First Aid for a Broken Bone

Fracture is caused by the breaking down of bones. It is a break or a crack in a bone. For the open fracture patient I am giving you some first aid tips:

1- If you suspect a broken bone, especially in the head, neck, back, hip, or upper leg, see severe bleeding, or see a bone protruding through the skin, don’t touch it.
2- Know the signs and symptoms of a fractured bone.
3- Remove or cut away the patient's clothing around the area of the injury.
4- Avoid washing the wound or probing or palpating it.
5- If the patient is bleeding heavily, and especially if blood is spurting, stop the bleeding much as you would any other wound, generally by pressing firmly with a cloth or even your hand.
6- Call emergency services or transport the patient yourself to the nearest hospital.
7- Cover the entire wound with a large, sterile (or as clean as possible) bandage, compress, or pad if a piece of the bone is protruding through the skin.
8- Have the injury treated by a physician or a qualified medical professional as soon as possible.
9- Treat an open fracture during first aid with a little effort and a lot of care.
10- If there is no blood loss danger, avoid putting pressure on an open fracture.

These all the primary steps in treating an open fracture before medical help arrives. This way you can get the instructions you need and provide the proper first aid. You should still make sure that proper and immediate medical attention is provided to the injured person even after having followed the steps outlined above, as broken bones can be serious. Always try to give confidence to the patient to help him ignore the pain.