Symptoms

A snap or cracking sound might be your first indication you've broken an arm. Signs and symptoms include:

• Severe pain, which might increase with movement
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Deformity, such as a bent arm or wrist
• Inability to turn your arm from palm up to palm down or vice versa

When to see a doctor

If you have enough pain in your arm that you can't use it normally, see a doctor right away. The same applies to your child. Delays in diagnosis and treatment of a broken arm, especially for children, who heal faster than adults do, can lead to poor healing.