Teeth and bones are considered to be some of the healthiest parts of the body. Strong bones play an important role not only in providing strength and balance to the body, but also in improving posture and appearance. However, despite their strength, they can break.
What is a bone fracture?
Fracture is a term used to describe a fracture of any bone in the body. In particular, if the bone is subjected to a greater load than normal, it can break or crack.
What can cause a bone fracture?
Fractures can occur due to strong external influences (injury, sudden bending) on parts of the body, loss of bone strength due to disease (cancer, osteoporosis ) or taking certain drugs that have such an effect on bones. Bone fractures often occur as a result of a vehicle accident, falling from a height, or a sports injury. Other common circumstances in which a fracture may occur are:
- direct hit;
- recurrent effects caused by running, resulting in fractures known as stress fractures of the ankle, lower leg, hip, or pelvis;
- violence.
Some of the typical fracture symptoms include:
- intense pain;
- inability to move the affected area;
- edema, bleeding;
- skin burning;
- visible deformity or curvature of the extremities.
In the presence of a fracture or suspected fracture, medical attention must be sought, as broken bones must be re-placed (returned to normal) and fixed to allow healing and restoration of bone integrity.
Usually, the time it takes for a broken bone to heal depends largely on the type of fracture, age, general health and many others. However, there are some tools and methods that you can apply yourself at home to help the healing process, speed healing and reduce pain and swelling.
Natural remedies to accelerate the healing of broken bones
Cold compress and ice
Cold compresses help relieve pain and reduce swelling. You can apply cold compresses to the affected area up to 4 times a day for about 10 minutes.
Similar to cold compresses, you can use a bag full of ice and be sure to put a towel between the skin and the bag.
Castor oil
Castor oil is one of the best natural remedies that can be easily found in pharmacies and herbal stores. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which makes it applicable to many different problems. To help with bone fractures, soak a clean cotton cloth in castor oil and wrap it around the fracture site. Secure the towel with a bandage or cytoplast and leave for one or two nights. This will help strengthen the bones and heal.
Turmeric
Turmeric is an excellent natural product that can help with a variety of problems, including injuries and fractures. Many uses of turmeric are due to its well-defined antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. To take advantage of its beneficial effects on fractures, drink a glass of turmeric milk at least twice a day. This will speed up the healing of the bones.
Another way is to prepare a paste of grated onion and turmeric powder and apply it on the affected part.
Pineapple
Consuming half a fresh pineapple a day is one of the easiest natural ways to support bone healing. The bromelain contained in this fruit has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps reduce swelling. Avoid processed or canned pineapples that do not provide the same effect as fresh pineapples.
Essential oils
Three powerful essential oils can help restore bone strength and are used in the treatment of broken bones – cypress essential oil, fir essential oil and helichrysum essential oil:
- Cypress oil improves blood circulation in the area and speeds up the healing process.
- Helichrysum oil helps to repair damaged tissue due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
- Fir oil relieves pain, supports the immune system and accelerates tissue healing.
Make a mixture of them and apply to the fracture area three or four times a day.
During natural healing, it is especially important to adhere to a certain diet, intake of supplements, diet and lifestyle, as well as the use of certain natural remedies that can help your body heal much faster.
Vitamins are a key element for bone health, especially in the presence of problems or diseases that directly affect bone health. You can choose to increase your intake of vitamins and minerals by emphasizing foods that contain them.
Diet and supplements
Calcium
Calcium is the main structural component of the skeleton, which makes it a vital element for both bone healing and general health. Daily calcium intake is an important part of maintaining bone health. With age, bones begin to lose their density and strength and this can be a prerequisite for fractures (as in osteoporosis).
Calcium deficiency can lead to bone fractures, and eating calcium-rich foods can naturally help bone regeneration. The richest in calcium are:
- green leafy vegetables – cabbage, spinach, rocket, broccoli, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce;
- raw dairy products – fresh milk, yogurt or kefir;
- sardines;
- legumes.
However, in order for the body to properly use calcium, it needs magnesium because, according to studies, the metabolism of calcium and magnesium are closely related. In fact, intestinal absorption and renal excretion are interrelated. Therefore, in order to use calcium-rich foods, you should also consume foods rich in magnesium. Some foods are rich in both at the same time. These are raw leafy vegetables and kefir, goat’s milk and fresh goat’s cheese. Foods rich in magnesium are also:
- flaxseed, chia seed and pumpkin seed;
- grass-fed beef, almonds, avocados, liver;
Zinc
Increased intake of zinc-rich foods stimulates the repair of damaged tissues associated with bone fractures. According to research published in the Saudi Medical Journal, zinc supplementation leads to significant progress in the formation of callus (newly formed bone tissue).
Foods that contain significant levels of zinc are beef, pork, turkey, lamb, seafood, chicken, pumpkin seeds and flaxseed.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is also one of the vitamins needed for faster recovery of broken bones. Many studies have described the benefits of vitamin C in the treatment of bones, and some medical researchers suggest that consuming foods rich in vitamin C can stimulate the formation of new bone tissue.
In a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, researchers found that vitamin C improves the mechanical resistance of callus to fractures in adult rats. They suggest that this may also help treat bone fractures in the elderly.
Foods rich in vitamin C that you must add to your diet are vegetable juices, orange juice, fresh oranges, strawberries, cauliflower, papaya, lemon, paprika, kiwi, broccoli, asparagus, some organic meat, nuts and seeds. .
Vitamin D
One of the most important supplements for bone fractures is vitamin D. Although there is still no convincing evidence that vitamin D supplementation actually accelerates healing, there is evidence that vitamin D deficiency often plays a role in fracture development. Thus, vitamin D has an indirect effect on the process of bone healing and ensuring bone strength. Therefore, if you have a broken bone, sun exposure is an easy and useful way to get vitamin D directly from the sun’s rays. In addition, the sun’s rays have a detoxifying effect on the whole body. You can also take vitamin D as a dietary supplement.
Other supplements that can help with healing include fish oil supplements and green superfoods such as chlorella and spirulina. Fish oil is good for bone health due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation and speed up the healing process.
Foods you should avoid are too sour foods, processed meats and sausages, processed dairy products, caffeine and alcohol. Also, sodium and sugar levels should be reduced. They lead to acidification of the organism, which will lead to the extraction of minerals from the bones and, accordingly, slow down their recovery and growth.
Vibrating platform
The next step for faster recovery and healing of broken bones is natural therapy, such as vibration platform therapy. Studies show that this leads to an increase in bone density. Staying on the vibrating platform for 20 minutes, three times a day, contributes to speeding up the treatment.
Vibration therapy can be used by people of all ages to speed recovery. It has been shown that this form of rehabilitation strengthens muscles by sending energy waves of different frequencies through the body and has a positive effect on bones. Previous studies have shown that vibration therapy may be effective in improving bone density in patients with osteopenia. Laboratory studies have shown that it can improve bone microstructure and bone mechanical properties in osteoarthritis of the knee and appear to be effective in reducing bone resorption and increasing cortical thickness in osteogenesis imperfecta.
Other studies have shown that vibration therapy can be a good solution for the prevention and treatment of femoral fractures, as well as for recovery after arthroplasty. At the same time, it was found that the application of vibration therapy twice a week reduces the loss of bone mass in the hip joints and improves the function of the muscles of the lower extremities in postmenopausal women, reducing the risk of falls and fractures of the femur.
These findings are encouraging because this type of therapy requires less effort than classic rehabilitation exercises, and the exercises performed on a vibrating platform are low activity, which makes them suitable for both the elderly and those at risk of bone loss and fractures.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is another useful practice that can be used to treat bone fractures. Acupuncture transforms the energy used in the body, directs it to the right energy meridians and supports the recovery and functioning of tissues and organs.
In a study on the impact of traditional Chinese medicine on the treatment of bone fractures, published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, acupuncture treatment accelerated bone healing in patients with fractures. A review of studies on the effects of acupuncture in rats published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed similar results.
Additional tips
Use pillows. It is believed that in order to speed up the healing process, the broken bone should be raised to a higher level than the level of the heart. This helps to remove excess blood and tissue fluid from the injured area. Placing a few pillows on the end of the bed is a convenient way to apply this method.
Avoid caffeine and alcohol. In addition to foods and beverages that provide useful substances for protecting bone health, there are also those that should be avoided, because larger amounts lead to a weakening of bone strength and power. Caffeine is one of them. Caffeine and tobacco interfere with the healing process of bones. Alcohol also has a negative effect on bone mass and makes it difficult to absorb calcium. For this reason, limiting alcohol is necessary to support the healing process and maintain bone health.
What should you not do when someone is injured?
Do not move the injured person when you suspect a broken bone!
Do not move a person with a pelvic, hip or upper leg injury unless necessary!
Do not move a person with a spinal cord injury!
Do not try to adjust the bone if it is broken!
