Can broken bones heal themselves?

Question

broken leg, broken arm, broken nose etc.

Answer 1

That's what they do inside a plaster cast, isn't it?

Answer 2

Yes, sometimes if they are left to heal without medical attention they can heal or set at a different angle to what they were before. For example, when someone has broken their nose, whichever way it is pushed, if it is not straightened out then it will be slightly wonky as it will heal that way!! The same with wrists, amongst other bones but usually you'd know if you'd broke you're leg or something major!! Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Broken bones do heal themselves, but only if the broken ends are touching. If the bone is not meeting together straight, then the limb won't heal straight. When a broken bone is treated in hospital with plaster, splints or surgery, it is to ensure that the broken ends are held in the correct position, so that the bone can heal itself properly.

Answer 4

Yes they can and do. If they are undisplaced (In normal position) they can heal fairly well if we rest. However if they are not immobilised with plaster or slings they will heal crookedly. Even if they do the body will often shape reshape them in time. Some bones however will not heal at all unless dealt with surgically. The classical example of this is the hip. This is because the top of the bone has a poor blood supply and when cut off from the shaft it just dies. At the other extreme a small toe bone fracture will heal if just left alone.

Answer 5

Yes they can and do.
Bone healing or ossification will occur naturally, but to ensure there is no deformity which will cause a problem later on it needs to be kept in alignment. That is why casts and pins etc are used.
Immobilization is also important so that ossification can bridge the gaps and attach frirmly to the other broken poece. Noses are particularly important as they can heal abnormally and occlude the nasal passage causing breathing difficulty.

Answer 6

I've broken my leg in same place 3 times now. Apparently a bone has blood inside - when a break occurs the blood clots around the break and over time (turns) into new bone - hence on an x-ray of a mended limb there is a lump not a straight bone as before. The 3rd time I broke my leg it took 10 months to mend properly as a bone becomes solid after a break - hence there was minimal blood to cause a clot. there you go...

Answer 7

I broke my middle finger 22nd feb 2006, it curled up and stayed crooked and mis-shapen so 6 months later I went to the hospital. I was still in so much pain, they referred me to a plastic surgeon and they put it in a splint. I've just been signed off by them, but it's still crooked and painful especially when it's cold. I was under the impression that you don't need to have fingers and toes strapped. I wish I'd bothered going to the hospital and have it x-rayed on the day. However, I just broke my fourth toe (accident prone or what??!!) on Friday, and the GP said not to bother going to the hospital with it. I'm supposed to be in training for my karate grading at the end of March, so I'm hoping the pain goes away VERY soon, and it heals OK without too much strapping etc. Fingers crossed!!(All the ones that aren't broken of course.)

The moral of this (long-winded) answer is, I think the doctors should really be given a chance to do their job and tell you if there's anything they can or should do to limit your pain and suffering!

Answer 8

Broken bones can heal by themselves .... but the breaks need to be set right by a doctor in order to increase faster and correct healing.

Answer 9

They do, as you can imagine its hard to bandage some parts of the body. We only use plaster casts to keep the bone in alinement, the bady its self does the healing. Have heard about people though where the bones rejoin in the wrong place and they have to have them broken and reset. OUCH!

Answer 10

Broken Bones do heal themselves, They are put in plaster to make sure they heal in the right place, to minimise any lasting problems.

Answer 11

Yep they certainly do - depending on the type or mechanics of the bone it may need to be re-set to its original shape but the healing and renewal process is ongoing. The human skeleton renews itself about every 15 years.