Injured Wrist. Your opinion?!
Question: I fell last night and my body along with the groceries i was carrying landed on my inner wrist. I've broken my ankle, 4 fingers, and 6 toes before and I don't believe my wrist is broken because I can move my fingers, with a lot of pain. It's very bruised and swollen so I'm not sure if they pain I'm feeling is from the excessive bruising or if I possibly pulled/tore something. I have some tingling in my hand and when I try and move my wrist towards the left I feel extreme tightness and pulling and can't go any further. I have a doctors appointment but not until later this evening. I'm in a lot of pain at work and couldn't sleep due to the pain. What are signs that something is pulled and what are signs of sprains? Thanks for your time
Answers: I fell last night and my body along with the groceries i was carrying landed on my inner wrist. I've broken my ankle, 4 fingers, and 6 toes before and I don't believe my wrist is broken because I can move my fingers, with a lot of pain. It's very bruised and swollen so I'm not sure if they pain I'm feeling is from the excessive bruising or if I possibly pulled/tore something. I have some tingling in my hand and when I try and move my wrist towards the left I feel extreme tightness and pulling and can't go any further. I have a doctors appointment but not until later this evening. I'm in a lot of pain at work and couldn't sleep due to the pain. What are signs that something is pulled and what are signs of sprains? Thanks for your time
When you have broken something, you usually know about it straight away, but as you know different people have different pain thresholds. I went 24 hours, with a broken arm (in 5 places!) before, but I have been called to shouts where someone has sprained their wrist and had to be given gas and air to just be moved! If I were you I would go to A&E today and get it checked out, because from your symptoms it does sound like you could have broken it. Even if it is just a bad sprain, doctors won't mind! It's better for them to discharge a sprain than a fracture anyway!! Trust me, loads of people go to A&E with a sprain, so never feel embarrased!
Before you go, put a sling on your arm to elevate it so the swelling will not get any worse.
Hope your okay!
Hattie xx
Ouch you poor thing, you may has sprained your wrist, this sometimes can hurt as much as a fracture cause of the bruising and swelling. Good thing you have a doctors appointment. Try not to use your hand. I am suprised your workplace have not sent you home. I hope you are alright. keep us posted.
I broke my wrist years ago when my feet came out from under me playing football and I just put my hand down to catch myself hitting the ground. I could move my fingers even though I broke my wrist. So you could have a broken wrist. The doctor will take xrays and then you will know. If its not broken then I would bet that you sprained it. Either way it hurts. It's always a lot more sore a day to two after you hurt it. It also tightens up because of the swelling.
It's seems more likely than you have a sprained wrist, you have the common symptoms. However only an x-ray will determine that. If it is Broken, you will have to have it cast. Otherwise, you will just have to wear an elastic bandage to lessen flexibility until it heals for about a month.
We call that type of fall FOOSH for two reasons:
1) its the sound you make when you fall and,
2) it stands for 'Falling Onto Out Stretched Hands'.
It commonly causes fractures/breaks. Sounds like you have a fracture. To help relieve pain you can apply ice (15mins on then 15 off) and elevate above the level of your heart. See your doctor though. Take some tylenol/paracetamol and ibruprofen/nurofen for pain (avail from chemist).
Swelling, pain and bruising are the most common signgs of a sprain or strain. Unfortunately the same signs and symptoms are common in a break.
Chris- Registered Nurse
ouch careful this same situation landed my daughter in the urgent care last night! I thought that she possibly has a prain due to the fact she had full range of motion as well but IT WAS BROKE :( at the very least it sounds as if you might have some nerve injury. Hope you heal quickly!
well I'm not sure wut it means but i have sum suggestions: u shd go 2 the doctor and find out and/or wrap into a cast and dont use it for about 2 weeks or so. and put ice on it for about 1hour and 30 mins. if u already knew that then im srry becus im just giving u sum things that ive used in the past and they worked. :)