To twist, sprain or break something, sometimes one careless movement is enough. What to do if a limb hurts and swells in the eyes after an accident? What is the difference between a sprain and a dislocation or fracture, and how do you provide first aid in the event of a leg or arm injury?

Sprains

Sprains usually result from sudden, "unnatural" movement of the joint - most often the ankle, knee, wrist and fingers. They can be completely light or accompanied by ruptures of joint capsules and ligaments. In both casessprainsthe trauma is accompanied by pain, swelling, restriction of movement.

Contact with a doctor is not always necessary, although it is worth pursuing. It may be necessary to take an x-ray. The treatment consists in immobilizing the limb in the joint with an elastic band. The stillness may last from several days to two weeks.

If you have sprained your ankle or knee, do not walk!

A dislocation hurts with every move

We talk about dislocation when the bones change their position in the joint. The symptoms of a dislocation are similar to those of a sprain, except that it hurts more and the deformation of the joint is much greater. Swelling is usually accompanied by the appearance of a large hematoma.

Eachsprainmust be set (you must not do it yourself), so do not delay your visit to the doctor. The sooner you see a specialist after the accident (preferably within 2-3 hours), the easier it will be to adjust the dislocated bone.

Before transporting the injured person to the doctor, the injured limb must be immobilized.

Open or closed fracture

Strong trauma may causefractureof bones. The fracture can be closed (the skin remains intact) and open, with the ends of the broken bone sticking out of the wound. An open fracture is more dangerous as infection can occur. The injury is accompanied by severe pain, swelling, and in open fractures - also bleeding.

The patient must be transported to a doctor as soon as possible after the accident. To prevent the injury from worsening during the journey, it is necessary to immobilize the damaged part of the body.

Immobilization of the limb in sprains and fractures

In dislocations and fractures, make sure that the injured person does not change the position of the injured limb as much as possible. Therefore, start immobilizing the patient without undressing the patient.

When it is necessary to stop bleeding after an open fracture - it is better to cut open the clothes. Remember to always immobilize two adjacent joints above and below the site of the injury. Usually, there are no proper rails or slate on hand.

For stiffening, you can use, for example, a tray made of a thick magazine, a board, a thicker stick, a cardboard, that is everything that is relatively stiff. What ingenuity for!

Remember to put something soft between the stiffening and the diseased limb. The ideal lining is cotton or lignin, but the poverty can be something in the clothes. When you do not find anything stiff, try to fix the limb in a sling (it is next to the arm) of a shirt or scarf, using a roll of a towel or a blanket (leg). You must make sure that the blood flow is not blocked by stiffening the limb.

You can cover the swollen area with ice cubes, wrapped in a cloth or towel (otherwise frostbite ready) before transport to the hospital. You can also use topical painkillers, e.g. in the form of a spray or gel.

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