Have you ever broken your wrist? And not realised?

[JaneBirkin]

I just wanted to ask how probable this is as I've heard a few people say you can't always tell.

I fell on Saturday and almost fainted at the time, it really hurt - my wrists are very thin and bony anyway (according to nice first aid man) and he had a feel and didn't think it was broken, however said if it continues to hurt after a couple of days, go to your local minor injuries.

So it's still sore. I hardly slept on Saturday night and woke on Sunday night but I can sleep now. It's just hard to use for certain things - picking up anything heavy, especially ds2!, driving is really sore and I am guarding it when I steer, which is a bit dangerous, as that hurts.

It keeps going numb into my hand and fingers and when I bend it certain ways it hurts a lot and goes suddenly numb - I'm thinking I've just bruised the nerve maybe? It's also clicking when I turn it.

But I do have a history of osteoporosis, so I'm a bit worried I might have busted it. I don't know. I'm typing now, can do most things, I mean within reason, so I don't want to waste their time getting an x ray as it's probably nothing.

Advice appreciated please!

Ouch! Sounds either like a really bad sprain or it is broken
I'd get it checked out at a&e if I were you xx

In my experience it is possible (and in my case quite easy) to break your wrist and not really realise that you need an Xray. I broke my left one as a child and although it was really painful, I didn't really get it looked at for a (very painful) week. In those days they put plaster on it, which they don't any more. A couple of years ago I broke the other one falling off a (high) pavement. I then went to a party and only the next day, got an Xray and it was broken.

I'd think about going to A&E if I were you, it sounds like you need to have it looked at. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway), go at a time when it won't be too busy, if you can!

You need to go and have it xrayed - bil broke a bone in his wrist and it wasn't immediatly obvious

Thanks guys, maybe we will trot along this morning as I don't think it will be that busy.
I will feel silly though as it's far better than it was on Saturday. I've stopped wearing the compression thingy. I just have to watch what I do with it iyswim.

I think they will laugh at me

Still maybe better to know, can't do any harm, if it's busy we'll come home again as I don't want to waste their time!

Thankyou x

I broke my wrist when I was a teenager but that was blatantly obvious as I couldn't move my hand at all. It was a bad break though.

But I have also (I suspect) broken the scaphoid bone in my hand and that was missed. It was only a couple of years later when I happened to be reading up on the symptoms that I realised why my hand had been so painful for so long.

If your car suddenly started making a funny clonking sound and the steering had gone a bit stiff, would you be "wasting their time" by taking it to a garage? Same applies to you. You'd not be "wasting their time", you're going to the professionals about a matter that they are trained to deal with and who can make sure you get the appropriate care.

Thanks, Snorbs

We went - it was really quiet so didn't feel tooo guilty.

I got a very very nice nurse who had a good feel of it and made me do various things, some of which bloody hurt! but he reckons it's more likely a soft tissue injury - sprain I suppose - though he wasn't entirely sure.

He's given me a strappy splinty thing to wear (have to take it off to type! Not good, no MNing for next couple of days, will re-apply it in a minute) and said if it doesn't stop hurting in another week, go back and they will x ray it.

Which I thought was reasonable.
thankyou all for making me feel I could bother them with it. I went just now because I know my friend from school isn't working there this morning, she might think I was a timewaster, was only there a few weeks ago needing a cut stitched up! oh the shame.

I had a patient once who broke an ankle and didnt realise for 3 weeks, he said his rheumatoid arthrits was so sore he didnt really notice.

I'd go get it checked out for sure. I got knocked off my bike once, got my hand caught in the bars and really hurt my wrist. After a few hours of ice/paracetamol/couple of beers (was a student at the time) it felt a bit better. The next evening I went 10 pin bowling. Used a lighter ball than normal because it was a bit tender. Ended up going from the alley to A&E.. They reckon I'd cracked it in the fall and then stretched it to a full on break with the bowling, so not quite as you described.

Hope it feels better soon x

Ooh that sounds sore! Thanks guys.

It's still psinful when I drive, try to do anything involving turning it - like unllocking the door, with the key, or anything like that. And its not really any better than the last few days. So, if it's still like this in a week I'll ask for an x ray.
He offered me a sling yesterday - tempted just to milk some sympathy!! but t would be totally impossible to do anything.

I reckon the nerve is bruised or maybe the bone, something's very bruised in there, I'm sure it wll get better soon.