To diagnose a broken bone, the first step is to perform a visual examination. A doctor will look for swelling, inflammation, bruising, a bone poking out through skin, and a deformed appearance. A patient may also have pain that worsens when they move a certain way or the inability to bear any weight on the affected area. Care providers will also assess the patient’s pain level and send them for an X-ray. In some cases, CT scans will also be ordered when fractures do not show up on X-rays but are indicated by the symptoms.