Pretty Sure I Just Broke My Arm

[Pogre]

I tripped on a concrete step a few hours ago and I managed to get my right hand in front of me, which broke most of my fall, tho I bumped my cheek on the sidewalk too... Now my right forearm is swelling and bruising a little bit. Not too bad tho. No big knot or anything so I don't think it's separated. It doesn't hurt at all just sitting or holding it across my belly, sling-style. It hurts like a mofo if I try to twist or grip anything tho and the source of the pain very localized. I've broken bones before and I'm 99% sure it's a break.

I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO URGENT CARE. I hate that place. If I take it easy and use a sling it should be alright? If it takes a turn for the worse I'll go right away, but I really, really don't want to go to Urgent Care...

 

[Hetfield]

I tripped on a concrete step a few hours ago and I managed to get my right hand in front of me, which broke most of my fall, tho I bumped my cheek on the sidewalk too... Now my right forearm is swelling and bruising a little bit. Not too bad tho. No big knot or anything so I don't think it's separated. It doesn't hurt at all just sitting or holding it across my belly, sling-style. It hurts like a mofo if I try to twist or grip anything tho and the source of the pain very localized. I've broken bones before and I'm 99% sure it's a break.

I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO URGENT CARE. I hate that place. If I take it easy and use a sling it should be alright? If it takes a turn for the worse I'll go right away, but I really, really don't want to go to Urgent Care...

Oh my gosh that's awful. I think unfortunately you are gonna need to go to the doc at some point. That sucks man.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[MalVeauX]

How'd you type all this?

Very best,

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Vike odin!!!!! Lol

 

[Pogre]

How'd you type all this?

Very best,

Left handed! Lol.

I am somewhat ambidextrous too, or so I've always said... gonna find out now!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Dude.....I really hope you didn’t.

 

[Pogre]

Dude.....I really hope you didn’t.

Oh I'm sure of it. It's broken. I just hate going to Urgent Care. I know I'd end up there waiting for four f*cking hours just to be sent somewhere else to wait a couple hours for an x ray, then back to Urgent Care to wait another 4 hours for them to tell me "Yup. It's broken"...

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Oh I'm sure of it. It's broken. I just hate going to Urgent Care. I know I'd end up there for four f*cking hours just to be sent somewhere else to wait a couple hours for an x ray, then back to Urgent Care to wait another 4 hours for them to tell me "Yup. It's broken"...

YeH. Nothing like waiting around for hours to find out what you already know!!!!!

 

[Danzilla31]

Bro I'm so sorry that sucks. And I know it sucks to go. But if it's broken you need to find out how bad and it need to be properly set and stabilized. More movement will only damage it worse.

 

[Pogre]

YeH. Nothing like waiting around for hours to find out what you already know!!!!!

The endorphins are wearing off and a general ache is settling in. My right arm is pretty much useless now. If it's really jacked up tomorrow I'll go in after work.

 

[Pogre]

Bro I'm so sorry that sucks. And I know it sucks to go. But if it's broken you need to find out how bad and it need to be properly set and stabilized. More movement will only damage it worse.

Check my post above. I'll give it til tomorrow.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Bro I'm so sorry that sucks. And I know it sucks to go. But if it's broken you need to find out how bad and it need to be properly set and stabilized. More movement will only damage it worse.

Danno!!!!! I’ve seen you poking in lately. Nice to see!

 

[MalVeauX]

Depending on where you are, look up an ortho after hours. You should be able to show up, clear COVID screening, be seen, x-rayed and get either a wrap, cast or sling from one place. If you have the choice, go for the heated plastic molded to your arm with velcro straps so you can take it on/off.

Very best,

 

[cpp]

The problem is if you look at your arm and you say, "My arm is clearly broken. It is deformed." You are going to go to an urgent care. They're going to look at it. They're going to put you on ambulance and send you to the E.R.. Its all about sedation and Urgent care typical don't do that. The biggest consideration is making sure you can move your fingers and you've got blood flow to your fingers. If you touch your finger and you push down and it doesn't go from white to red on your fingernail, or if you're just not moving your fingers, that's much more serious. In that kind of situation I'd call an ambulance and get to the E.R. because we're talking about some potentially serious nerve damage or potentially damage to the artery there. Never an easy decision.

 

[Pogre]

The problem is if you look at your arm and you say, "My arm is clearly broken. It is deformed." You are going to go to an urgent care. They're going to look at it. They're going to put you on ambulance and send you to the E.R.. Its all about sedation and Urgent care typical don't do that. The biggest consideration is making sure you can move your fingers and you've got blood flow to your fingers. If you touch your finger and you push down and it doesn't go from white to red on your fingernail, or if you're just not moving your fingers, that's much more serious. In that kind of situation I'd call an ambulance and get to the E.R. because we're talking about some potentially serious nerve damage or potentially damage to the artery there. Never an easy decision.

It's not clearly deformed, but there is light bruising and swelling. I can move my fingers with difficulty, but hurts where I suspect the break is. I just did the fingertip press and they went from white to red so looks like I have good circulation still. If I wake up and it's swelled up like a football I'll go in and get it checked for sure.

 

[TLS Guy]

Oh I'm sure of it. It's broken. I just hate going to Urgent Care. I know I'd end up there waiting for four f*cking hours just to be sent somewhere else to wait a couple hours for an x ray, then back to Urgent Care to wait another 4 hours for them to tell me "Yup. It's broken"...

You most likely have a Colles fracture. This is a fracture of the distal radius at the wrist. Most of these fractures are displaced, and need reduction before immobilizing them. Even if not displaced, if not properly immobilized they can displace during the first two weeks post fracture, as that is the period of bone adsorption.

The wrist is a complex area and there are a number of fractures that can occur. Scaphoid fractures are notorious for non union, if not handled properly, and will cause life long disability. Any displaced fracture not reduced, will cause lifelong disability also.

In addition, radial fractures frequently are associated with ulnar fractures also.

The bottom line is that X-ray of your forearm is mandatory to asses the situation, and see what intervention may be necessary. You absolutely need medical attention, and tonight, considering you may have an unstable fracture that will worsen if not attended to correctly.

 

[Pogre]

You most likely have a Colles fracture. This is a fracture of the distal radius at the wrist. Most of these fractures are displaced, and need reduction before immobilizing them. Even if not displaced, if not properly immobilized they can displace during the first two weeks post fracture, as that is the period of bone adsorption.

The wrist is a complex area and there are a number of fractures that can occur. Scaphoid fractures are notorious for non union, if not handled properly, and will cause life long disability. Any displaced fracture not reduced, will cause lifelong disability also.

In addition, radial fractures frequently are associated with ulnar fractures also.

The bottom line is that X-ray of your forearm is mandatory to asses the situation, and see what intervention may be necessary. You absolutely need medical attention, and tonight, considering you may have an unstable fracture that will worsen if not attended to correctly.

It's closer to my elbow than my wrist. My wrist is pretty much unscathed, amazingly. I'm pretty sure It's my ulna, radius or both. If it were my wrist I wouldn't hesitate, I know how complicated and delicate those bones, vessels and nerves are.

 

[lovinthehd]

Bummer, hope something like malveaux suggested is a viable alternative for ya!

 

[Mr._Clark]

It's closer to my elbow than my wrist. My wrist is pretty much unscathed, amazingly. I'm pretty sure It's my ulna, radius or both. If it were my wrist I wouldn't hesitate, I know how complicated and delicate those bones, vessels and nerves are.

I'll defer to TLS Guy's advise, but add that I had a cat once that developed a limp. It didn't seem too bad so I waited to take him to the vet. It turned out his bone was broken and by then his muscles had shortened and they could not get the bones back to their original position. They put a plate in but one leg was shorter than the others so he had a limp.

My (very non-expert) take on this is that there's a relatively short window to get the bones reset. There's no way in h*ll I'd wait if a I knew I had a broken bone. Seriously, don't mess with this my audioholic brother!

 

[Irvrobinson]

It's closer to my elbow than my wrist. My wrist is pretty much unscathed, amazingly. I'm pretty sure It's my ulna, radius or both. If it were my wrist I wouldn't hesitate, I know how complicated and delicate those bones, vessels and nerves are.

I'll give you the more technical version of TLSGuy's advice.

It is really dumb not to have an X-ray done and have it read by an expert.

Edit: ASAP!