Do You Suffer From Broken Bone Depression? Our Tips Can Help You Cope (2024)

Breaking a bone can be an exceedingly painful condition. The physical toll can be tremendous, but what’s often overlooked is the emotional pain associated with a broken bone.
People who are injured often feel sad, depressed, or even angry after their injury — and most of the time, they can’t explain why.
This is attributed tobroken bone depression.
It’s a common result of the body’s suppression of certain hormonal systems while healing, but it isn’t fun and here are a few ways to alleviate it.
1. Exercise!
Not all exercises may be possible with a broken bone, and any attempt should be done carefully so that you don’t aggravate the injury further. However, exercise can be great for boosting your mood and helping your body get the physical exertion it requires while you’re healing. You can do low-impact exercises like swimming, even with a cast on! Waterproof cast liners allow your cast to get wet while swimming or showering. There’s no need to stay immobile the entire time. If you want to get out there and have fun, get waterproof cast liners as soon as the injury occurs.
2. Pamper Yourself
It’s important to treat yourself with a bit more care than normal, especially while recovering from a broken bone. Get a book you’ve been interested in, go see a movie you’ve had your eye on, and make sure you have comfortable cast padding. Keeping yourself comfy is absolutely necessary for recovering — and it helps fight the depression, too.
3. Seek Out a Support Group
Sometimes online support groups can be just the trick. Online, you can remain completely anonymous, giving you the freedom to divulge any fears you may have in regard to your recovery. Make use of these outlets. If you’re scared or concerned about something, but you don’t want to admit it to someone in person, go online. There are numerous sources designed specifically for your situation.
Broken bone depression is unpleasant and may seem like it will never end, but hold steady; you’ll recover and be back to your normal self in no time. Until then, make use of these three tips to keep your spirits high while recovering.

Do You Suffer From Broken Bone Depression? Our Tips Can Help You Cope (2024)

FAQs

Do You Suffer From Broken Bone Depression? Our Tips Can Help You Cope? ›

Get a book you've been interested in, go see a movie you've had your eye on, and make sure you have comfortable cast padding. Keeping yourself comfy is absolutely necessary for recovering — and it helps fight the depression, too.

How do you get instant relief from fracture pain? ›

Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain.

Wrap the ice in a towel, a piece of cloth or some other material.

How do people react when they break a bone? ›

If you have broken a bone, you may experience the following: you may hear or feel a snap or a grinding noise as the injury happens. there may be swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injured area. you may feel pain when you put weight on the injury, touch it, press it, or move it.

Does healing from a broken bone make you tired? ›

After a fracture, you may feel that you tire more easily. You may feel depressed, especially when your body image has changed and you fear having more fractures. These challenges can be overwhelming at first.

Can a broken bone make you feel ill? ›

Look pale and clammy. Be dizzy (feel faint) Feel sick or nauseous.

How do you get instant relief from bone pain? ›

You may get temporary relief from bone pain by using over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen. Osteomyelitis typically requires treatment with either oral or intravenous antibiotics. Treatment for cancer-related pain can be very complex.

What is the best painkiller for bone fracture pain? ›

Medications begin with acetaminophen 500mg every 4-6 hours and a long-acting NSAID such as naproxen every 12 hours. For patients with a higher pain experience, gabapentin 100mg every 8 hours can also be added to the multi-modal standing pain regimen.

How does a broken bone affect you emotionally? ›

The physical toll can be tremendous, but what's often overlooked is the emotional pain associated with a broken bone. People who are injured often feel sad, depressed, or even angry after their injury — and most of the time, they can't explain why. This is attributed to broken bone depression.

Is breaking a bone traumatic? ›

A traumatic fracture occurs when significant or extreme force is applied to a bone. Examples include broken bones caused by impacts from a fall or car accident, and those caused by forceful overextension, such as a twisting injury that may cause an ankle fracture. Traumatic fractures may be nondisplaced or displaced.

How does fracture affect daily life? ›

Abdominal organs can feel crowded into a smaller space which can affect eating, appetite and going to the toilet, and less room for your lungs to fully expand as easily may make you feel out of breath. A hip fracture may occur following a fall.

What is the hardest fracture to recover from? ›

The scaphoid is the most difficult bone in the body to get to heal due to its bad blood supply, location inside a joint, and heavy stresses applied by the neighboring bones. If a scaphoid fracture has 1 mm displacement, the chance of it not healing in a cast is 40%.

Do you ever fully recover from a broken bone? ›

Broken bones usually heal and get strong again, but not always. When broken bones don't heal back together it is call non-union, and that can cause a lot of problems. Here are some things that you can do to help broken bones heal well: Do not smoke cigarettes or vape.

What is the most painful broken bone in the body? ›

The femur is often put at the top of the most painful bones to break. Your femur is the longest and strongest bone in your body, running from your hip to your knee. Given its importance, it's not surprising that breaking this bone is an incredibly painful experience, especially with the constant weight being put on it.

Is it normal to sleep a lot after breaking a bone? ›

The Benefits of Rest and Sleep in Fracture Healing

Rest and sleep serve as catalysts for the body's natural regenerative processes. During periods of rest, particularly during deep sleep stages, the body enhances its production of growth hormones essential for tissue repair and regeneration.

Do broken bones cause problems later in life? ›

Unfortunately, some nerve damage will never heal completely, causing a lifelong impact. Nerves can also be torn. This type of damage can result from sharp bone fragments contacting the nerves after a break and is most likely to happen when the skin is torn.

How long does it take for 70 year old bones to heal? ›

Osteoporosis doesn't affect how quickly your bones heal. Most fractures are better in 6 to 12 weeks. Chances are, you'll spend many of those weeks at home. Learning to get around can take time, but you can do some things to get back to your normal activities more quickly and stay healthy while you're at it.

How long does it take for a fracture to stop hurting? ›

Your Recovery

Your doctor fixed a broken (fractured) bone without surgery. You can expect the pain from the bone to get much better almost right after the procedure. But you may have some pain for 2 to 3 weeks and mild pain for up to 6 weeks.

What is the best pain relief for a fractured vertebrae? ›

Depending on your level of pain, doctors may recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, or pain relief medication, such as acetaminophen. If pain persists, our specialists may prescribe a stronger pain reliever.

Can you speed up fracture recovery? ›

The three key steps to faster bone healing are: Alignment of the broken bone fragments. Stability and support at the fracture site through immobilization. Healthy lifestyle choices that promote healing.

Why does my fracture hurt so much? ›

Inside your body, the break has caused damage to sensitive nerves that send rapid, sharp pain signals to the brain. Over the next few hours, the cells at the fracture site release healing chemicals and signals that cause new nerves to sprout.

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