Definition:
Finger fracture, broken wrist, or broken hand is a condition that needs immediate medical attention since it can affect one's ability to perform everyday activities.
Diagnosis:
Aside from physical examination in which the doctor checks the hand for signs and do maneuvers to measure the range of motion and grip strength compared to the healthy hand, X-rays, CT scan, or MRI may be required to definitively diagnose the fracture or ligament injury and pinpoint the exact location of the break.
Treatment:
A displaced fracture may require a process called reduction, in which the doctor manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions before applying a splint. A closed fracture meanwhile will have the doctor send the patient home with a splint and directions to rest and apply ice to the hand. Fractures that are more serious may have the affected individual admitted to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
Symptoms and Signs:
Those with finger fracture and the likes experience severe pain, swelling, tenderness, bruising, obvious deformity such as bent wrist or crooked finger, stiffness or inability to move finger or thumb, and numbness or coldness in the finger or thumb.
Causes:
When the wrist is broken, it is often the radius that's affected and this type of fracture is called distal radius fracture or Colles' fracture. This usually occurs when the person falls forward onto an outstretched hand, during a bike accident, ski accident, or fall from a roof or ladder. A direct blow to the arm can also cause fractures of the ulna bone.
Hand bones meanwhile often get broken during sports activities. Popular names of fractures include the “boxer's fracture,” “skier's thumb,” and the “baseball finger.”
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