What should I do if I break a bone?
One of the most common car or bicycle accident injuries is a broken bone. No matter how minor a broken bone happens to be, those who suffer such a fracture require medical attention. If major trauma is also involved, then you should contact 911 immediately.
Other reasons to call 911 include the following:
— If the back, head or neck could be broken.
— If the person is bleeding heavily.
— If bone has come through the skin.
— If the hurt area looks deformed.
— If any part of the affected area is bluish or numb.
— If the person doesn’t have a heartbeat or isn’t breathing.
While you’re on your way to the hospital or waiting for medical assistance, there are a few things you can do to help with the broken bone. These include:
— Apply pressure to bleeding areas to stop or slow the bleeding.
— Keep injured areas immobilized. Only try to manipulate the broken bone if you have been trained to apply a splint and professionals aren’t around.
— Put ice on the affected area to relieve pain and reduce swelling. Make sure to keep the ice off the skin and put it in a towel or cloth.
— If the person appears to be in shock, elevate the legs and put the head a little lower than the rest of the body.
After getting the emergency medical attention you require, you may want to consider whether your broken bone was the result of another party’s negligence. If so, you might have First aid Fractures (broken bones): First aid,” accessed May 12, 2017