What is the difference between a fracture and a bone crack?

Fractures and bone cracks are both very common surgical diseases. Bone cracks are a type of fracture and are more serious. No matter which situation it is, timely treatment and good care are required, and attention should be paid to rest and a nutritious diet in order to recover as soon as possible.

1. What is the difference between a fracture and a bone crack?

Fracture refers to a disease in which bone is partially or completely broken due to trauma or pathology. The main clinical manifestations are: localized pain and tenderness at the fracture site, local swelling and ecchymosis, partial or complete loss of limb function, and complete bone deformity and abnormal movement. Acupuncture is mainly used for closed fractures.

Bone fracture is medically called crack fracture, which is a type of fracture. In clinical practice, crack fractures without obvious displacement are the most common, which are generally caused by direct blows, minor impacts and falls, etc. With simple fixation and treatment with plaster or a small splint, the injury can heal quickly, and there are usually no sequelae after healing. However, if you do not take it seriously and continue to move, it may easily lead to re-displacement of the fracture and even require surgical treatment.

2. Home care for fractures

(1) After fracture reduction and fixation, special attention should be paid to see whether the plaster or splint is too tight. If you find blood flow obstruction at the distal end of the fracture site (fingers or toes), that is, severe swelling or purple skin, you should seek medical attention immediately. Always check the skin around the edges of the cast or splint for pressure. If redness or ulceration occurs, consult a doctor.

(2) After a fracture, the affected limb should be elevated (use a pillow to support the fractured limb) to promote blood circulation and prevent excessive swelling.

(3) Patients who have been bedridden for a long time after a fracture should sleep on a wooden bed, which is beneficial to their health. They should also pay attention to turning over regularly and massaging the compressed skin to prevent bedsores.

(4) It is also important to strengthen functional exercise. Patients should get out of bed and move around as soon as their body allows. Patients who cannot get out of bed should also do limb exercises in bed to promote blood circulation, which is beneficial to fracture healing and functional recovery.

3. Attention to bone fracture

There are several areas of the body where bone fractures require special attention, such as the femoral neck in the hip, the scaphoid bone in the wrist, and the talus bone in the ankle. Because the local blood circulation in these areas is not abundant, blood vessels are damaged after a fracture, making ischemic necrosis of the bone very likely to occur. Once necrosis occurs, it will be difficult to treat and often requires artificial joint replacement. Therefore, bone fractures in these areas should be taken seriously and internal or external fixation must be given in a timely manner.

In addition, bone fractures in the waist, chest and ribs, and ankles should also be paid attention to. Compression fractures of the vertebrae are often also called bone fractures. Mild compression fractures can sometimes only be detected by CT scan, but the pain they cause is often unbearable, making it impossible to walk, affecting diet and urination, and therefore often requiring hospitalization for observation; minor bruises or contusions of the chest and ribs, in addition to severe pain, can also affect breathing and coughing. If the bone fracture is dislocated, the tip of the fracture can also pierce the heart and lungs; bone fractures in the foot and ankle, especially those in the medial and lateral malleolus and the base of the fifth metatarsal, can easily cause local pain, prolonged swelling and habitual sprains.