Questions regarding a recently broken arm?!
Question: Questions regarding a recently broken arm.?
I broke my arm up close to the shoulder a week ago. It was a clean break right on a (benign) bone cyst. The doctor has me in a sling and a brace for my upper arm. I have a few questions regarding my arm and my doctor is out of the office for a while. Since I don't think the answers to these questions will effect things much, I figured asking on Yahoo answers couldn't hurt.
1. About how long before the bone "reattaches".? I don't mean fully heals. I just want to know how long my showers are going to involve an uncomfortable arm hanging limp and useless at my side. They used to be my favorite part of the day. :(
2. Near the elbow, my arm is bruising. It doesn't hurt, but it is purple. also, the fingers on that arm are swelling up slightly. I suspect that this is because I had the brace on too tight. Does that sound right.? I had originally figured that it was too tight only if my fingers started going numb and have since rethought that idea.
3. Other than plenty of milk, is there anything that's going to help it heal faster.?Health Question & Answer
1. About how long before the bone "reattaches".? I don't mean fully heals. I just want to know how long my showers are going to involve an uncomfortable arm hanging limp and useless at my side. They used to be my favorite part of the day. :(
2. Near the elbow, my arm is bruising. It doesn't hurt, but it is purple. also, the fingers on that arm are swelling up slightly. I suspect that this is because I had the brace on too tight. Does that sound right.? I had originally figured that it was too tight only if my fingers started going numb and have since rethought that idea.
3. Other than plenty of milk, is there anything that's going to help it heal faster.?Health Question & Answer
Answers:
1. Everyone heals at different rates. Your bone fusing depends on a lot of factors, like your age, how fast you produce osteoclasts, your nutrition, and many more.
2.You need to keep your arm up. Don't let it dangle. With any injury, there will be some bleeding. Internally or externally. That is causing the bruising. The blood will "run down" to the nearest joint, your elbow, and appear externally as bruising. As with any fracture, there will also be some swelling. The swelling may increase depending on position of the arm, and inactivity of the limb.
3.You can add calcium in the form of Tums to your diet. Tums are inexpensive and you can chew them. You get calcium in any dairy, yogurt, cheese, milk et.Health Question & Answer
2.You need to keep your arm up. Don't let it dangle. With any injury, there will be some bleeding. Internally or externally. That is causing the bruising. The blood will "run down" to the nearest joint, your elbow, and appear externally as bruising. As with any fracture, there will also be some swelling. The swelling may increase depending on position of the arm, and inactivity of the limb.
3.You can add calcium in the form of Tums to your diet. Tums are inexpensive and you can chew them. You get calcium in any dairy, yogurt, cheese, milk et.Health Question & Answer
to heal it faster you could ask the doctor about a bone growth stimulatorHealth Question & Answer
you could ask God for a healingHealth Question & Answer
The bone is most likely already 'reattached', it takes a matter of 2-3 days for the outermost periosteum to re-fuse. After that, its just the mineral and bone deposition occurring that strengthens the fracture.
The bruising on the elbow is caused by blood from the break that ran down and collected in that area. Its also caused by inactivity of the arm, which causes blood to stagnate in the limb. This is the same reason why your fingers are swelling.
Normally, muscle contraction in your hand, forearm and arm 'squeeze' the veins and remove excess blood. This prevents blood from pooling/stagnating up in your veins and tissue. When your arm is broken, I cant imagine your hand and forearm get much exercise.
also, the break in your arm caused localized swelling in that area, and subsequently, upstream pressure on the veins which drain your entire limb.
What you can do to correct it is keep flexing the muscles in your hand and forearm. If you dont have a cast, try extending your forearm (straighten it so its in-line with your arm) when youre lying down, and hold your arm outwards (think gravity). It'll drain the excess fluid from your arm, and wont delay the healing process.Health Question & Answer
The bruising on the elbow is caused by blood from the break that ran down and collected in that area. Its also caused by inactivity of the arm, which causes blood to stagnate in the limb. This is the same reason why your fingers are swelling.
Normally, muscle contraction in your hand, forearm and arm 'squeeze' the veins and remove excess blood. This prevents blood from pooling/stagnating up in your veins and tissue. When your arm is broken, I cant imagine your hand and forearm get much exercise.
also, the break in your arm caused localized swelling in that area, and subsequently, upstream pressure on the veins which drain your entire limb.
What you can do to correct it is keep flexing the muscles in your hand and forearm. If you dont have a cast, try extending your forearm (straighten it so its in-line with your arm) when youre lying down, and hold your arm outwards (think gravity). It'll drain the excess fluid from your arm, and wont delay the healing process.Health Question & Answer