Many injuries can occur during a car wreck. One such misfortune is a fracture, which seems like a relatively mild injury but can turn into a very serious one in some cases. Some people who have a broken bone might develop an infection in the area. Unfortunately, these infections can lead to life-threatening complications.
Anyone who has a fracture after a car wreck should pay close attention to how they are faring. This is especially true if you have any risk factors for an infection. These include things like having rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or an immune deficiency. Needing surgery to set the bone also increases the risk that you will suffer from an infection.
Signs of a bone infection
An infection near a fracture usually causes considerable pain. The area will likely be red and warm, and it might appear swollen. In some cases, a pocket of pus will form, which may cause more pain and a feeling of pressure. You might have night sweats, fever and chills. Any joint that’s near the infection might feel stiff and painful. You may begin to run a fever as the infection gets worse. The infection could spread to the blood, which is a serious condition.
Treatments for an infection
There are a number of treatments that medical professionals can use for an infection. You will likely need to take antibiotics. These are done using special beads, but some patients are given oral or intravenous medications. Wound debriding is also necessary in some cases to remove dead tissue from around the infection and enhance the healing process.
Living with an infection due to a fracture
An infection lengthens the healing process, so you might have to take more time off work while you heal. The pain might also prevent you from being as active as you’d normally be. Additionally, scarring from the infection could be worse than what it would have been without it.
If you have suffered a broken bone or any injury in a car crash, you might opt to seek compensation for the damages you have due to the injury. These can be costly medical issues, and infection is only going to increase the costs. As the victim, there is no reason why you should have to pay these costs, so you can turn to the party liable for the damages and try to have them pay for expenses related to the crash.