How to Treat Bone Fractures

A bone fracture or broken bone occurs when any bone in your body is cracked. Bone fractures can range widely in severity and can have many different causes; a break in which a bone splits into two parts is typically caused by trauma, but fractures can also result from repetitive stress. The appropriate treatment for a broken bone will depend on the severity of the break and the bone that is broken, but you can take first aid measures to care for most breaks before calling for emergency help or seeing a doctor.

Things You'll Need

• Telephone
• Ice packs
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Compression bandage
• Crutches or an arm sling

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Call 911 and get emergency help immediately if your bone has pierced the skin, if you see discoloration around the affected area, if you are caring for an unresponsive injured person, or if you suspect a neck or skull fracture.

• 2

  Elevate the injured area above the level of the heart. If a bone in your leg has been hurt, lie down and put the foot up on a pillow or chair.

• 3

  Apply ice to the area around the broken bone for 20 minutes every two hours. Wrap the ice in cloth to avoid harming your skin.

• 4

  Take anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen or acetominophen, to reduce swelling and pain.

• 5

  Wrap the affected area with a compression bandage when you are not applying ice. This will further reduce swelling.

• 6

  Call a doctor to ask for advice and to schedule an appointment to have the bone evaluated. For a clean fracture, you may not need to seek immediate care in an emergency room. As you take first aid measures, your doctor will tell you how to proceed in your particular situation.

• 7

  Keep all weight off the broken bone, using crutches or an arm sling as necessary to help immobilize the affected area.

• 8

  See your doctor and follow her recovery plan. Your doctor will likely take x-rays and may place the fractured bone in a cast or splint to immobilize it and promote proper healing.