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Understanding Bone Fractures -- Symptoms
What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Bone?
Signs and symptoms of a broken bone include:
- Swelling or bruising over a bone.
- Deformity of an arm or leg.
- Pain in the injured area that gets worse when the area is moved or pressure is applied.
- Loss of function in the injured area.
- In open fractures, bone protruding from the skin.
Fractures are usually caused by a fall, blow, or other traumatic event.
Pathologic fractures are those caused by disease (such as cancer) that weakens the bones and can occur with little or no trauma. Osteoporosis, a disorder in which the bones thin and lose strength as they age, causes 1.5 million fractures each year in the U.S. -- especially in the hip, wrist, and spine.
Call Your Doctor About a Broken Bone If:
You think that you or someone you're with may have fractured a bone. This is a medical emergency.
WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by
Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on March 21, 2012
© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
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