Fracture Treatment Specialist in 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 which 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
Oblique fracture shows up as an angled pattern fracture.

– Comminuted fracture
Comminuted fracture has several bone shatters 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 implant, no matter how resilient they are, you can still have a fracture occur from enough force from something.
Some issues that can leave to cause a bone fracture to 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 occur 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 the lining up of 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 like:

– 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. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 14629 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079. We serve patients from Houston TX, West University Place TX, Bellaire TX, Jacinto City TX, Galena Park, TX, South Houston TX and surrounding areas.