Being healthy and active is something everyone tries to strive for. However, when you injure yourself and break a bone, you need to stabilize yourself and the limb affected then see a doctor. Here are the steps to treat your wound and get on the road to recovery.

Stabilize It

Once the injury has occured, analyze it for any breaks in the skin or discoloration. If there is bleeding, put pressure on the wound and elevate it over the patient’s heart. Find a way to keep the limb that is hurt from moving too much and causing further damage. You can wrap it tightly or secure it to a splint. Check the person who this happened to over and look for signs of shock. Set ice on the affected area then prepare to take them to the hospital.

See a Doctor

Transport the patient to the emergency room to be evaluated. A doctor will look over the limb then determine further treatment. A plastic surgeon raleigh nc may be called in if the injury is so severe that reconstruction is necessary. If a break in the bone is suspected, x-rays will be ordered to draw the final conclusion. While they are there, the patient will be made to feel as comfortable as possible. Depending on the traffic at that time, it can take an hour or two to get the results of the tests.

Treating the Break

When the physician reviews the films, he will tell the injured person of his diagnosis and what the treatment will be. If it is very severe or has broken the skin, they might have to have surgery to repair it. A typical break will be reset then a cast will be put on. The injured area should be elevated and rested. The patient can take whatever pain reliever the doctor prescribes to relieve the ache.The limb will have to remain immobilized for several weeks until the bone heals. Once it has, the physician will have to check the spot where the break occurred one more time then remove the cast that they had applied.