How to tell if my hand is broken?

Have you ever punched a wall in anger, only to realize later that it wasn’t the wall that got hurt? Or maybe you just tripped while running and landed awkwardly on your hand? Either way, it can be hard to know when you’ve actually broken something or if it’s just a little sore. In this article, we’ll go over some telltale signs of a broken hand so you can avoid making things worse.

Assessing the Damage: Before You Begin

Before we get started with how to tell if your hand is broken or not, let’s do some quick housekeeping. If you suspect your hand might be fractured, there are certain things you shouldn’t do:

  • Don’t try and make fists
  • Avoid moving your fingers too much
  • Limit all activities that involve using the affected area

By avoiding these actions, you reduce the risk of further injury; however before assessing whether you have fractured anything in your hand, here are some guidelines for identifying an actual fracture vs swelling:

Fracture Swelling
A sharp pain felt immediately after incident (i.e., punching) General discomfort felt gradually
Visible deformity—hand looks contorted No change in visual appearance
Numbness Pain relived through rest

It’s important to remember that everyone’s body reacts differently when they injure themselves. But by following these tips below,it will help give an indication as to what has happened

Step One: Check for Visual Indicators

When dealing with a possible fracture breakage or any other type of injury about our body parts such as the hands,the first thing people usually notice is what they see but applying more pressure than necessary may cause additional damage Here are some ways on what should happen especially within the first 24 hours of the injury:

  • Swelling: Starting out, swelling will be present either at the site on hand that has experienced trauma or around joints.
  • Bruising & Discoloration: In addition to swelling, it is common for bruising and other discolorations to take place. If you can’t recall any direct impact with your hands prior — this could also indicate a possible fracture. To avoid further discomfort try not to reapply pressure onto this area.
  • Deformity: While not as common, there are cases where an obvious visual deformity occurs in individuals who suffer from broken knuckles or bones altogether (An example may look similar having one finger longer than its appointed size).

Step Two: Pain Level

Are you feeling pain after trying to use your hand? Does it hurt when pressure is applied? These are all good indications that something might be wrong. Note however, that how much pain indicates a break varies per individual – what’s excruciatingly painful for some may hardly faze others.

Step Three: Limited Range of Motion

Another symptom commonly associated with both fractures and sprains (injury caused by stretching/tearing ligaments) is decreased range of motion which limits movement – or according numbness inflicted upon reflexes which hinder most activities such as gripping utensils or making simple gestures.

If you’re experiencing decreased mobility in your fingers or wrist areas then chances are high things aren’t going great.

Conclusion

It’s always better safe than sorry!The earlier somebody can identify whether there’s been damage done to their body means they will have more time before worsened symptoms appear.If hand injuries begin impacting everyday actions on hold like cooking meals,jogging even using touch screen devices it may warrant professional treatment — including cast fitting,surgery,and physical therapy depending severity after assessment from specialists.. Apart from following these guidelines stating ways of identifying a possible fracture , it is vital for frequent stretching sensations – especially when beginning any physical activity- and wearing protective gear to reduce the probability of serious injuries in case an accident happens.

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