Hand fractures are surprisingly common injuries, aren’t they? It can happen to anyone, anywhere, while driving, playing sports, or working. It can be triggered by a sudden fall onto an outstretched hand, a direct punch on the hand, or high-impact sports like rugby. Furthermore, health conditions like osteoporosis, vehicle accidents, and repetitive activities like lifting heavy weights may also cause a hand fracture. The good news is that you can easily manage pain by using a hand fracture belt. A hand fracture belt helps to support, stabilize, and promote recovery.
Now, let's peek into these questions:
- How do I reduce pain and swelling after a hand fracture?
- Is it normal to have swelling while wearing a hand fracture belt?
- Should I use ice or heat for swelling after a hand fracture?
- What are the best home remedies to reduce hand swelling after a fracture?
How Do I Reduce Pain and Swelling After a Hand Fracture?
Managing pain after a hand fracture is not as complicated as you might think. Here’s the best way to relieve pain from a hand fracture:
- Raise your arm above your heart when you're resting. You can do this by supporting it with soft pillows or cushions.
- Keep the other joints in your arm and hand moving normally.
- Avoid resting for prolonged hours or doing activities with the same hand for extended hours. Persistent resting might lead to muscle weakness and slower recovery. Engaging in activities without rest may cause further fractures or injury.
- Massage the swelling from the tips of the fingers to the armpit to alleviate lingering pain.
- Support bone recovery with a nutritious diet. Eat food that is rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein, and avoid smoking, excessive salt, caffeine, and sugary food or drinks.
Is It Normal to Have Swelling While Wearing a Hand Fracture Belt?
It is often normal for your hand and fingers to swell, especially in the first 24-48 hours after the injury occurs. Extra blood and fluid are applied to the injured region some minutes after the fracture occurs. This is actually part of the recovery process. However, there are crucial warning signs that might indicate the swelling is abnormal and requires immediate medical attention. Consult a healthcare expert when experiencing:
-
Acute/sharp pain: Pain from the swelling that noticeably increases. This pain might feel excessive compared to the fracture.
-
Numbness or tingling: Feeling like pins and needles are stinging your hand or a loss of sensation.
-
Skin color changes: The skin around your hand or nailbeds turns pale, blue, or excessively red.
-
Extreme swelling below the splint: Continuous swelling even after ice therapy.
-
Restricted/limited motion: Finding it hard to lift or move your hand and even your fingers due to excessive swelling.
-
Burning or stinging sensation: This can be a sign of excessive pressure and weight on the nerves around your hand.
-
Pain returns: Pain or swelling that worsens again after it had started to improve could signal that the bone is not healing correctly.
Should I Use Ice or Heat for Swelling After a Hand Fracture?
You can use an ice or heat pack to reduce swelling on a fractured hand. Apply a cold pack early after the fracture happens. Compress it for 15-20 minutes and switch to a heat pack only when the swelling starts to alleviate. Applying heat compression directly might worsen inflammation in the initial acute phase.
How Tight Should a Hand Fracture Belt Be to Avoid Pain?
To avoid pain, irritation, or any other discomfort, wear a hand fracture belt that provides a snug fit. Make sure it is not too loose or too tight. Tightness can restrict proper blood flow and cause numbness, swelling, or severe pain. A loose fit may cause injury recurrence or lead to slower recovery.
What Are the Best Home Remedies to Reduce Hand Swelling After a Fracture?
Reduce hand fracture swelling fast at home with these pain and swelling management tips:
Light Hand, Thumb, and Wrist Stretches or Exercises
Stretching helps release tightness around the hand ligaments. It also helps to strengthen the muscles naturally around your fractured hand. These exercises include:
- Finger Bends
- Thumb stretch
- Finger lifts
- Towel squeeze
- Wrist flex and extend
- Tendon gliding
Heat Application Treatment
Use a warm compress or heating pad to loosen stiff muscles. Once the initial inflammation lessens, using a heat pack can help ease lingering hand pain and swelling while boosting blood flow. Leeford Ortho therapeutic wraps give warm support to the fractured hand.
Manual Self-Massage
Press a ball or foam roller not directly on the fractured hand region, but around the surrounding injured hand to target sore muscles. This helps to ease muscle knots, increase blood flow, and relieve surrounding hand pain.
Maintaining an Elevated Posture
Bad posture often triggers sudden hand pain. Position your hand on a soft surface like a pillow or sofa cushion, and lift it to rest above your heart level. It helps to reduce the strain and pressure applied to the hand ligaments. It also minimizes the chances of further injury and recurring pain.
Epsom Salt Soak
Dissolve Epsom salt in warm water and soak your fractured hand for about 15-20 minutes. This doesn’t heal the fractured bones; instead, it reduces swelling, inflammation, and soreness.
Wrapping Up
Dealing with a hand fracture can be overwhelming since it limits your performance in daily activities. Simple habits, like applying cold and heat therapy, resting your hand on elevated soft surfaces, and doing small exercises, help a lot. For added support, you can consider using Leeford Ortho hand fracture support gears, like a thumb spica splint, arm sling, and wrist brace. These orthopedic gears help to hold your hand in an elevated position, protect it from sudden accidents, and make recovery easier.
They are designed to improve extra hand support, reduce muscle tension, and prevent the recurrence of injuries. Additionally, these devices provide targeted compression to relieve pain in the hand, fingers, and surrounding muscles. Using them along with home remedies promotes effective pain relief and natural recovery.
