Broken Bone Doctor Tampa

Dealing with a potential broken bone requires prompt medical evaluation. While severe breaks need emergency room care, Sunshine Urgent Care provides expert assessment and treatment for many common fractures in Tampa. Our experienced providers, often the first "broken bone doctor" patients see near them after an injury, utilize on-site X-rays to diagnose the break and determine the best course of action.

1. What is a Broken Bone (Fracture)? A fracture is any break or cracks in a bone. Fractures can range in severity from tiny hairline cracks to complete breaks where the bone is separated into two or more pieces. They are typically caused by trauma, such as a fall, sports injury, or accident.
2. Common Breaks We Evaluate: Fractures can happen to any bone, but some common locations we evaluate due to falls or injuries include:
   1. Fingers and Toes
   2. Wrist and Hand
   3. Foot and Ankle
   4. Collarbone (Clavicle)
3. Breaks We Can Typically Treat at Sunshine Urgent Care: Our Tampa clinic is equipped to manage many types of straightforward fractures. We generally treat:
   1. Simple, closed fractures: Where the bone is broken but has not punctured the skin.
   2. Non-displaced or minimally displaced fractures: Where the broken ends of the bone are still well-aligned or only slightly shifted.
   3. Stress fractures: Small cracks in a bone often caused by overuse.
   4. Fractures suitable for splinting or casting: There are many breaks in the fingers, toes, wrists, hands, and feet, as well as some ankle or clavicle fractures.
   5. We provide on-site X-rays for accurate diagnosis and initial treatment, including stabilization with splints or casts as appropriate.
4. Breaks That Require Hospital (Emergency Room) Care: Some fractures are medical emergencies requiring immediate hospital ER evaluation. Go directly to the ER for:
   1. Open fractures: Where the bone is visible through the skin or has broken the skin.
   2. Obvious, severe deformity: Where the limb is clearly misshapen.
   3. Suspected fractures of the hip or femur (thigh bone).
   4. Multiple suspected fractures.
   5. Suspected skull or spine fractures.
   6. Fractures causing severe, uncontrolled bleeding.
   7. Loss of circulation or sensation: Numbness, tingling, or pale/blue skin in the injured limb beyond the break.
   8. Significantly displaced fractures: Where bone ends are far out of alignment.
5. How to Stabilize Before Coming Into the Office (First Aid): If you suspect a fracture that does not require immediate ER care, here are steps to take before heading to Sunshine Urgent Care:
   1. Immobilize the Area: Keep the injured limb as still as possible. Do not try to realign or straighten the bone yourself. Support the limb with pillows or create a makeshift splint if needed for transport (e.g., rolled newspaper/magazine padded with cloth, secured above and below the suspected break). A simple sling can help support arm, wrist, or collarbone injuries.
   2. Control Bleeding (If Applicable): If there is a break in the skin (even if bone isn't visible), cover it loosely with a clean, sterile dressing. Apply gentle pressure if there is bleeding.
   3. Apply Ice: Wrap an ice pack or bag of frozen vegetables in a thin towel and apply it to the injured area for about 15-20 minutes to help reduce swelling and pain. Avoid placing ice directly on the skin.
   4. Elevate: If possible, keep the injured limb elevated above heart level.
   5. Avoid Food/Drink: It's wise to avoid eating or drinking if hospital transfer and sedation/surgery are necessary.

Get Fracture Care in Tampa

If you've suffered an injury and suspect a broken bone (and it doesn't meet ER criteria), visit Sunshine Urgent Care. We are a trusted option when searching for a "broken bone doctor near me" in the Tampa area for evaluation, X-rays, and initial treatment of many common fractures.