Fracture Center - South Whittier, CAWebMD Physician DirectorySouth Whittier, CaliforniaUpcoming Local Events2012-05-28
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FractureIntroduction to fractureBones form the skeleton of the body and allow the body to be supported against gravity and to move and function in the world. Bones also protect some body parts, and the bone marrow is the production center for blood products. Bone is not a stagnant organ. It is the body's reservoir of calcium and is always undergoing change under the influence of hormones. Parathyroid hormone increases blood calcium levels by leeching calcium from bone, while calcitonin has the opposite effect, allowing bone to accept calcium from the blood.
What causes a fracture?When outside forces are applied to bone it has the potential to fail. Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand those outside forces. Fracture, break, or crack all mean the same thing. One term is not better or worse than another. The integrity of the bone has been lost and the bone structure fails. Broken bones hurt for a variety of reasons including:
Often a fracture is easy to detect because there is obvious deformity. However, at times it is not easily diagnosed. It is important for the physician to take a history of the injury to decide what potential problems might exist. Moreover, fractures don't always occur in isolation, and there may be associated injuries that need to be addressed. Fractures can occur because of direct blows, twisting injuries, or falls. The type of forces on the bone may determine what type of injury that occurs. Descriptions of fractures can ... Recommended Reading Related to FractureWhat is osteoporosis?Osteoporosis is a condition that is characterized by bones that are less dense than, and thus not as strong as, normal bone. Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking bone (fracture) with even minor trauma, such as a fall from standing height, or even from a cough or sneeze. Unfortunately, people often do not realize they have osteoporosis until either they have a fracture or have a screening test ordered by their doctor to check for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis and low bone mass affect an estimated 44 million Americans (National Osteoporosis Foundation 2008). Of those, 10 million have osteoporosis, and the remaining 34 million have a lower than normal bone mass and are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. Women are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Other risk factors include older age, family history of osteoporosis, small and thin stature, inactive lifestyle, smoking, alcohol, and use of certain medications in... Other Related Fracture ArticlesEmergency Contact for South Whittier
Nearby South Whittier Hospitals * Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital  Whittier Hospital Medical Center  Metropolitan State Hospital  Kindred Hospital La Mirada  Norwalk Community Hospital  Coast Plaza Doctors Hospital  Beverly Hospital  Downey Regional Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center  Greater El Monte Community Hospital  College Hospital Cerritos  Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center  BHC Alhambra Hospital  Bellflower Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Baldwin Park  La Palma Intercommunity Hospital  St Jude Medical Center  Monterey Park Hospital  Vista Specialty Hospital of San Gabriel Valley  City of Angels Medical Center Ingleside Campus  Garfield Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Brea  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles Suburban Medical Center Campus  Citrus Valley Medical Center Queen of the Valley Campus  Tri-City Regional Medical Center  Los Angeles Community Hospital  East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital  Lakewood Regional Medical Center  Doctor's Hospital West Covina  St Francis Medical Center  West Anaheim Medical Center  Anaheim Regional Medical Center  Anaheim General Hospital  San Gabriel Valley Medical Center  Alhambra Hospital Medical Center  Community Hospital of Huntington Park  Los Alamitos Medical Center  Kindred Hospital San Gabriel Valley  Promise Hospital of East Los Angeles  LAC + USC Medical Center  LAC + USC Medical Center Women's & Children's Hospital  Martin Luther King Jr MAC Service Center  USC University Hospital  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center  Methodist Hospital  White Memorial Medical Center  Citrus Valley Medical Center Inter Community Campus  Western Medical Center Anaheim  City of Hope National Medical Center  Placentia-Linda Hospital  Aurora Las Encinas Hospital  Community Hospital of Long Beach  Long Beach Memorial Medical Center  Miller Children's Hospital  Pacific Alliance Medical Center  VA Long Beach Healthcare System  Huntington Hospital  Kaiser Mental Health Center  Pacific Hospital of Long Beach  Aurora Charter Oak Hospital  California Hospital Medical Center  Kindred Hospital Westminster  Barlow Respiratory Hospital  Orthopaedic Medical Center  Good Samaritan Hospital  University Of California Irvine Medical Center  Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center  Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center  Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center  St Mary Medical Center  St Vincent Medical Center  San Dimas Community Hospital  East Valley Hospital Medical Center  Foothill Presbyterian Hospital  Memorial Hospital of Gardena Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
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