When involved in a car accident, you may experience a broken wrist as one of your injuries. Symptoms of this type of injury may include severe pain that worsens when gripping, squeezing or otherwise moving your hand or wrist, swelling, tenderness, bruising and an obvious deformity of the affected area, such as an oddly bent wrist. Unfortunately, if not treated properly, a broken wrist can lead to certain complications. Here is a look at a few.
Ongoing Stiffness or Pain
Ongoing stiffness, pain or a general achiness of the wrist is one potential complication of a broken wrist. While these side effects usually go away after the cast is removed or following surgery, some people have permanent stiffness or pain after breaking their wrist. Physical or occupational therapy may be needed to address this issue.
Osteoarthritis
If the fracture extends into a joint, it can cause arthritis to develop in your wrist even years later. If your wrist begins to swell or to cause you pain following the healing of the break, you may need to have it evaluated by your doctor.
Nerve or Blood Vessel Damage
The trauma to your wrist can also cause damage to the adjacent nerves and blood vessels, which may result in numbness or circulation problems. If you experience these complications, you should see immediate medical attention to have the issue addressed.
At Advanced Therapy & Rehab, we are committed to helping you heal. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you address the injuries that you receive from a car accident.