If you’ve experienced a broken bone, you would always remember the pain that you’ve been through. Not all the people have the same body, therefore, the healing process also becomes distinct for each person who undergoes a fracture. Doctors will apply different methods to repair fractures, depending on their type, location, and severity.
Healing a broken bone will always take time and is dependent on certain factors including the patient’s age, overall health, blood flow to the bone, nutrition, and the kind of treatment he receives. Those who have lost bone density and are at a likelihood of developing bone thinning are more susceptible to fractures.
It is essential to get immediate treatment for the fracture otherwise the bone will heal in an unusual way. One of the goals of getting the treatment for a broken bone is to restore the normal anatomy. The doctors in the orthopedic clinic manipulate and reset each part of the bone so that it heals in its correct position.
Improperly treated bones can result in a number of complications and some of which are:
- Infection from the injury
- Formation of a blood clot near the blood vessels
- Damage to skin, muscles, or tissues surrounding the fracture
- Swelling of a nearby joint
A doctor will make his best effort to heal the fracture as quickly as possible. Apart from getting the right treatment, you can also make an effort to contribute to the bone healing process in the following ways:
Adhere to the Treatment Plan
Your doctor will devise a treatment strategy for your healing. The purpose would be to get fruitful results as soon as possible. Not sticking to the treatment plan would mean that you are compromising on your healing and delaying your health. The treatment advised by the doctor might be a combination of various healing methods including crutches, cast, surgery, etc.
Altering the treatment ahead of schedule, removing the cast, or walking on a broken bone can lead to some serious consequences. Instead of getting better through the treatment, you might have to take additional measures in order to curb the damage done by your carelessness. By religiously following the doctor’s plan, you will ensure your health way before than anticipated.
Stick to a Balanced Diet
As your bones are healing, your body requires more nutrients as compared to those needed to maintain your bone health. Patients should always take their bone injuries seriously, and ensure an adequate intake of all the essential nutrients that will quicken the healing process in one way or the other.
Whatever we put in our body is the determinant of its overall functioning. Without eating the right kind of food, it is impossible to prepare your body for healing let alone fasten the process. Necessary nutrients like potassium and iron should be incorporated in the diet, and intake of alcohol, coffee, and salt should be brought to a minimum.
Quit Smoking
It is not easy to get rid of any addiction easily, but certain things need to be done for your health and well-being. If you have incurred a fracture, the healing process will be gravely affected if you continue to smoke. Patients who smoke have a very long healing time and are sensitive to developing a nonunion (non-healing of the bone).
All the vital nutrients are delivered to the damaged bone through blood flow, and smoking alters this flow. When the nutrients will not reach the fractured bone, how will it become completely healthy? Before anything else, one has to give up on smoking, if they want their bone to be back the way it used to be.
Take Calcium/Vitamin D/ Fish Oil Supplements
The focus should be to maximize nutritional intake through a balanced diet. However, there are times when our body becomes so deficient of certain nutrients that there’s no choice left other than to take supplements. Taking calcium is essential to healing, but excessive doses will never speed up the process.
Your body requires Vitamin D to metabolize calcium and since it might not be possible to stay outdoors because of the broken bone, one should simply take the supplement. Fish is rich in Omega-3s, but no one eats enough of it, so it is better to take the nutrients through supplements and facilitate the healing of the bones.
Never Compromise on Your Sleep
No matter what happens, never let your sleep hours be affected because of the fracture. Lack of sleep means that you are distressing your body beyond its capacity, especially when there’s already a broken bone. Getting sufficient sleep will keep your body energized and give it the required boost to heal the fracture.
Sleeping with a broken bone is already a task on its own and can lead to limited rest hours. Sleep deprivation is already not good for your bone health, even if they aren’t damaged. When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, there is an obvious misbalance in his bone growth, and this can cause various problems in the future.
Role of Medications
After sustaining a broken bone, you should be very vigilant about informing your physician regarding the medicines you’re taking. Certain medicines can interfere with the healing process and should be discontinued on the doctor’s recommendation to avoid any disruption.
Many doctors in orthopedic clinics believe that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), like Aleve or Motrin, can play a role in slowing the fracture healing. They have been shown to delay fracture healing in animal models. Generally, such cases happen when the medicine is administered in a very high dose, but always pay heed to what your doctor has to say and follow his instructions devotedly.
Conclusion
Who doesn’t want their bones to heal as quickly as possible, but the truth is that it will always take some time. The process can be hastened but only to a certain extent. Do not expect miracles, but making an effort in the right direction will definitely bring about the desired results. No matter how painful the wait is, it will be worth it in the end.
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