(HealthDay News) -- Casts are used to keep a broken bone in place so that the injury heals properly.
If you're wearing a cast and want to know how to care for it properly, follow these suggestions from the American Academy of Family Physicians:
- If the cast becomes uncomfortable due to minor swelling, prop the casted area up above the level of your heart.
- Numbness or severe pain is not normal, so see your doctor if you have these symptoms.
- Some types of casts may get wet, but many shouldn't. Protect your cast from getting wet by covering it with a plastic bag fastened with tape when you're showering.
- If your cast does get wet, dry it with a blow dryer on a low, cool setting.
- Though your cast may itch, never slip anything inside the cast to scratch the itchy area.
