Broken bones can be incredibly painful, but they are also the most common of all orthopedic injuries that are seen. When you have a broken bone, there are different treatment options available to allow the fracture to heal properly. The type of broken bone treatment that is chosen is often linked to a few factors.
What Factors matter When Choosing a Broken Bone Treatment?
The factors that matter most when determining the broken bone treatment that will work best include the location of the fracture, the alignment of the broken bone and the preference of the patient. Since different treatment options for broken bones come with different recovery times, the preference of the patient is always given importance.
Pros of Broken Bone Treatments
1. Immobilization
This is probably the most common way to treat fractures. Immobilization involves placing the fractured bone in a brace, cast, sling or splint to make it immobile. The cast is the most common way to immobilize a fracture and the most stable option. Casts are available in many different sizes and shapes.
2. Healing is Ideal
The biggest benefit of immobilization as a treatment for broken bones is healing. Immobilization with a cast allows the bone to heal correctly and for ideal alignment to be achieved. Finding a cast that will fit is easy for most patients.
3. Proper Bone Alignment
The biggest benefit of reducing or resetting the bone is to get proper alignment. This allows the bone to heal correctly and will minimize any lasting effects of the fracture. Healing time can be increased if the bone is reset.
4. Alternative to Surgery
The biggest benefit of this treatment is it is an available alternative for surgery and does allow for optimal bone healing. It might not be the most innovative method, but broken bones do heal effectively through this treatment.
5. Easy and Fast
The biggest benefit of using pins as a treatment for broken bones is the healing time and pain. Healing time is increased with this method and the amount of pain that that patient experiences is reduced. Bones heal very well will pins are used, because it allows for better alignment.
Cons of Broken Bone Treatments
1. Healing Time
Even though most fractures heal well through immobilization, the amount of time that it takes for a broken bone to heal is increased. Surgery as a treatment for a fracture speeds up eth healing process, but immobilization takes time for the bone to heal on its own. This treatment is not invasive, but carrying around a cast on your body can be uncomfortable over time.
2. Reducing the Broken Bone
This is also a treatment for broken bones and involves resetting or aligning the bone. This type of treatment can be both surgical and nonsurgical depending on the type of reducing treatment that is chosen. A closed reduction is nonsurgical, but an open reduction is surgical.
3. Could Require Surgery
While it is possible to rest a bone without the need for a surgical procedure, a surgical procedure could be required in some instances. This still allows the bone to be realigned, but every surgical procedure does come attached with some risk. This is one of the more invasive treatment options for a broken bone.
4. Traction
This is one of the older treatment options for broken bones and is not as common as it once was. This is not a treatment option for fractures that is used very often today. However, there are some instances where traction is one of the only available treatment options for fractures.
5. Stuck in Position
The biggest downside to traction as treatment option for broken bones is the amount of time healing takes and the immobility of the patient. Patients that are in traction are confined to a bed and the healing process could take months in some cases. For this reason, this treatment option is not common today.
6. Pins
Pins being placed in smaller bones is becoming a common way to treat fractures. This is a surgical procedure that requires a pin to be inserted through the skin. Removing the pins is much less invasive and can often be done in a doctor’s office.
7. Surgery
Even though the pins can be removed in your doctor’s office, you still have to undergo surgery to have them inserted. Surgical treatments for broken bones are more invasive and are also much more costly. Immobilization is the most affordable treatment option by far.
There are many different treatment options for broken bones and each come with their own pros and cons that you need to consider.