Falls are one of the most common events which lead to injury. Falls can happen to anyone, although young children and older adults are more susceptible to sustaining an injury from a fall. During the winter time, falls are especially common due to the colder weather creating slippery conditions.
There are a variety of different injuries which can result from a fall. These injuries can vary in severity based on factors such as the age of the person who fell, the conditions that caused the fall, and where the fall occurred. Regardless of the environment, muscle strains, sprains, and bone fractures are all common injuries caused by falls. If you sustain an injury from a fall, it is important to know what symptoms may require medical care. Continue reading to learn how to identify the signs of a fracture and when to seek medical care for treatment. AFC Urgent Care North Bergen offers same-day urgent injury care for patients in North Bergen, NJ, and the surrounding communities. Simply walk into our clinic, or schedule an appointment online.
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How To Determine The Severity of a Fall
Falls can cause you to enter a state of shock. This can make it difficult to notice whether you have suffered an injury from falling at first. Many times, falls cause more surprise than injury. If you fall badly, from a high height, or hit your head, you should seek medical care to rule out injury. Injuries such as bone fractures are very common due to falling. Bone fractures require medical care, making it important to know how to identify the signs of a fracture.
Signs You Have a Fractured Bone:
A fracture is a term used to reference a broken bone. There are various levels of fractures such as a hairline fracture, which is just a crack in the bone, or a complex fracture which is when there are multiple breaks in the same bone. Depending on the severity of the fracture, your symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. Some signs that you have suffered a fracture include:
- Swelling, bruising, or tenderness around the affected area
- Difficulty moving or putting weight on the injured limb
- Hearing a snap, grinding, or popping sound at the time of injury
- Tingling or numbness in the affected limb
- Distorted or abnormally angled limb. In severe fractures, the broken bone may come out through the skin.
At the time of the injury, it is not unusual to feel cold and sweaty, faint, or lightheaded if you have suffered a fracture.
Fractures can sometimes be confused with sprain or strain injuries. However, a fracture is much more serious than an injury like a sprain or strain. Sprains happen when the ligaments surrounding your joint become stretched too far or torn. Symptoms can include pain in the injured area, swelling, and bruising around the part where you sprained your ligament or tendon. The most distinct way to determine whether you have ligament or muscle damage is whether the pain is around a joint where the connective tissues are, or in the middle of a bone which likely indicates a fracture.
Diagnosing and Treating a Fracture at AFC Urgent Care North Bergen
If you think you may have suffered a fracture from a fall, seeking early medical care for diagnosis is the best way to ensure a speedy recovery. Your medical provider will take digital X-ray images of the affected area to look for damage to the bone in the affected area. In severe cases, an MRI or CAT scan may be required to rule out damage to other structures, such as ligaments, tissues, and muscles.
Although fractures do not always require surgery to fix, they often require some level of resting and at-home care to ensure a full recovery. Without proper treatment, fractures can heal incorrectly which can cause long-term discomfort and need surgery to correct. Seeking medical care for imaging and treatment is the best way to rule out a fracture and get the necessary care for your injury.
Visit AFC Urgent Care North Bergen for Walk-In Injury Care in North Bergen, NJ
Falls can lead to serious injury, especially for the elderly. If you suffer a fall, you may not feel the injuries you have sustained right away due to shock. It is important to know the warning signs of a fracture so that you can seek timely medical care. AFC Urgent Care North Bergen offers same-day injury care without the need to schedule an appointment. Simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient for you.
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Our clinic is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital X-ray suite that allows our medical team to quickly and accurately diagnose your injury at the time of your visit with no referral necessary. Our medical team is board-certified and trained to diagnose and treat common injuries, including fractured bones. If you’ve suffered a fall and are experiencing the symptoms of a fracture, walk into our clinic for rapid injury care. For additional information about the services provided at our clinic, contact us directly by calling (201) 588-1300.
