Getting hurt can be a pain, literally! Even though you do your best to avoid injury and stay safe, accidents happen and they can leave you with a stubborn injury. Thankfully, many minor injuries like cuts, scrapes and strains will heal on their own. However, if you ever suspect a broken bone, you need to get it evaluated right away.

You should always take bone injuries seriously because if you don’t treat them properly, they can get worse or never heal correctly.

Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Indian Trail team explains more about fractures and how we diagnose them below.

Are Fractures Common?

Your bones do a good job of protecting your organs and providing your body with structure every day. They are constantly working! This means that they have to be strong and flexible enough to withstand daily impacts and minor falls without becoming compromised.

Even though your bones are strong, they aren’t indestructible. If a fall or accident is severe enough, it can cause too much pressure against your bone and the bone can either crack or completely break. A fracture can be harder to diagnose right away because you might not see any physical deformity. If the injury site is swollen, painful to the touch or movement, come see us for an X-ray.

Bones That Are Prone to Fractures

• Wrists
• Ankles
• Hips
• Clavicle (collarbone)

Will Getting an X-ray Hurt?

No! X-ray machines may look intimidating, but think of them like big cameras. They use X-ray light beams that are sent through your body to take an image of your internal structure. We use digital X-ray technology at AFC, so instead of the X-ray being developed on film, it is uploaded onto a computer.

This image is clearer and more crisp than a traditional X-ray, which is really helpful when we are looking at tiny fractures. If we do see a fracture on your X-ray, we can discuss treatment options to ensure it heals properly and doesn’t progress to a full break.

Digital X-ray Benefits

• Reduced radiation exposure
• Clearer images
• Faster turnaround
• Reduced environmental impact

Our X-ray technology can help you feel better faster. Come see us at AFC Urgent Care Indian Trail for an X-ray today.