![]() ![]() Go straight to the emergency room if the pain is severe or if your wrist is numb. Schedule an appointment with your doctor immediately, or go to an urgent care center for medical treatment. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help relieve pain.ĭon’t try to straighten your wrist, and avoid moving it around. ![]() Putting an ice pack on the injury also helps reduce swelling. Elevate your wrist above the level of your heart to prevent further swelling. You can simply use a magazine wrapped around your wrist to help support it. The internal fixation screws or plates may be placed after several days in a separate procedure.The most important treatment initially is immobilizing your wrist in a splint. For badly damaged soft tissues, a temporary external fixator may be placed. The bone and exposed soft tissues are thoroughly cleaned, antibiotics are administered to prevent infection, and internal fixation methods are used to hold the broken bones in correct position. Surgery is also recommended for all open fractures within a few hours after the wrist injury. External fixation (outside the skin stabilizing frame to hold the bones in its aligned position until it heals).Metal pins (titanium or stainless steel).After alignment, the bones can be secured together in the correct position with the use of any of the following or a combination of these techniques: Open reduction technique involves directly accessing and aligning the broken bones through an incision. ![]() Surgical therapy is recommended for fractures that are completely displaced and cannot be corrected with a cast. After the cast is removed, the doctor may recommend physical therapy to help improve the function and motion of your injured wrist. The healing process will be monitored with regular X-rays. The cast may be changed after a few weeks as it loosens with the reduction in swelling. The splint may be used initially for a few days till the swelling subsides, after which a cast may be placed. After the alignment of the bones, your doctor will place a splint or cast on your arm. For this, your doctor may perform closed reduction, which involves moving the broken bone pieces into place and straightening the bone without opening the skin. If the broken bones are nonaligned, realignment of the broken fragments may be required. If the bone is aligned properly even after the fracture, a plaster cast may be enough to allow it to heal on its own. The choice of treatment will depend on your age, level of activity, nature of fracture and your surgeon’s preference. You can protect your wrist with a splint and apply an ice pack while keeping the wrist elevated until the doctor examines it. Sometimes, a computer tomography (CT) scan may be required to get a detailed view of the fractured fragments. Your doctor will diagnose distal radius fractures by ordering an X-ray of the wrist to detect broken or displaced bone, and determine the number of pieces the bone is broken into. How is a distal radius fracture diagnosed? The broken wrist may also appear deformed. The symptoms of distal radius fractures include bruising, swelling, immediate pain and tenderness, and limited mobility. What are the symptoms of distal radius fractures? Major trauma to the wrist during a vehicular accident.Minor falls with the presence of osteoporosis (fragile bones).What are the causes of distal radius fractures?įalling on an outstretched arm is the most common way to fracture the distal radius. Comminuted fracture: Bone fractured into more than two pieces.Open fracture: Fractured bone that breaks through the skin.Extra-articular fracture: Fracture not extending into the wrist joint.Intra-articular fracture: Fracture extending into the wrist joint.Other types of distal radius fractures include: The most commonly occurring distal radius fracture is the Colles fracture, which is characterized by an upward tilting of the broken radius bone. The distal radius can get fractured in various ways, but it generally occurs around 1 inch from the distal end of the wrist. What are the different types of distal radius fractures? ![]()
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