The upper arm (medical term: humerus) represents one of the largest bones of the human skeleton. A fracture of this bone can be caused by various reasons. Depending on the cause of the injury, typical fracture forms usually occur.
Most frequently, the part of the humerus bone is affected, which represents the transition between the head of the humerus and the humeral shaft. This is the weakest part of the humerus, which lies just below the shoulder and is therefore predestined for fractures. In general, a humerus fracture usually occurs when external force is applied to the bone or when the bone is overstressed by twisting.
Depending on the severity of the fracture, there are various therapeutic options for treating the injury. The differentiation between an open and closed fracture is particularly decisive for the therapy and the course of the humerus fracture. An open fracture exists if the skin layer has been damaged by at least one of the bone fragments.
In addition to the type of fracture, other individual factors of the affected person are also decisive for the prognosis of bone healing. For example, age or previous illnesses such as osteoporosis can have an unfavorable effect on the healing process. In children, on the other hand, the healing process of bone fractures is usually better than in adults.
In general, a fracture of the humerus can be expected to take a relatively long time to heal, since the bone is heavily loaded and the healing of bone progresses only slowly. The average hospital stay after an upper arm fracture is 5-14 days, depending on the location and type of fracture. It typically takes 6 weeks to 3 months until complete healing is achieved.
Symptoms
A fracture of the upper arm is accompanied by typical symptoms of a fracture of the bone. Severe pain at the affected site occurs with every fracture and is also typical of a fractured humerus. The pain may vary depending on the location and type of fracture and the soft tissue structures involved, but is usually described as a strong, bright, stabbing pain.
After only a few minutes, the upper arm swells up after an upper arm fracture and a bruise develops. A further symptom that occurs very frequently with an upper arm fracture is a restriction of movement in the affected arm. This restriction of movement is usually caused by the displaced bone fragments.
A typical relieving posture is also conspicuous, which is automatically assumed in case of a fracture of the humerus. Thus, patients usually lift the wrist of the injured arm with the healthy hand. This relieving posture reduces the load on the humerus and is therefore less painful than simply hanging the affected arm.
If the bone fragments are very much displaced against each other, a malposition of the upper arm can indicate the fracture. In open fractures, the skin of the upper arm has been punctured by one or more bones. An enormous malposition of the upper arm and a bleeding wound are typical symptoms of an open fracture.
If the fracture has caused damage to nerves and vessels, functional limitations of the arm or hand and sensory disturbances may occur. Regardless of the exact location, an upper arm fracture is usually very painful. This is due to the bursting of the bone itself, which is supplied with pain fibers along with its periosteum.
These fibers transmit the information to the brain, which perceives the signal as pain. Furthermore, the muscle and fat tissue around the bone is damaged, which intensifies the pain. If a nerve is pinched directly, this can lead to a loss of sensitivity on the skin.
On the other hand, the irritation of the nerve can lead to a burning, shooting pain. In both cases an operation should be performed in any case to avoid permanent consequences. Before further measures are taken, the doctor will therefore first administer an appropriate pain therapy to the patient. Ibuprofen, paracetamol or Novalgin are well suited for this purpose.
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