Should to the hospital? I feel too stupid to!

[Aryaneedle]

I fell on my wrist on Saturday, ice skating with my DC's. I heard a snap and immediately thought I'd broke it because it really hurt on impact. I RICE'd it at home and googled it. Came to the conclusion it was probably just a bad sprain because it wasn't a constant ache and the pain only happened when I twisted it. So I rested it and used a firm grip support.

It hasn't improved at all and tbh it's constantly hurting now and affecting my sleep. I've also got numbness in my arm and fingers. Slight swelling but no bruising.

I feel like I can't go get it looked at now though as it's 5 days since it happened and don't A&E say to attend only in the first 24 hours? Was going to post in AIBU but can't be bothered with the righteousness

Of course you go to a and e.

The post title is wrong, should say

'Should I go to the hospital?'

Yes.

It needs attention.

What are you going to do if you don't go to the hospital?

Yeah you should go

I would go. The pain has got worse. Sometimes people don't realise how bad an injury is straight away.

If you have a minor injuries unit with an xray that's an option too? I know not all areas have them.

If u got to the gp, its likely they will send you to the hospital for an xray. Do you have a minor injuries unit you could go to maybe? Most of them have an xray

A&E op, my mum did the same and her's was broken

Either see your GP, who should be able to arrange an x-ray without the need to go via A&E, or see if your local minor injuries has an x-ray dept, mine does.

If you're really worries about being unsuitable for a and e you could go to the GP or urgent care centre first. May save you the wait at triage in A and E.

Go to the hospital. Stories like your are very common, they will have heard it all before, no one will judge you, you haven’t done anything wrong .

At my GP surgery you can book a nurse appointment on the day, and they can fast track you to x rat if they feel it's needed

Just didn't want to waste A&E's time by attending with a sprain.

Don't have a minor injuries unit near by. Wonder if 111 might be able to advise me?

Yes get it looked at but to avoid A&E do you have a minor injuries nearby? Or your GP can give you an appointment for an x-ray which usually quickens things up.

You can go to the doctor if you would prefer and they’ll probably send you to the hospital for an x-ray. Going straight to A&E will probably save you some time but if you’re worried, go to the GP first. If you have a minor injuries unit near you, go to one of those. Our minor injuries has x-ray open Monday to Friday and they’re able to set broken bones.

Don’t worry about going a few days after the fact. I injured my ankle and went to the GP 6 weeks after I’d fallen because my ankle still hurt. At that point the GP said I could get an x-ray if I wanted but I’d been walking on it for the length of time I’d have been in cast. I didn’t go for an x-ray as there was definitely no point then. However, I am still having issues (on and off) with my ankle nearly a year later. It’s best to get it looked at sooner than later.

Speak to your GP first if you want reassurance you're doing the right thing.

FWIW yes I would go to A&E in those circumstances

• sorry not appointment - letter.

Call your gp and v they can refer you for an X-ray- no need to sit in an a&e waiting room! Minor injury units are also good for this but call first to check X-ray is open before you go.

Yeah ring the GP surgery for advice 👍🏻

Thanks all, I've rung GP. Just waiting for a call back

You really should have gone to A&E when you did it considering you heard a snap; even if it does just turn out to be a sprain you’re not wasting A&E’s time by getting it checked out. That’s what A&E are there for and it’s far better to have something treated appropriately straight away than treated wrongly at home and the problem escalating. What may have just needed a quick x-ray and cast when you did it could potentially progress to needing surgery, pins being inserted, physiotherapy or other more expensive treatments as a result of being ignored for 5 days. Hopefully that’s not the case but nobody should risk an injury getting worse just because they don’t want to bother A&E if you suspect it could be a break.

If you’re getting numbness, bruising and reduced movement then you need an X-ray to check whether it’s broken or needs more treatment than you can administer at home. It’ll waste far less time to get it checked now than to ignore it and find it’s healed badly and you end up needing treatment you wouldn’t have needed if you had gotten proper care in the first place.

Yes go to A & E. They don't judge (at least not so's you'd notice). They see way worse stuff. A high percentage of people that attend A&E should have presented earlier, including me when i had a burst appendix and thought it was a UTI. They understand. Hell they see people with hoover attachements up their arses and still manage to be professional. Go and get it looked at.

Most A+E's have a minor injuries area there too just for this sort of thing. You probably need an X-Ray, it's not wasting their time.

I worked in A&e and I'd say go. There's usually a section for minor injuries.

Numbness is not good - I would definitely get it checked out. Minor injuries would be best if available.