What are the primary signs of a fracture?

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The primary signs of a fracture include pain, swelling, deformity, and an inability to use the affected limb. When a bone fractures, it typically leads to immediate pain in the area, which may be sharp and severe, particularly with movement or pressure. Swelling often accompanies this pain due to inflammation and the body's response to injury.

Deformity is a key visual indicator that a fracture may have occurred; the limb may appear out of alignment or have an abnormal shape in comparison to its counterpart. Lastly, the inability to use the affected limb effectively is a significant indicator of a fracture, as even basic movements may cause intense pain or be impossible due to instability in the joint or the structural integrity of the bone being compromised.

The other choices contain signs that may relate to different types of injuries or conditions but do not specifically represent the classic signs of a fracture. For example, internal bleeding may occur with a fracture or other trauma, but it is not a primary sign of the fracture itself. Symptoms like redness, warmth, and fever could indicate infection or inflammation rather than a fracture, while pain and tingling might suggest nerve involvement or other complications that are secondary to a fracture. However, they lack the specificity needed to identify a fracture directly. Thus

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