It may seem like a very long time before you can resume your typical activities after breaking a bone. Fortunately, a broken bone usually heals within a few months. During this period, you may see certain indications that your bone is healing.
Stages of Bone Healing
Your fractured bone should go through several stages of healing, each with its unique set of traits. Your range of motion and strength will alter, as well as the intensity and nature of the pain and other symptoms.
By being aware of these stages and how you should feel during them, you can identify any irregularities or issues early on and notify your doctor, who can take immediate action.
The Inflammatory Stage
As soon as a bone breaks, the first stage of the fracture healing process begins. At this point, the body immediately begins to move. Around the fracture site, a tiny blood clot called a hematoma develops, which draws white cell-attracting molecules.
White blood cells are a component of the body’s immune system. They contribute to the swelling, redness, and inflammation that we notice and experience as soon as an injury occurs, along with numerous other proteins.
Despite the fact that inflammation hurts, it also encourages the development of new blood vessels and the recruitment of other proteins. The process of constructing bones will be aided by this trigger.
The Reparative Stage
The actual healing process begins in the second stage of bone repair. After the injury has healed for roughly a week, the reparative phase begins. The blood clot that developed during the inflammatory stage is replaced by a soft callus, which is a type of soft bone.
Although the callus keeps the bone together, it is not sturdy enough to support the body part. In the coming weeks, the mild callus hardens. This tough callus becomes sturdy enough for the body part to be used after two to six weeks.
The Remodeling Stage
The callus matures and changes during the last stage to become the strong, healthy, and well-organized bone that we are familiar with.
The duration of the broken bone healing stages, from beginning to end, can range from a few months to years, depending on a variety of factors.
What To Expect When A Broken Bone Is Healing
Here are some broken bone healing symptoms:
Pain Subsides
When a bone initially breaks, it may cause excruciating agony, especially when you move or attempt to move the affected body part.
The discomfort could feel stabbing and acute. If you apply pressure to it, the discomfort will also get worse.
If you’re wondering what a healing broken bone feels like, then an indicator is that the pain lessens as your bone recovers. Due to the stabilization of the bone, you should experience nearly no discomfort after having a cast applied to the area because the pain after a broken bone has healed slowly.
Range Of Motion Increases
At first, you might only be able to move a very small amount where the break is. Your range of motion will gradually return as your broken bone begins to mend.
Swelling Decreases
Due to the blood rush to the area when a bone is broken, swelling occurs. However, the swelling at the spot will lessen as the callus grows.
Bruising Lessens
Broken bones don’t always result in bleeding. If you do have bruises, they will gradually change in color and begin to disappear. The bruise changes color as the blood is gradually absorbed by your body.
What Can Affect Bone Healing?
It’s possible that a bone won’t recover properly if:
- has harmed the nerves, muscles, and skin around the shattered bone.
- has a vitamin shortage
- has a health issue like diabetes, anemia, osteoporosis, or osteogenesis imperfecta
- takes specific medications (such as corticosteroids)
- consumes alcohol
- a cigarette smoker
How to Speed Healing of Broken Bones
To assist your body in healing the break, you can do the following:
Quit Smoking
Smoking changes blood flow to the bone, which may cause mending to be slowed down or stopped altogether.
Consume a Healthy Diet
More nutrients are needed for bone healing than for bone maintenance. Make sure you consume the recommended amounts of food from each food group, paying special attention to calcium and the vitamins A, B12, C, D, and K (prescribed)
Control Chronic Illnesses
You may heal more slowly if you have diabetes, a blood vessel illness, or a hormone-related ailment. Consult your doctor for advice on how to handle your condition better.
Watch Out For Certain Drugs
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen), glucocorticoids like prednisone, and immunosuppressants can all impede healing even though they are frequently used to control pain.
Don’t Use It Right Away
Early movement and usage of the injured body part might damage the bone and hinder its ability to mend.
Be Aware of Infection
Talk to your doctor very soon so that you can be treated for infection if you experience an increase in pain, swelling, redness, and heat around the fracture, particularly if you also experience a fever, chills, and pus leakage.
How to Improve Fracture Healing
Inquire with your doctor about equipment like bone-growth stimulators, electrical stimulation, and ultrasound therapy that could hasten the healing process.
Get Treated Right Away
It’s difficult to deal with the agony and decreased functionality that comes with a shattered bone.
You can get through it with the least amount of discomfort and handicap possible and return to functioning as soon as feasible by seeking immediate medical attention, adhering to your medical team’s recommendations, and adopting actions to aid in your body’s healing.
The RapidCareEmergency team is equipped to treat all children and adults with simple and complex medical concerns utilizing an evidence-based approach. If you have a medical emergency, we can keep you in our emergency room as long as it is necessary to help you get better.
Throughout the day and night, we guarantee to give you and your family the greatest available, state-of-the-art medical treatment. We are committed to helping the communities of La Porte and Katy, Texas