A Colles fracture put simply is one of the two most common fractures of the wrist. There are many circumstances under which the wrist can become fractured, however one of the biggest causes is fallen from a height with outstretched arms and hands. Your wrists absorb the shock, and as a result may fracture in some extreme cases. Colles fractures are normally treated using a plaster cast in an effort to return the bones back to the position they were in before the fracture.
Colles fracture treatment
Treatments for Colles fractures vary, although they almost always employ the use of a plaster cast for the rehabilitation and healing period of the injury. If the fracture isn’t a particularly bad one, a cast may be applied straight off by the doctor who’s dealing with you. The cast usually stays on for around 7 weeks, in which time the injury is given time to heal, without the limb being used. More serious Colles fractures may require a small medical procedure beforehand.
If your injury is not suitable for a cast to be applied to right away, it is normal for the doctors to carry out a simple procedure under anaesthetic to reduce the pain felt by the patient. They will gradually manipulate the bones back together, ready to be set into a cast. It’s not just the severity of an injury that health care professionals will consider when assessing whether a wrist break requires surgery, they will also look into other factors like the age of the patient, and the patient’s bone quality.
Colles fracture symptoms
If you have ever broken a bone before, you will know that symptoms are usually immense pain. The same is true of a Colles fracture, immense pains in the wrist is perhaps the most telling sign of a fracture, but also look out for swelling around the wrist, if you’re unsure as to whether the wrist is fractured or not, swelling could certainly help you determine. Either way, it’s always advisable to attend an A&E department as quickly as possible after a possible wrist fracture, in order to ensure the victim receives the care and attention their injury requires in order for them to make a recovery.
Symptoms of Colles fractures are not hard to pick up on – it’s an excruciatingly painful experience, so if you or someone you know has experienced a Colles fracture, do your best to get them to the help they need as quick as possible.