Humeral Shaft Fractures : The humerus is the arm bone that joins your shoulder or shoulder blade with the elbow. Many people break or fracture their humerus due to several events.
It takes a heavy blow to break or fracture the humerus bone in our body. It can be mostly because of physical traumas like major accidents, fall or outstretching, or hand. Bone cancer can also be a reason for humeral fracture.
Symptoms of Humeral Shaft Fractures
Though symptoms may vary from what kind of fractures and how severe it is, some of the common symptoms of humeral fractures are –
- Swells and bruises in the arm bone area
- Discolouration of the skin in that area
- A cracking sound of an unstable or broken bone
- Numbness in the fractured portion
- Shoulder pain
- Inability to move shoulder or arm
- The fractured spot may look deformed
- If the skin of that spot is bruised too, then it is more likely to bleed
- Nerve injury
- Tissue damage
There are two types of humerus fracture –
- Proximal humerus fracture.
- A humerus shaft fracture.
What is a Humerus Shaft Fracture?
A humerus shaft fracture is when you manage to break or fracture the middle part of your humerus bone. This type of fracture is considered to be the simple humerus injury. Depending on the severity, a maximum of 12-14 days is considered to be enough for humeral shaft fracture healing time.
The humerus shaft fracture can be associated with radial nerve injury. It can be diagnosed through the help of orthogonal radiations of the body, such as x-rays, or CT scans.
The symptoms of midshaft fracture of the humerus can be extreme weakness, pain, and sensation. This type of fracture mostly happens when you have a car accident or fall from a very long height.
A humerus shaft fracture also has types – Simple, Wedge and Complex.
Treatment for Humeral Head Fractures
Non-operative treatment :
- A humerus shaft fracture does not always need surgery. It depends on the severity of the fracture – nerve injury or open fracture.
- Wearing a splint that will support your shoulder, forearm and elbow can certainly help to treat the fracture
- The doctor will prescribe you a hand brace, how long you should be wearing it, and what kind.
- Hand braces or splints can fully cure your midshaft fracture of the humerus nerve in weeks
- Exercises are also given to get your arm function to work slowly and properly. With time and continuous exercises, your humerus can be as good as new.
Operative treatment :
Surgery is the last and only option if the condition is too serious or you have an open humerus shaft fracture. Here, the humerus gets treated internally with the help and support of iron plates, iron rods, and screws.
Even after humerus operation, exercises are advised for a speedy recovery and smooth functioning of your elbow and arm. If you’re looking, Dr Chirag Patel orthopaedic has the best hands for your bone troubles. He runs the most reliable place where you can treat your bone injuries safely. No doubt he is the best arthroscopic surgeon in Mumbai one can ever look for.