How Do You Know If You Wrist Is Broken

Is my wrist broken?

I fell yesterday at home from my own hight (5'3") breaking the fall with my right hand. I did not hear any bone snap (and I am familiar with the sound) but I felt pain. I decided to not take it seriously and just go to bed. I slept really bad because of the pain and my wrist kept getting numb. When I finally woke up, I saw that my wrist is swollen, that there is a little bump (really just a little one) near/over the radius. It is not too swollen, it is not blue, I can move it (though it really hurts), I can rotate it (also with a lot of pain) but when I do, I feel my ulna kind of moving out of place and when I rotate my wrist back the ulna moves back to place doing a 'pop' sound (like knukles), I can't lift anything (that is way too painful) and I can't bend my wrist backwards, only forwards. When I move my fingers over where it hurts I can't feel deformity and besides the bump it isn't deformed. Mother said we'll wait a week and if it doesn't stop hurting we'll go for x-rays.

How do you know if you have a sprained wrist or a broken wrist?

First of all, X-ray is the best way to see if you have broken or sprained wrist. If you can't get a X-ray cause you don't have insurance like me and cannot check to the hospital, see if your wrist swells. If it does, yes it's broken. Not too swelled or not swelling at all? Not broken, and maybe sprained. And even if your bones are broken, it'll grow back united, so don't panic too much.

Get a towel/cloth and soak it with cold water and wrap it around your injured wrist. I recommend not to do it in warm/hot water, since your injury can heat up and swell. If you have a white cloth, wrap it around your wrist and let it heal. This should pretty much have your wrist back to normal.

How do I know if my wrist is broken or just sprained?

Swelling and discoloration are by no means reliable indicators of a broken or fractured bone. Gross deformities can sometimes be a good indication. Bone ends sticking out of the skin, known as an "open fracture" goes without saying. The only reliable method is to either have an Xray, CAT Scan, MRI or bone scan. Normally an Xray with lateral, oblique, anterior and posterior views will suffice. If not, then CAT Scans, MRI's or Bone Scans are even more reliable. That's just my opinion. Rad Tech. ( ^ _ ^ )

P.S.

You said that you fell on your out stretched hand? People who take a fall like you're describing can have what is known as a "scaphoid" or "snuff box" fracture. If you make the thumbs up sign, the scaphoid or snuff box is the dimple or depression on your wrist. You can readily see it. You can put your finger there. This type of injury is particuarly dangerous because blood flow is not as abundent in this area. Hence you could do yourself some real damage. Also you have eight wrist bones. You also have your radius located on your thumb side (scaphoid bone is located on this side as well.) And you have your ulnar bone located by your small digit or "pinky." Here's a treatment plan for you just in case you don't want to go to the E.R. RICE (N) Rest. Ice. Compression (ace wrap) Elevate and Non Steroidal anti-infammatory drugs. Naprosyn or mortin. Good luck chicka!
( ^ _ ^ )

Sprained Wrist or Broken Wrist?

I sprained my left foot 3 weeks ago and I have just managed to fit a shoe on. It will take time, I have to wear a support sock.
I would get advice from your GP Doctor they will examine you and confirm it is a sprain you would benefit from a support bandage which you can buy from a pharmacy but they will advice you to get it checked by a doctor first.
Hope it helps
Good luck
Bath in warm salt water Elevation for your hand will help and also paracetamol and Volteran Gel.

Do I have a broken wrist or sprained wrist?

Since we are not X-Ray machines we probably couldn't tell you for sure.

You should probably go to the hospital within 24 hours because after that it can start to heal and they may have to rebreak it.