{"id":10284,"date":"2019-09-05T16:35:41","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T16:35:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=10284"},"modified":"2021-06-28T15:59:11","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T15:59:11","slug":"14-known-symptoms-of-scaphoid-fracture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-known-symptoms-of-scaphoid-fracture\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Known Symptoms of Scaphoid Fracture"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Scaphoid fractures are common, and they can be extremely painful when they happen. Every emergency room sees thousands of this type of fracture every year \u2013 and they can happen due to a variety of reasons, although the most common of them is during a bad fall when the impact of the fall is stopped with the hands. The impact of the actual fall translates through to the wrist, fracturing the scaphoid bone \u2013 located at the wrist, and can be found by tracing down from the edge of the thumb down to the wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of any kind of fracture usually include pain and discomfort, but the type of pain felt and where can reveal a lot about what the fracture might be. If you suspect a fracture, see your doctor in order to have x-rays done to pinpoint the amount of damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 8 common symptoms of a scaphoid fracture that can help you to identify it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Pain at Thumb\u2019s Base<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you experience pain at the base of your thumb after any kind of impact or fall, then it could be a likely scaphoid fracture<\/a> \u2013 especially if you experience it together with any of the other symptoms that appear on this list. This might happen together with a total inability to move the thumb, although depending on the extent of the damage, movement of the thumb might still be possible \u2013 thus, never assume that something isn\u2019t broken just because you can move it; that\u2019s a pretty dangerous medical myth!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While one might initially suspect a thumb fracture, the pain usually radiates throughout the wrist, and the best course of action for the immediate moments after the fracture is to apply ice and pressure, both to reduce swelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the hand, as well as wrist, should be kept as still as possible until medical attention can be reached; this includes the thumb, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Grinding Hand Movement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people believe that once something is broken or fractured they\u2019ll be completely unable to move it, and if they can, it\u2019s just a sprain: This isn\u2019t always the case, and is one of the most dangerous assumptions to make about this type of injury, especially because of the risk that the fracture might not heal properly if it doesn\u2019t get the right treatment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s true that if you have a scaphoid fracture, you might still be able to move your hand \u2013 but you\u2019re also going to experience a considerable amount of pain when you do. It\u2019s also likely that you might hear (and\/or feel) bones grinding together within the hand. This is common with many fractures, and it can present a huge danger to newer fractures and further injury; this is why it\u2019s always recommended to keep a recent suspected fracture as still as possible until medical attention can be reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Swelling of the Wrist<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Swelling together with some of the other symptoms mentioned in this article and extreme pain are some of the first signs that an injury has happened; sometimes it\u2019s a sprain and the swelling goes down with ice, rest and time \u2013 but when it doesn\u2019t, it could mean that a scaphoid fracture is likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it\u2019s a fracture, swelling <\/a>usually goes together with bruising \u2013 darker than the bruising you\u2019d expect to see from a bump \u2013 and the swelling doesn\u2019t go down as fast as you would expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pain tolerance varies greatly between people, and what someone might ignore as a wrist injury with swelling that sticks around could turn out to be a very serious fracture they didn\u2019t feel. This can even cause a recent fracture to set in the wrong place due to associated swelling. For these reasons, never postpone a trip to the emergency room because the injury feels \u201cokay\u201d rather than the \u201cexcruciatingly painful\u201d you would have expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Tingling or Numbness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bruising and pain aren\u2019t the only important symptoms that you should look for when you suspect there\u2019s been a fracture or break. Sometimes tingling or numbness felt in the hands or fingertips can also indicate that there\u2019s been a fracture, and usually that there is something being trapped because of the fracture \u2013 sometimes a nerve or blood vessel. This can mean that the risk for further injury to the existing fracture becomes greater, including the risk of a possible blood clot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience pain, numbness <\/a>and tingling together after a recent fall or impact, consider it a likely fracture and visit the emergency room. X-rays can help to determine whether it\u2019s a sprain or fracture, and just how bad the sustained damage is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If tingling or numbness is experienced outside of a wrist injury, it could indicate several underlying health issues including circulation problems, a possible heart condition, or trapped nerves in various parts of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Dark Bruising<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pain and swelling are the initial symptoms experienced with a scaphoid fracture and should be the first sign that gets you straight to the doctor in order to have x-rays done and the relevant injury properly treated. Dark bruising <\/a>is also something to look for which can signal a likely scaphoid fracture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bruising is usually located around the site of the bruise or fracture \u2013 and with a scaphoid injury, it can be all around the wrist, or only on one side. It might even bruise only around the thumb\u2019s base, where the scaphoid bone is located in the wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you happen to notice that bruising happens faster, easier or a different shade than normal outside of just one single event, it can point to some underlying tissue and blood-related disorders: See your doctor as soon as possible and remember to note any other symptoms you\u2019re experiencing to ensure an accurate diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Impaired Movement<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people expect that they will be completely unable to move their hand or wrist if a break or fracture has occurred; this is a dangerous (and entirely false) assumption that leads to a lot of potential harm with breaks and fractures<\/a>. The movement might be extremely painful and you might notice that you don\u2019t have the full range of movement that you would expect, but it\u2019s entirely wrong to think that it\u2019s not a fracture or break because there\u2019s movement at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice any pain, swelling or discomfort after bracing a fall with your hands, it\u2019s a likely scaphoid fracture. Some people might at first assume that it was a sprain, but realize they\u2019re wrong days (or weeks) after when the swelling and bruising doesn\u2019t go down, or they do something to worsen the injury even further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you suspect a scaphoid fracture \u2013 and even if you think it\u2019s just a sprain \u2013 have x-rays done to establish the extent of the injury first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Wrist and Hand Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For most cases of breaks and fractures, pain is the most commonly felt symptom. Although everyone feels pain in a different way, almost everyone is going to feel pain in the case of a scaphoid fracture, and it\u2019s likely to occur in the wrist, hands, and fingertips \u2013 although focused around the base of the thumb where the scaphoid bone is within the wrist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of the fact that everyone feels pain in different ways (and at different levels), it\u2019s a wrong assumption to think that it \u201cdoesn\u2019t hurt enough for a break or fracture.\u201d It\u2019s one of the most common mistakes that people with potential fractures can make. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience any wrist or hand pain, an appointment with your doctor should be the first step to establish the injury\u2019s extended, especially if you can match it to any of the other scaphoid fracture symptoms that have been mentioned in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Radiating Fingertip Pain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it\u2019s a suspected scaphoid fracture, pain isn\u2019t only felt in the hands or wrists, but can usually also be felt radiating through to the fingertips; in some cases, pain can be felt as far as the elbow. With a scaphoid fracture, swelling will be restricted only to the area where the scaphoid itself is located, and bruising may or may not be present \u2013 while it is in most cases, there are some exceptions where no bruising will be seen at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best course of action if you feel radiating fingertip pain is to keep the location of the suspected injury as still as possible, apply ice to reduce the swelling and seek medical attention. X-rays<\/a> can help to establish the extent of the injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to think of what type of pain you experience, too: It can help the doctor learn more. Some types of pain jolt or stab, while others radiate instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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