Fracture Treatment Specialist in Memorial Houston, TX

A fracture is commonly known to many as a broken bone. A high percentage of bone fractures occur due to high force impact or stress. While this may be the common percentage of fractures, there are other ways to acquire a bone fracture. Some can result from medical conditions that weaken the bone over time; these types of medical conditions include some forms of cancer and osteoporosis.

A fracture or broken bone can happen in a partial or full break and can occur in any bone within the body.

There are a few different symptoms that can occur from a fracture, depending on the location of the fracture, the person’s age at the time of the fracture, the general health of the individual, and the severity of the injury.

Typically, these are the most common symptoms of a fracture:

– Pain
– Swelling
– Bruising
– Bleeding – if it is a compound fracture
– Discoloration of the skin around the fractured area
– Protrusion of bone in the affected area, at an unusual angle
– Inability to apply weight to the injured area
– Inability to apply movement to the injured area
– A noticeable grating sensation within the affected bone or joint

If you have a more severe case of a bone fracture, you may experience:

– Dizziness
– Fainting
– Light-headedness
– Nausea

There are a few different ways a bone can become broken:

– Closed fracture
A closed fracture occurs when the bone breaks but does not cause any damage to the surrounding tissue or tear through the skin.

– Compound fracture
A compound fracture occurs when the skin is pierced by the bone or a blow that ends up breaking the skin at the time of the fracture. The bone may become visible or may not be, depending on the type of wound acquired.

– Stable fracture
A stable fracture occurs when the broken ends of the bone line up and are shown as barely out of place.

– Transverse fracture
A transverse fracture is known as a horizontal fracture line that has occurred.

– Oblique fracture
An oblique fracture shows up as an angled-pattern fracture.

– Comminuted fracture
A comminuted fracture has several bone fragments, which are seen in three or more pieces

While our bones, when healthy, are quite resilient and can easily withstand a lot of force and powerful impact, no matter how resilient they are, you can still have a fracture occur from enough force from something. Some issues that can lead to a bone fracture in a patient include:

– Physical trauma
– Overuse of the limb area
– Osteoporosis

To diagnose and get treatment for a fracture, a doctor like ours at Memorial Primary and Urgent Care will need to review the area, may complete a physical exam, and possibly diagnostic tests like an X-ray, MRI, or a CT scan if the symptoms showcase high severity.

Bone healing is one of the most natural processes that occurs in our bodies; in many cases, doctors typically provide the injured with a diagnosis, as well as a treatment timeline to follow.

For this natural healing process to occur, the doctor will need to reduce the fracture; this will involve lining up the broken (fractured) bones. In some smaller fractures, a doctor may manipulate the fracture externally, and finally, in severe cases, surgery may be required.

Once the fracture has been aligned by a medical professional, they will ensure it does not move with medical means, such as:

– Cast
– Brace
– Metal plates or screws
– Nails, or rods, which are placed within bone cavities
– External fixings

Fractures are not healed overnight; they can take anywhere from weeks to even months to fully heal. Once the bone has healed, your doctor may recommend that you visit an urgent care clinic to help restore muscle strength and mobility to the affected area.

Identifying a bone fracture quickly is crucial for ensuring proper healing and avoiding long-term medical complications. The most immediate and common sign of a broken bone is a sudden, sharp pain at the exact site of the injury, which typically worsens significantly when you try to move or apply physical weight to the affected area. You may also notice substantial swelling, redness, or severe bruising developing rapidly around the joint or bone. In more severe traumatic cases, there might be a visible physical deformity, such as a limb resting at an unnatural angle or a joint that looks completely out of place.

Additionally, patients often experience a highly restricted range of motion, a painful grinding sensation beneath the skin, or extreme tenderness when the area is lightly touched. Because severe sprains and hairline fractures share very similar outward symptoms, it is virtually impossible to accurately diagnose a break without professional medical imaging. Seeking prompt medical attention for an on-site X-ray is the only definitive way to confirm the severity of the injury and begin appropriate treatment.

When you visit Memorial Primary and Urgent Care for a suspected broken bone, our dedicated medical team provides immediate, compassionate care to effectively stabilize your injury and dramatically reduce your pain. First, one of our experienced healthcare providers will conduct a thorough physical examination of the affected area to carefully assess the immediate severity of the swelling, tenderness, and restricted range of motion. Next, we will utilize our state-of-the-art, on-site digital X-ray technology to capture highly detailed images of your bone.

This allows our team to accurately determine the exact location and precise type of fracture you have sustained. Once we establish a clear medical diagnosis, we will expertly immobilize the injury using high-quality splinting materials to ensure proper bone alignment during the critical initial healing process. Furthermore, we will recommend appropriate pain management solutions and provide you with highly detailed aftercare instructions. If your specific fracture requires complex orthopedic surgery, Memorial Primary and Urgent Care will seamlessly coordinate a rapid referral to a trusted local specialist.

For more information, contact us or make an appointment online today. We are conveniently located at 14629 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079. We serve patients from Houston TX, West University Place TX, Bellaire TX, Mission Bend TX, Four Corners, TX, Galena Park, TX and South Houston TX.