How to reduce swelling quickly after a fracture

Fracture, in fact, is not only a broken bone, but also accompanied by soft tissue damage, rupture of blood vessels in the surrounding soft tissues, and local haemorrhage. Reduced activity after a fracture slows down blood circulation, especially in terms of venous return, while the arterial blood supply remains unchanged, leading to swelling in some fracture sites as well as at the distal end of the fracture.

Swelling often begins to appear a few hours after the fracture, reaches its peak in 3 to 4 days, and begins to subside in 7 to 10 days.

Generally speaking, swelling can appear about one hour after the fracture, and the swelling gradually increases to peak at 72 hours, then gradually decreases, and basically subsides in about two weeks. Why does it subside? Some of the haematoma is absorbed by the body and the inflammatory response caused by the trauma begins to subside over time, with oedema and oozing from the cells slowly decreasing.

How to reduce the swelling?

1. Localised cold therapy

Local cold therapy, cold therapy may constrict blood vessels, reducing local bleeding, oozing and oedema also reduces the degree of inflammatory response and reduces pain. Use a dry towel to wrap ice around the area where the pain and swelling is most pronounced, apply for 30 minutes, take it off for 30 minutes, and intermittently apply ice.

2. Gypsum, splints, braces, traction immobilisation and braking

If the fracture is not effectively fixed, local braking, the broken end of the bone due to limb movement and relative displacement. This will cause severe pain, and the fracture will also damage the surrounding tissues, causing local bleeding and aggravating the swelling of the limb, and epidermal blisters will appear when the swelling is severe. Therefore, after the fracture, the affected limb must be effectively fixed to reduce the local re-injury.

3. The bandage should not be too tight, but loosely tightened

After a fracture, a bandage is required due to immobilisation with a plaster splint. When bandaging, attention should be paid to the right degree of tightness. If it is too loose, it will not achieve the fixation effect; if it is too tight, it will affect the blood circulation. In general, under the premise of ensuring the fixation effect, the bandage can be inserted into a finger can be.

4. Elevation of limbs

This is an application of the principle that water flows lower. The purpose of elevation is to promote venous and lymphatic return to the heart, so the fracture site should ideally be above heart level.

5. proactive exercise

Take the initiative to exercise the distal end of the affected limb, so as to accelerate the local blood flow and speed up the reduction of swelling. The basic movement is to do finger fist exercise for the upper limb and plantar flexion activity for the dorsum of the foot for the lower limb. Specifically under the guidance of medical care.

6. Assisted Chinese Medicine Appropriate Technology Treatment

With the help of the Chinese medicine mangosteen to clear heat, soften hardness, dissipate blood stasis and reduce swelling, the use of mangosteen solution together with ice compresses can achieve the purpose of relieving pain, inflammation and swelling.