Whether you’re a parent or a teacher, it can be absolutely horrifying when a child is in immense pain due to a fracture and you’re helplessly standing about, waiting for help to arrive.
While you may not have professional medical expertise, first aid courses in Vancouver can train you well enough to offer immediate assistance to prevent the situation from worsening while the help arrives.
What Is a Broken Bone?
A broken bone is simply a fractured bone. If your bone cracks or breaks into multiple pieces, it is classified as a broken or fractured bone. A bone fracture is a recoverable damage. However, due to the intense amount of pain and the delicacy of the nature of the injury, it needs immediate medical assistance.
Signs and Symptoms of a Broken Bone
If you’re not sure whether it’s a strain or a fracture, then look out for the following signs and symptoms mentioned below:
- Extremely painful sensations in the affected area that increase upon movement
- Bone poking through the skin
- Numbness in the wounded area
- Swelling or significant physical defect
- Greenish-bluish color on the skin
- Heavy bleeding (due to abrasions or a cut)
Helpful First Aid Tips for Bone Fractures
You might think that only a medical expert can help with a fractured bone. While this is true, it takes some time for the help to reach you or vice versa. During this time, you use the following tips to at least somewhat control the situation and prevent it from worsening:
- Stop the bleeding (if any):Although bleeding doesn’t always occur during fractures, if there is, rush to stop it. Lift the affected area and keep it elevated to prevent the bleeding. You must also exert pressure gently on the injury using a medical cloth or bandage to stop the blood loss.
- Put them to rest:Staying still is crucial when there is a fracture. Even the slightest of movements can disturb bone placement and adversely affect the healing process. In case you believe it’s a fracture, immobilize the area with a sling or a splint.
- Icing:Icing the affected area can significantly reduce the pain and swelling. For 10 minutes straight, press an ice pack on the area to subdue the pain and relieve them for some time.
Calling 911 is the first thing you need to do when someone gets hurt and you suspect a fracture. However, training in Red Cross first aid courses from Vancouver can prepare you to deal with any unforeseen, unfortunate circumstances in the future. To gain first aid expertise, enroll yourself in the courses offered by at Metro Safety—it is better to be safe than to be sorry.
