by a fall, crush injury, twisting injury, or through direct contact in sports. A broken hand can commonly be the result of falling onto a hand awkwardly, through a vehicle collision, or physical impact. Fractures can range from a small, hairline crack, to a bone or bones broken into two or more pieces. But until you can seek medication attention, there are things you can do to care for your hand. Nonsurgical Treatment of Your Broken Hand Once your doctor diagnoses the hand fracture and possible damage to other tissues, you will need to immobilize it for a while for the bones to heal. Hand fractures and broken bones can be caused by any injury that involves a direct blow to the hand , but they most often result from falling on an outstretched arm , sometimes in an attempt to catch one’s self during a fall. Ask your doctor about the best ways to move them. Accessed April 20, 2017. If you’re bleeding, you likely have an open fracture, meaning a bone is sticking out. Often, this happens when you fall on an outstretched hand. To find out whether you qualify for a free medical report on your broken finger or fingertip injury and whether you could receive free physiotherapy aftercare, please get in touch today. Generally, any hand injury-except for the most minor one-should be seen by a doctor. Some people may also refer to it as a break or crack. Surgery is likely necessary if your injury involves: Another common cause of surgery is if the bone is rotated, which can rotate your fingers as well and affect hand function. Visit a doctor as soon as you think you’ve broken your hand. If you’ve injured your hand, a bandage might be able to help in the healing process. This allows the doctor to learn about any underlying conditions you may have. If there is no other damage to your hand and the fracture is not complicated, the standard treatment is a hand cast or splint for 3 to 6 weeks. For pain, you can take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), aspirin, or … Here are the 8 best veggie burgers based on their nutritional profile, ingredients, texture…, Formerly known as playpens, playards are a great way to keep your little one safe while freeing up your hands. However, if you have a more serious injury, they might prescribe stronger pain medication. This broken hand treatment ensures that the bones do not move. Sebastin S, et al. To be diagnosed as a broken hand, the bone must be affected — one of the bones may be broken into multiple pieces, or several bones may be affected. Pins:Small metal pins may be inserted through the skin in order to hold the bones in a better position. Find out how broken knuckles are treated and how…, Learn to make a splint on the go with these detailed step-by-step instructions. In more complicated Your treatment depends on how bad the break is. All rights reserved. Will I need to wear a cast? They can explain when it’s safe to return to normal activities. The broken bone must be properly aligned and held in place, often with a plaster cast, so it heals in the correct position. This is known as a malunion. Treatment for a broken hand is typically covered by health insurance. If you do not receive the correct treatment, you could develop a serious infection or a permanent deformity. 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