A broken bone, or fracture, is an injury that requires immediate medical attention. Aside from the actual breakage of the bone itself, other symptoms may accompany the bone injury, depending on the severity and circumstance in which the injury occurred.

There are measures that one can take to help keep the victim comfortable and prevent further injury until the victim at the hospital.

First of all you need to call emergency department of the hospital or health center in case the injury is severe. Indications of a severe injury include the following.

 The victim is unconscious, is not breathing, or has no heartbeat. You may need to administer adult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

The victim is pale, sweaty (cold sweat), short of breath and confused. These are symptoms suggestive of shock.  The injury is to the head, neck, back, hip, pelvis, or upper leg. There is severe bleeding. The hurt limb or joint looks deformed and seems to be out of the usual position.

Any little movement or light pressure causes pain, the bone has pierced through the skin known as an open fracture.

Stop any bleeding; hold a clean, preferably sterile, absorbent material over the injury and apply gentle yet direct pressure (without applying over the break). If there is a large object penetrating the skin, do not remove it. It may be clotting the wound. Removing it could cause severe bleeding.

Immobilize the injured area, but do not try to move it to its original position, unless circulation is cut off.

Do not move a person with a hip or pelvis fracture. If they must be moved, however, strap the legs together with a towel or blanket in between them and place the person gently on a board.

Splint an injured bone by tying it gently to a rigid object, such as a board or stick, or even a rolled up newspaper. Cushion the object with clothing or other soft padding if available.

Fasten the splint with a bandage if available. Secure the splint on both sides of the injury, above and below the break, but not directly on it.

Place a board or other flat, stiff object under a broken leg, and tie the leg to the board above and below the break. Tape a broken finger or toe to the next finger or toe with padding in between if possible.

Gently tie an injured arm to the body (elevated to heart level if possible) to immobilize it. Rope or even a belt can help to keep it from moving.

If a wrist, hand, or arm is injured, remove all watches, bracelets, and rings promptly. Swelling will make it harder to remove these items later.

Check blood circulation. Press your fingertips firmly on the skin somewhere past the break like the forearm especially if the injury is in the elbow. If it doesn’t turn pink 2 seconds after you let go, circulation could be jeopardized.

Also check for pale or blue skin, numbness or tingling, and loss of pulse. If you see any indication of loss of circulation, call for emergency help immediately as instructed in the first step you do need to wait for a doctor’s appointment.

If emergency care is not available quickly try to realign the limb (not the head, neck, back, or hips) into a normal resting position so that tissues are not damaged due to lack of blood.

Ice the injured area to slow swelling. Do not apply ice directly to the skin; instead, wrap it in a cloth; failure to do so will cause frostbite and will make the situation worse. A plastic bag, if you have one, will help to contain the melting ice.

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