Wrist fracture

I know this original question of Jan's is over a year ago but it is helpful to find this forum and I have read most of the replies. I had a bad colles radius fracture 7 weeks ago requring a 'bier block' manoevre (agony) and have been out of plaster now for 9 days. I am doing excercises which I have found on the internet as there is a 5 week wait for physiotherapy. My main worry is the pain. Can anyone tell me how long I can expept the pain to go on? It feels relentless espeially at night when I wake up wiith it burning terribly in my wrist. During the day it is there but not so bad, especially if I am walking. The other worry is that although I feel I am getting more movement with the excersises I am a long way from being able to form a fist. When I attempt a fit my fingers feel tight and sore. My hand is weak and I am unable to cut food yet as it is too painful. I don't find pain killers help much, and they make me feel groggy so I only take them at night and as soon as they wear off I'm awake with agonising pain. I also have bad aching in the end of my thumb. I'd be interested to hear exeperiences of anyone who has come out of this, if you can remember how long it was before the pain and discomfort went and normal life can be resumed! I am a 66 year old woman. Thank you in advance :-)

I know this original question of Jan's is over a year ago but it is helpful to find this forum and I have read most of the replies. I had a bad colles radius fracture 7 weeks ago requring a 'bier block' manoevre (agony) and have been out of plaster now for 9 days. I am doing excercises which I have found on the internet as there is a 5 week wait for physiotherapy. My main worry is the pain. Can anyone tell me how long I can expect the pain to go on? It feels relentless especially at night when I wake up wiith it burning terribly in my wrist. During the day it is there but not so bad, especially if I am walking. The other worry is that although I feel I am getting more movement with the excersises I am a long way from being able to form a fist. When I attempt a fist my fingers feel tight and sore. My hand is weak and I am unable to cut food yet as it is too painful. I don't find pain killers help much, and they make me feel groggy so I only take them at night and as soon as they wear off I'm awake with agonising pain. I also have bad aching in the end of my thumb. I'd be interested to hear exeperiences of anyone who has come out of this, if you can remember how long it was before the pain and discomfort went and normal life can be resumed! I am a 66 year old woman. Thank you in advance :-)

I broke my wrist about 8 weeks ago while hiking with my dog. Had to have surgery to have a plate put in. My biggest complaint is the pain in my fingers. ALL THE TIME. Relentless. Like when you "jam" your fingers. Its so frustrating. I can't believe how painful this injury has been and how long the healing time is.

Then found out that I have osteoporosis.

Thanks for bringing this up guys!

I fell and broke my radius and ulna at the wrist when I was 15 and was given a back slab and told to come back in a week. When I returned I saw a different doctor who said I needed an operation to put the bones back into position which should have been done when I came to a&e originally. I had the operation and was put in a cast for 6weeks. I was then discharged without physiotherapy as I was told I didn't need it. Since then I had full movement in my fingers and wrist but It lacked strength and was uncomfortable. I accepted it was just going to be this way from now on and it was my left hand so it was easier for me to do so. I'm now 32 with a manually biassed job. my wrist became very painful and was still weak as it was when I was discharged from hospital. I decided to go to the doctor to see if this is normal and x-rays showed my ulna and radius were still out of position (malunion) and I needed an osteotomy surgery to reposition the bones and use plates to hold it. I have now had that surgery and I will need another one to remove the plates soon. I cannot work for at least 2.5 months unpaid! If you feel your wrist may not be normal after discharge definitely go back and get it checked and don't be like me and assume it's normal. I wish I did!!!

It was 3 weeks ago today i got my cast off and started therapy 2 days later.  Some days are better than others but still wake up at night in pain and if i do too much it swells up.  I constantly am extending and then make a fist with my fingers as they are stiff and sore.  The movement seems to loosen them up.  I try to not wear the brace as much as possible as i feel that it holds my wrist almost as tight and straight as the cast did so what good am i doing with recovery if all the tendendons and ligiments are not being challenged to stretch all the time??  I do put it on though from time to time since it feels so much better to have it on.  I finally did get out on the tennis court last week and hit a few balls around with my friends.  I wore my brace and stayed away from two handed back hands but i suffered in the following days for it.    I guess i am making progress though and am trying to keep my expectations low and be happy for small improvements, but unfortunately there is very little time during the day that i am not being reminded of it.  Thanks everybody, Happy New Year and here's to recovery in 2016.  (HA.. i sound like i should be in AA or something) 

Hello

I'm gaurav., I had a distal radius wrist fracture on 20th night of December and today being 16th of Jan. The doctor has put in something like a wire externally to keep the bones intact maybe. However there is a huge surge if pain in my hand lately. It feels like blood is trying to shoot from my finger tips. Is it normal. Please help asap. Ty

This may be a stupid question, but i fractured 3 bones in my radius this week. i have just tried to floss and this has left my wrist in great pain. it was fine up till then. i have a metal plate. can i have injured my wrist even more?

I wonder whether anyone can describe their physical therapy after Colles fracture. Was in cast for 5 weeks and now have completed 6 sessions of PT. When the therapist works on my wrist manually to resore range of motion it is so painful that I began taking half an Oxycontin prior to my session. Now he has told me to become "much more agressive" with my stretches at home-wishing me to bend and pressure until very painful and then count to 20/10 times 6 times a day. I have read that stretches one does at home should not be PAINFUL...

I would appreciate any input others here might have.

Thanks.

Jan, well all i can say is its painful but a necessary part of your therapy.  I went to therapy for a month and it was so painful they started putting little patches on my wrist and gave me little shock treatments.  Said it would help, it didn't.  I broke my wrist October 23rd, was in a full elbow cast for 2 weeks and 6 weeks in a shorter cast.  I have good days and bad days, but the good days are starting to become more frequent.  I take tylonal and Aleve in the morning, no more Oxi for me.  I HAD to stop whining and just deal with it as it was ruining my life...  Yesterday my little grandson's were here and i could barely hold them but I have been assured that there is nothing i can do at this point to redamage it, just get those tendons and muscles working again.   i also stopped going to therapy because i go to the gym and play tennis 3X's a week and figured I was doing enough with those two things.  I do still sleep often with my soft brace on though.  Somehow it makes it feel better but i try not to wear it much throughout the day.  If i don't force the issue my wrist will be stuck with 1/2 motion forever.  Do as the therapist says, it will eventually help.. Sorry, I'm rambling.  Just give me a sympathetic ear and I'll talk about my damn wrist for hours.. LOL 

Mine was October 5 when I broke the right wrist and left elbow. I will always remember trying to get my hubby how to assist with getting me into my pantyhose so I could wear street clothes while I healed! At least I found one thing that to laugh about! The Colles fracture itself has been tedious as the shortened distal has now made the unbroken ulna now too long for my healed wrist -- leaving the wrist a little strange looking and somewhat painful on the UNBROKEN side. I did a lot of research while deciding whether or not to have surgery and since these are the ONLY things I really have to complain about I've decided it's not worth complaining about anything at all. 

I'm interested to find out whether anyone else who has had a wrist fracture has since developed little lumps on the palm of the affected hand.  I broke my distal radius and ulnar styloid nearly six months ago and had to have it pinned and plated. The end of my radius is now set a bit low extension isn't great. I don't think I want to go through osteotomy surgery if I can manage okay by the 12 months stage. I have just noticed three little nodules that have sprung up about an inch beneath my ring finger left hand all close together.  I'm told they might indicate onset of Dupuytrens contracture due to trauma - do hope not! Has anyone out here had a similar experience with palm lumps appearing?