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Suggest Treatment For Pain And Swelling In Arm After Injury
Question: ten year old fell and arm is in pain....below elbow, swollen and burning sensation....icing and gave one tylenol
Brief Answer:
Sprain vs fracture
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I'm sorry to hear your son injured his arm.
If there is a great deal of pain or if he has any deformity of the injured area, or any numbness beyond the injured area, or significant swelling, or difficulty moving his fingers, he really should be seen in the ER or urgent care now. There they can do an Xray to sort out whether this is a sprain or a fracture.
Given your description, I'd error on the side of caution and take him in for an X-ray.
If there is no fracture or dislocation seen on X-ray, treatment is immobilization (splint), elevation above the level of his heart as much as possible, continued intermittent icing for the 1st 3 days, and ibuprofen or Tylenol.
Ibuprofen has the advantage of decreasing inflammation in addition to treating pain, but the disadvantage that it should only be taken after there is some food in the stomach as it can be irritating. Tylenol is good for pain too.
So - do take him in since he is having swelling and burning - it's the only way to sort this out.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Sprain vs fracture
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I'm sorry to hear your son injured his arm.
If there is a great deal of pain or if he has any deformity of the injured area, or any numbness beyond the injured area, or significant swelling, or difficulty moving his fingers, he really should be seen in the ER or urgent care now. There they can do an Xray to sort out whether this is a sprain or a fracture.
Given your description, I'd error on the side of caution and take him in for an X-ray.
If there is no fracture or dislocation seen on X-ray, treatment is immobilization (splint), elevation above the level of his heart as much as possible, continued intermittent icing for the 1st 3 days, and ibuprofen or Tylenol.
Ibuprofen has the advantage of decreasing inflammation in addition to treating pain, but the disadvantage that it should only be taken after there is some food in the stomach as it can be irritating. Tylenol is good for pain too.
So - do take him in since he is having swelling and burning - it's the only way to sort this out.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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