How to Perform First Aid for Broken Bones

Broken bones occur when one bone becomes cracked or broken into several parts. This can occur due to sports injuries, accidents, or acts of violence. Broken bones are not usually life-threatening, but require immediate medical care and proper initial treatment so that the condition is not getting worse. Therefore, it is important for us to understand how to provide first aid to broken bones victims.

Characteristics of Broken Bones

A broken bone can be identified from one or more of the following signs:

• Pain in the injured area and worsening when moved.
• Numbness in the injured area.
• The injured area appears bluish, swollen or deformed.
• Bones appear to penetrate the skin.
• Heavy bleeding at the site of injury.

How to Give First Aid to Broken Bones

If you provide help to someone with a suspected bone fracture, do not move or move the person, except to avoid further injury. While waiting for medical help to arrive, you can stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound using sterile bandages, clean cloth, or clean clothing. If medical assistance has not yet arrived and you have received training in how to attach a splint or support (for example straight wood), attach the splint to the area above and below the location of the broken bone. Remember, do not try to return or push the bone that is sticking out to its original position. Here is how to perform the first aid procedure for broken bones victims:

• Remove clothing that covers areas of the body that are suspected of having broken bones.
• If it cannot be removed, cut out the clothes without moving the broken body part.
• Glue the area of ​​the fracture with a ruler or stick as a splint.
• If there are no bandages, you can wrap or wrap the splint with newspaper or a piece of clothing.

After the splint is done, compress the broken part with ice cubes to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Do not apply ice pack directly to the skin. Wrap the ice in a towel or cloth first. If the injured person collapses or breathes short and fast, lay him with his head slightly lower than his body. If possible, lift your legs higher than your body. If the injured victim is conscious, you can give pain medication, such as paracetamol.

Beware of Life-threatening Broken Bones

If you suspect someone has a broken bone and he is not breathing, unconscious, or both, immediately contact the nearest hospital to get medical help and start giving help by doing cardiac pulmonary resuscitation. You should also contact the medical team immediately if:

Broken bones occur on the head, neck, or back

Broken bones at this location can cause nerve injury in the spine. To transport an injured victim who is thought to have broken a neck bone, lay him on his side on a pedestal with a rigid surface. But remember, don't bend his neck position. The victim's hand must be bound on the side and protected so that the head does not rotate.

There are parts of bone fractures that have penetrated the skin

If the broken part is seen through the skin, immediate medical attention is needed to prevent an infected wound. The medical team will clean the wound and tissue contaminated (debridement), then do the washing of the wound (lavage).

Injury accompanied by heavy bleeding

Heavy bleeding can cause the patient to shock to death. If you have a tourniquet, you can place it 5-7 cm above the bleeding site on the arm or leg. After that, tighten the braces until the bleeding stops while waiting for medical help to arrive. After the medical team arrives, the victim will immediately be taken to the Emergency Department so that his condition is stable. If the patient is stable, the doctor will take X-rays at the location of the suspected bone fracture. The doctor can also realign bone fractures and position them so that they do not cause further damage to the surrounding tissue.