My broken arm, will it ever heal?
I got really dizzy and fell out the back door. Some how I missed the 12 feet of concrete patio and landed in the flower bed. That was three and a half years ago. I broke My left humerous. It was an open fracture and a complete break. It actually looked as if I had two elbows on that arm, one just about 4 inches from the other. They put a rod from my shoulder to the elbow the first time. When that didn't take, they went back in and put a small plate and screws. That didn't work so they went back with a huge plate. Fast forward to now. I have very little bone growth around that plate and it remains hugely broken every where else. It jumps in and out of place a good 3 or 4 inches many times a day. It is still very painful. My physician has now decided that I need 6 months to a year of a bone growth stimulator. I think it is way past time for something like that, it is too little too late for that. I am at a loss as what to do next. Any suggestions?
I know that some of you will think this is way off topic, but I was a caregiver for many, many years to my husband's 96 year old aunt, and to his 92 year old father. I feel like my newly retired husband has taken over the role as my caregiver now due to all my health problems these days.
18 Answers
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I'm not at all familiar with bone growth stimulators, so I don't know what pros and cons there might be.
I too would seek a second opinion. I don't know enough about the bone structure of the arm to even hazard a guess about the fracture and the treatments, so this is definitely an issue for a medical professional.
If you have any hospitals in your area that are more naturally oriented than surgically oriented, I would also consider consulting someone in their orthopedic department.
One in my area does have that orientation - therapy before surgery, acupuncture if appropriate, herbal salves vs. ones with chemicals. The hospital even has a greenhouse in which organic produce is grown, used for hospital meals, and sold to the public on a weekly market day.
I did have physical therapy once the break healed and I remember that thump feeling in the arm which I though was the bone, but the therapist said it was muscle moving over muscle that made that feeling, and in the beginning it did hurt... eventually that went away... whew, as it was so weird feeling.
I had an orthopedic surgeon check out everything, no surgery was needed, but due to my age it would take longer to heal. Now that the weather has gotten colder, I could feel a mild ache at the break site. It took me 6 months to get back to almost normal. Being right handed and the break was the right arm, it great getting back to eating like an adult instead of a toddler :P
I was the driver for my parents, who were in their 90's, but I couldn't drive for 6 months because my arm wouldn't straighten out to shift gears much less turn the key to start the vehicle. So I had to cancel all of my parent's doctor appointments. Still a week after my fall, my Dad called to see if I could drive him to get a haircut.... hello, no.
I agree, get that second opinion.
I personally would start massaging the arm and shoulder myself, using some of the special pain cremes, or essential oils. Unless that too is contraindicated.
You mention the area around the break is hugely broken? Do you also have osteopenia or osteoporosis, or maybe an infection? Explore that with a new doctor-if not addressed with your doc by now, it may not be too late for you to get help, but it is too late for that doctor, imo.
Address the problem, get treatment, then be patient for the pain to resolve.
Find out why you fell, have you fallen since then? Articles on this forum and online address finding out why is important.
I like that, Stacey-"be on the rod to recovery".
Hoping soon you will be healing, Stew.
When I had PT for my torn rotator cuff, I met a man who told me about a treatment which helped him. He had been through either 2 - 3 rotator cuff tears, 2 on the same arm. But this man was in fantastic shape, even though he was recovering from the last tear. I was surprised he even needed PT.
I don't recall all the details but he underwent some kind of cell transfer, I believe. And I think it was called stem cell therapy. I had the impression it was very expensive, but he had the demeanor of someone at an executive level so I expected that if his health insurance didn't pay for it, he had the means to do so himself.
He accredited his marvelous recovery to these implant procedures.
My mother had an open fracture of her wrist, so just hearing about your - yes VERY nasty - break made me wince for you; but she was a lot older than you, with longstanding cardiac and renal problems, and it still healed up just fine. There must be something else going on; and meanwhile you're in pain and significantly impacted by this while they dilly about complacently - it makes me feel very cross on your behalf.
Don't want to bring up acary subjects but is it possible you have cancer anywhere and this lack of healing is related to that.
Another thing to get checked out is your parathyroid glands. They are four tiny glands located in the thyroid gland in your neck. Maybe make a visit to an Endocologist.