A broken bone is caused when pressure is put on the bone causing it to either split or break. A break is called a fracture, and an open fracture is when the broken bone punctures the skin. It can be caused by a fall, motor vehicle accident, direct blow, or repetitive forces such as running.
How to Prevent Breaking a Bone
To prevent breaking a bone one should wear protective gear such as a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and shin pads. With regards to children, it is important to supervise them and prevent falls by safe proofing the home by placing a gate at the stairways.
Symptoms of a Broken Bone
Symptoms of a broken bone include a visibly misplaced limb or joint, swelling, bruising, bleeding, pain, numbness or tightness, a protruding bone, and limited mobility. If you see deformity of an arm or leg, this may also by a sign of a broken bone. Lastly, if the pain in the injured area worsens over time when pressure is applied to it this may also be a symptom.
Treatments for Broken Bones
If the skin was punctured from the broken bone the skin must be treated immediately to avoid getting an infection:
- To treat a broken bone, first aid measures must be taken.
- You should lightly wash the wound to remove any dirt or other contaminants that may infect it.
- It is also important to immobilize the broken bone with a splint or sling so that it doesn’t move around and worsen.
- A fractured bone must be set in its proper place and held there to heal properly.
Many times, the broken bone is examined using x-rays to provide a clear image of the boneSerious fractures may require open reduction, meaning that surgery is needed to reposition the bone. Sometimes pins, plates, screws, rods, or glue is used to hold the fracture in place.
Eligibility Criteria To Avail Disability Tax Credit for Broken Bones
To be eligible for this tax credit, a person must be impaired for over the period of one full year. They can also be eligible if they have difficulty in one of the following daily life activities, such as walking.
For a walking impairment, the patient is unable to walk 100m (a city block) or takes an inordinate amount of time (3 times longer than normal) to do so due to pain.
To apply for this tax credit Form 2201 entitled “Disability Tax Credit Certificate” must be completed by a registered medical practitioner. This tax credit is only available to those who have taxes payable.