What bone do you break when you break your forearm?
Your forearm is made up of two bones: the radius and ulna. In most cases of adult forearm fractures, both bones are broken. Fractures of the forearm can occur near the wrist at the farthest (distal) end of the bone, in the middle of the forearm, or near the elbow at the top (proximal) end of the bone.
How do you tell if you broke a bone in your forearm?
Symptoms
- Severe pain, which might increase with movement.
- Swelling.
- Bruising.
- Deformity, such as a bent arm or wrist.
- Inability to turn your arm from palm up to palm down or vice versa.
Is a broken forearm life threatening?
A forearm fracture is not life threatening itself. However, if the break is a compound fracture, infection can occur quickly and lead to life-threatening complications.
Will a forearm fracture heal on its own?
In rare cases, fractures to the forearm may heal on their own, but only if the bone has stayed in precisely the correct position for healing, and the patient does not move that arm even one millimeter during the healing process, which can take up to several months depending on the severity of the fracture.
What happens if a broken bone is not treated?
Delayed Union. When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn’t heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
Can you still move your arm if it fractured?
The majority of fractures heal and normal arm movement is restored. Many of these factors based on the individual injury and medical history may determine the final outcome of a broken bone: Earlier treatment usually improves results.
Can a broken ulna heal on its own?
What are the symptoms of a broken forearm?
Bruising
How to know if broken bone is healing?
Most doctors check x-rays to see if bones are healing. The calcified blood clot around the fractured ends of the bones will show up on x-rays and is called “callus”. Callus is just new bone that has formed and grown across the fracture site. It’s another sign that the broken bone is healed.
How long does it take to heal a broken arm?
Broken arm or wrist. A broken (fractured) arm or wrist needs to be treated as soon as possible. It typically takes a month or two to heal.