Help with non-union of broken bone

[Rayne]

So I'm looking for home remedies, natural remedies, or any advise on how to stimulate bone growth. Any one that has had experience with ultra sound or electrical bone stimulation, I'd like to hear your experience/success/failure with the use of them.

A little background is my hubby got his finger crushed in a wood splitter back in February. He's had two surgeries, and he still has a non-union in the bone. Now this wasn't a simple break of a single bone. The whole bone was crushed into many pieces. The second surgery required a bone graft from his wrist and 6 pins to hold all the pieces into place (Six pins is a record at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center). After 6 weeks the pins were removed because the risk of serious infection was greater than the benefits of leaving the pins in.

Now they are talking another surgery to put another bone graft in or amuputation of the tip of his left index finger(not his trigger finger). Hubby doens't want another surgery, he's been without use of his hand for almost 3 months and is ready to get on with his life.

One of the reasons his bone may not be healing is he has taken Nexium (esomeprazole) for ten years and has just recently switched to Prilosec(omeprazole). Both these medications inhibit calcium uptake. He already takes a multivitamin and a calcium suppliment. So all you guys/gals who are not doctors but play one on TV let me know what you think can be done to help get this bone healed up.

 

[philo]

HB 1468 would have addressed this situation directly. If your husbands non-union bones had been allowed their "right to work" they would have had the opportunity to bond with their co-workers - the other finger bones.

I suspect your husband is a registered democrat since his body seems determined not to cooperate with the non-union bones.

 

[NYFelon]

The internet wins again.

 

[Rayne]

Very Funny, but correct. They put his body back to work just a few days after the surgeries but made his non-union hand stayed off work for 3 months and some little peon had to do all his "crappy" jobs.

 

[bwframe]

Maybe a stretch, but what about that drug that Sally Fields (sorry) hawks, Boneva?

 

[ElsiePeaRN]

So I'm looking for home remedies, natural remedies, or any advise on how to stimulate bone growth. Any one that has had experience with ultra sound or electrical bone stimulation, I'd like to hear your experience/success/failure with the use of them.

Wow, Rayne, I'm sorry he's been going through that! A friend at my church has had a similar experience since last year--husband with bad hand injury, multiple surgeries, amputated fingertip. Injuries like this are a drag to live with. I'll add your husband to my prayer list along side of my friend.

I don't have a lot to offer, but I have seen the bone stimulators work. The only experience I have had with electrical bone stimulation has been on long bones in the leg and the three patients I have seen use them had excellent results. I would certainly look into it and see what the doc says!

 

[GREEN607]

So I'm looking for home remedies, natural remedies, or any advise on how to stimulate bone growth. Any one that has had experience with ultra sound or electrical bone stimulation, I'd like to hear your experience/success/failure with the use of them.

A little background is my hubby got his finger crushed in a wood splitter back in February. He's had two surgeries, and he still has a non-union in the bone. Now this wasn't a simple break of a single bone. The whole bone was crushed into many pieces. The second surgery required a bone graft from his wrist and 6 pins to hold all the pieces into place (Six pins is a record at the Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center). After 6 weeks the pins were removed because the risk of serious infection was greater than the benefits of leaving the pins in.

Now they are talking another surgery to put another bone graft in or amuputation of the tip of his left index finger(not his trigger finger). Hubby doens't want another surgery, he's been without use of his hand for almost 3 months and is ready to get on with his life.

One of the reasons his bone may not be healing is he has taken Nexium (esomeprazole) for ten years and has just recently switched to Prilosec(omeprazole). Both these medications inhibit calcium uptake. He already takes a multivitamin and a calcium suppliment. So all you guys/gals who are not doctors but play one on TV let me know what you think can be done to help get this bone healed up.

Question: Does 'hubby' drink much milk.... either whole milk or 2%?
If so, have him cut back on the milk, and add bananas to his diet. The calcium supplements he is taking, are more than enough for proper healing and for his adult daily requirements.

Seriously, excess milk intake can actually 'leach' calcium from the body (goes out in waste). Bananas truly help healing of both flesh, and bone... in all ages. Reduces scar tissue, as well. His Drs. should have informed him of these things, tho. You can verify what I am saying here, by doing a search on WebMD.

NOTE: I am not a Dr. .... nor do I play one on TV. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....

Edited to add.... years ago, I had my right arm cut nearly off (at the humurus - sp?). I have a nine-inch-long steel plate screwed to that bone, as it was broken in 3 places and one 'fissure' never quite healed properly (at the time). Since then, I have drank one glass or less of milk per day (some days none at all). My Grandmother told me to eat bananas, everyday. I did as she said (and prayed alot). The radial nerve palsy I had went "bye-bye" after 20 months, a small miracle. But also, my bone has healed over time, and the 14"-long scar doesn't look near as bad as it did 10 years ago. My accident happened in 1976.

 

[Rayne]

Question: Does 'hubby' drink much milk.... either whole milk or 2%?
If so, have him cut back on the milk, and add bananas to his diet. The calcium supplements he is taking, are more than enough for proper healing and for his adult daily requirements.

Seriously, excess milk intake can actually 'leach' calcium from the body (goes out in waste). Bananas truly help healing of both flesh, and bone... in all ages. Reduces scar tissue, as well. His Drs. should have informed him of these things, tho. You can verify what I am saying here, by doing a search on WebMD.

NOTE: I am not a Dr. .... nor do I play one on TV. But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....

Never heard of banana's helping but it's worth researching. Thanks. He does drink a cup and a half to two cups of milk in the morning with breakfast. That's usually it unless there is chocolate chip cookies to dunk into milk. Then he's really happy and we go through a lot more milk.

 

[Rayne]

Maybe a stretch, but what about that drug that Sally Fields (sorry) hawks, Boneva?

I think that medicine is for osteoporosis, bone loss due to menapause in women. But you know it can't hurt to ask the doctor or research to see if it's ever been used to stimulate bone growth. Thanks

 

[bwframe]

I think that medicine is for osteoporosis, bone loss due to menapause in women. But you know it can't hurt to ask the doctor or research to see if it's ever been used to stimulate bone growth. Thanks

My thoughts too. Good luck to you and your man.

 

[GREEN607]

Never heard of banana's helping but it's worth researching. Thanks. He does drink a cup and a half to two cups of milk in the morning with breakfast. That's usually it unless there is chocolate chip cookies to dunk into milk. Then he's really happy and we go through a lot more milk.

Oh, boy! That;'s when I drink more milk, too. Especially if the cookies are my wifes' home-made C'chip or even Keebler Soft Chew C'chip.........

I will also add the two of you to my prayers...

 

[GREEN607]

Here's a link to an excellent article about the health and medical benefits of bananas. Take special note of item #2 in the article....

http://thetaoofgoodhealth.com/6-awesome-health-benefits-of-bananas-9

 

[Roadie]

Wow, Rayne, I'm sorry he's been going through that! A friend at my church has had a similar experience since last year--husband with bad hand injury, multiple surgeries, amputated fingertip. Injuries like this are a drag to live with. I'll add your husband to my prayer list along side of my friend.

I don't have a lot to offer, but I have seen the bone stimulators work. The only experience I have had with electrical bone stimulation has been on long bones in the leg and the three patients I have seen use them had excellent results. I would certainly look into it and see what the doc says!

My wife was using a bone growth stimulator last year after her ankle fusion surgery, and I can attest it works as well.

 

[rmabrey]

I think that medicine is for osteoporosis, bone loss due to menapause in women. But you know it can't hurt to ask the doctor or research to see if it's ever been used to stimulate bone growth. Thanks

Osteoporosis is not bone loss due to menopause. Osteoporosis is reduction of bone mass.

Low levels of calcium make you more susceptible, and osteoporosis can slow bone healing in older individuals. This is due to lower levels of calcium for osteoblasts to restructure the bone.

 

[Rayne]

Osteoporosis is not bone loss due to menopause. Osteoporosis is reduction of bone mass.

Low levels of calcium make you more susceptible, and osteoporosis can slow bone healing in older individuals. This is due to lower levels of calcium for osteoblasts to restructure the bone.

You are correct, I shouldn't have lumped all osteoporosis on menopausal women because I know men can be affected by it also, but at lower numbers then women.

So at 52 should he be considered an older individual that would have slower bone growth? He's not your average 52 year old, doesn't look it one bit. He's tall and lean, very active, his work is very physical so he's very fit. He's done everything the doctor told him to do, except get plenty of rest. He averages about 6.5 to 7 hours of sleep a night. They wanted him to be getting between 8 and 9 hours.

 

[singlestacksig]

My wife was using a bone growth stimulator last year after her ankle fusion surgery, and I can attest it works as well.

I can 2nd this, I had to use a bone growth stimulator this past year on my arm.. it really does work.. but certain drugs & tobacco will hinder it..
if you can get insurance to cover a stimulator go for it..

 

[rmabrey]

So at 52 should he be considered an older individual that would have slower bone growth?

The numbers say 50's for women and 70's for men, but there are anomalies. Its at least worth mentioning to the doctor

 

[singlestacksig]

if he has only been healing for 3 months he is just now to the point that they will say it is not healing..
he should expect to not use hand for 6 months or more..
not using it will help it heal faster..

 

[right winger]

Ask your doctor about using bone morphogentic protein.
It was used when I had my lumbar fused.
Also during my cervical fusion.Worked great.

 

[Viking Queen]

You might do an internet search on Comfrey plant. Also known as "Knit Bone". Very old native american remedy for many things, including broken bones. I have used powdered comfrey for many years for healing a variety of things.

Last Sept I had a broken sternum from seat belt injury in bad car wreck. The breast bone, sternum, was horribly painful for weeks until I made poltices of comfrey and within a couple of days the sternum was no longer painful and I believe it was healed completely within about 10 days. I had trouble getting out of bed, out of chairs, lifting anything, lifting my arms to comb hair or change light bulbs or get dishes out of cupboards, etc, etc. This really hampered my ability to do mostly anything. In addition, I had horrible. deep abdominal and hip bruising from the seatbelt, which caused very sharp stabbing pain anytime I moved from chair, bed, car seat. I would boil water in microwave with powdered comfrey in it - once it is boiling, turn off, let sit about 5 min then cool down to just body temp by putting bowl in cold water to cool it down quickly. Take a piece of muslin (old piece of bed sheet), spread now slimy comfrey on the muslin (make sure it is somewhat wet) and apply to the boo boo. Let it sit there for about 30 min or longer. I usually put a warm, not hot, water bottle on top of the poltice or it gets rather chilly sitting there with a wet cloth on you. It is very soothing and quite healing. It worked for me. You might try this for husband's badly broken finger. I would do this at least 2 times a day. Since it is a finger, you can wrap it with plastic wrap after applying the poultice, it keeps the thing from oozing all over the place.

If you can not find powdered comfrey root in a local health food store or co-op, you can do an ebay search for it and buy it there. It is really hard to find locally. I bought a 1/2 lb on ebay and it was inexpensive and a huge quantity. I would think for a finger 1/4 lb would be enough. If nothing else, his finger will feel good. This is a very ancient remedy for broken bones, and what could it hurt.. I urge you to do some internet searches about using comfrey for healing. Not recomended for internal use, but OK for external use. Have used it for many things for over 30 years. Easy to grow if you want to grow for future use. Best of luck to your man. Viking Queen