Broken Arm Cast Pain and discomfort
 

Bleeding hell its driving me insane! Ive been in tears most days just out of tiredness and frustration.

MY arm keep swelling and then my cast hurts. It rubs my wrist bone and the side of my hand. I get shooting pian up my arm and my fingers throb. sometimes when i lower my arm all the blood rushes and it feels like im cutting off the flow to my fingers.

Im taking anti inflams. Ive had to start taking valium too cus im getting so anxious.

I see the docs on wednesday for an x ray. Do you think they will re cast if i ask them? Im so tired cus im not sleeping due to the uncomfortableness of it and the stipd angle at which its cast.

I have it elevated, i have it suported im not using it excelt to type one fingerd here.

Its making me really low.

Any advice or just a word fo encouragement will do.

Thank you

Are you sure it's just irritation from the cast? If it is really abnormally painful you should get it checked out ASAP because there is something called compartment syndrome which can happen if a bandage/cast is too tight, especially with swelling. This is very dangerous so needs URGENT medical attention. Are your fingers their normal colour and temperature, can you feel your pulse ok and do you have normal sensation in your fingers?
If the cast is just Ill-fitting I'm sure they will redo it for you.

my hand is a different colour. Its like it has a darker sun tan. YM fingers feel normal and are warm unless i hold my arm up to try and stop the swelling or hold it down when all the blood rushes in.

I would get it checked out ASAP. The swelling is a cause for concern. They will probably recast it.

Can you go today and get it checked out? Even by a GP? I hope they can get it sorted out for you so it doesn't hurt anymore.

xx

Matt, I echo what others have said. It may be that there is swelling there which is casing the irritation/ pain and that can also press on other structres and cause tissues such as the muscles and nerves/ vessels to become squashed which will cause further problems. The fact that the blood can get properly to your fingers however does suggest that it's not overly tight on all areas of your arm as it's not restricting major blood flow to at least your fingers.

It needs to be looked at ASAP as it may be there are additional breaks (they aren't that easy to see the first day when you do them, they are easier after around 3days as it is possible for them to miss them with no negligence or anything (I, amongst others, believe that I broke my arm (never decide to stick your arm in front of a horse to stop him running out of a stable... the worse thing is I knew better and the first thing I thought after I was astounded by how my bone bent for that brief moment and thought great I bet that's broken was 'that was stupid. if you were teaching someone how to deal with horses you'd tell them definitely NOT to do that!') though the nurse I saw didn't think I had but I got it xrayed anyway and the brief looks I saw of them I couldn't see a crack) and it may be that if this is the case that something has not been addressed (though this is unlikely as what I am thinking of are things that would would be visible). It may be as well that the cast has slipped slightly, that your arm is set at slightly the wrong angle, sores are developing and more padding may be needed or, it is too tight if increased swelling has occurred after so it does need to be checked over again and sooner rather than later. I would do this at the A&E you got it first checked out at so they have the originals there as well as the notes and they can deal with it the best, if this is not possible go to any other A&E.

Where did you break your arm, forearm? upper?
How long since the injury? The fact that it might be swelling or feels as though it is swelling as much as it is, were you ever given a back slab cast in the beginning? It's not a full cast but allows your arm to swell, then the back slab is taken off with a full cast put on.

Let us know how the visit to the doctor goes tomorrow

Thanks all. Doc said all is fine. Xray showed break is healing well. (broken top of radius where wrist is). I explained all and he said the sweeling and discomfort was normal and would calm as time goes by. No numbness or anyting and the discoloration was simply the lack of cells being replenished from my skin making it darker.

My finger splint is removed and i start physio on tuesday. I have lost 70% movent which is a little worrying, but now without the splint i can relax my arm more and get better respite from the pain.

Pot off in 2 weeks and then we shall see.

Thanks for the help.

Love you Kim. Will you take my temp one day please in that "special" way you do.?? xxxx

What, as in stick a thermometer up your bum??? If that's what you feel you need to get an accurate reading then it has to be done :tongue2: .

Because you've not moved your hand/ arm in so long you will lose a lot of muscle mass along with the fact this will have damaged some of the tendons around the wrist when it broke so it will take some time but physio should hopefully get your arm back to normal.

Are there any particular things you want to do with that hand and can't because it won't move as well?:eyeroll: