Help! Broken rib

[DeusEx]

Can anything be done? Is it even worth going to hospital? Breathing hurts...

Already slipped so hopefully bumping! My insides are crunching...

Not a medic but should you get checked for a punctured lung?

How did you get hurt? I'd be getting it checked out

Ouch, been there . . .. Try not to move around too much and avoid stretching for a week or so. If your breathing is fine, just a bit painful on the in beath, there isn't a lot they can do. Takes around a month to heal. If you had a punctured lung you would probably know by now. But if you expirate or cough blood go to a n e immediately. Use paracetomol, or ibupofren if you can take it.

It’s been over a day so I guess not punctured lung. How do you avoid moving though - walking hurts, moving in bed hurts? Any lifting hurts, even just handbag or water bottle. Sex a total no go.

How long does it take to be less painful?

Thanks for responding too!

I’m a radiographer and we don’t X-ray for broken ribs because the treatment is the same whether it’s broken or not , you would be advised to take pain relief.

I broke all my ribs and it’s agony!

Hope it gets better soon.

Weeks.

ibuprofen gel, painkillers and a bean bag to lean on if you can get a hold of one. Strapping it up will help as well.

Unfortunately because you can't rest your ribs the pain will get a smite worse over the next couple weeks but it will start to heal.

CBD oil is your friend!

If it’s painful on your side, sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees and a low pillow under your head.

I bruised/ broke my ribs a few months ago, didn’t go to hospital straight away as pain was manageable as long as I didn’t move at all. Two days later the excruciating pain kicked in, I went to hospital even though I know they don’t give any treatment, but I needed strong painkillers, over the counter stuff just didn’t touch the pain. Doctor’s advise was to take decent painkillers, as otherwise it hurts too much to breathe and if you don’t clear your lungs deeply you can end up with pneumonia.
I couldn’t move without extreme pain for about 10 days then managed to go back to my desk job, pain did ease off a bit after that but I couldn’t carry anything, Hoover or iron for about 4 weeks and was so generally sore after a gentle day at work that my DH had to make dinner and clear up every night. It was at least 8 weeks before I could carry my baby granddaughter.
I never realised the pain broken ribs could cause until it happened to me.

Ouch op, you poor thing! I hope you feel better soon, it’s a horrible pain isn’t it I broke a rib last year, thought it was just bruised until I started feeling like I couldn’t breathe properly. Definitely agree with no stretching, I found I couldn’t drive, either as I’d also damaged tendons or muscles over the broken bone, or they were pulling on broken bone possibly. You might not have the same problem though. I was signed off work for 3 weeks, and it was painful to breathe for the first 2, to move for the first 4 or 5 weeks, and twinges and milder pain for about 2 months altogether. My break was in an odd place though which didn’t help. Whereabouts is yours?

Oh, and remember to take regular deep breaths, to avoid lung issues. Even if it hurts! Try and keep as mobile as you can without overdoing it or overstretching. And definitely don’t get an arsing bloody cough just when it all gets better

I think it’s worth going to the gp/minor injuries as they may give you stronger pain killers if you find you need them. Good luck!

You can use ibupofren and paracetamol together, but your gp can prescribe tramadol or something similar if it's really bad. The fitter you are the quicker you'll recover but at least a month before you can do mild exercise. I was back on my horse in 2 weeks but struggled to get on and off. Had to use a chair, and trotting hurt, a lot.

X-post with Coffeeonthesofa I think we share a rib, that pain sounds so similar! It’s bloody painful isn’t it!. I remember howling every time I picked up the kettle to make tea, that got me every time. I did absolutely enjoy not hoovering for a very long time though!

Ignore the radiographer! (No offence!) I got advice from one and didn’t get checked out and turned out I had punctured my spleen... which eventually had to be removed. Go get an x Ray. Seriously!

Sorry to hear that Mary but patients can’t ask for an X-ray , it really does depend on how you present clinically. If a doctor examines someone and suspected fractured ribs and nothing else then a patient won’t get an X-ray.

DaphneCanDoBetterThanFred I forgot about the kettle you are so right. I used my flask/ mug thing so that I didn’t have to make a cuppa so often. Actually another really painful thing was getting on and off the toilet 😊
MaryPoppinsPenguins
I would certainly encourage someone to consult a doctor with any chest injury, but you cannot insist on an X-Ray it is a decision the doctor would make, in my case after examining me he said an X-Ray wasn’t necessary

Cross posted about an X-Ray with Oddcat

Thanks everyone. Have a doctors appointment today so will see what they say - at she very least I’m keen on some strong painkillers, paracetamol isn’t naming the blindest bit of difference!

Ouch. I really feel for you. I broke two ribs a few years ago, they did xray at the time. I would say I wasn't back to normal for a good 2 maybe 3 months. This was complicated by a chest infection as pp's have said, take as many pain killers as you can and keep them regular and do try to take deep slow breaths as much as it will hurt. I didn't and I can promise you, deep breathing with broken ribs is nowhere near as painful as non stop coughing with them.

The pain did seem to get worse for the first week especially, actually I distinctly remember day 8 being the worst (probably more due to lack of sleep) and hysterically sobbing down the phone to my mum like a child.

I found the best way to sleep was to prop myself up in bed with pillows all around like a cocoon. I hope it feels better soon.

Ouch I feel your pain. I broke a rib or 2 when my baby was 3 months old (go karting). I couldn't handle the pain killers as they made me woozy and caring for a baby under the influence is not safe. Carrying that car seat about with no pain relief was pretty awful.

Worth seeing a doctor to be examined for clinical signs of a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or haemothorax (bleeding around the lung). If examination doesn’t show anything worrying then there isn’t an indication for an x-ray but if there’s a suspicion of either of those then an x-ray is warranted. Incidentally you may not see the fractures on an x-ray (as not all the ribs show up that well) but you will still see the two main complications.

A chest x-ray is not useful for diagnosing ruptured spleens but clinical examination may have raised enough suspicion to organise a CT abdomen.

I really hurt my ribs after I fell over. I found the only thing that helped was 2 x paracetemol and 2 x ibuprofen at bedtime. I slept all night. I didn't do it in the daytime as I live alone and was worried about falling over, but in bed it was fine.

Is the 'crunching' like a crackling sensation around the chest wall and skin? A bit like bubble-wrap? That could well be surgical emphysema - from a punctured lung.... If its just the occasional click over where the suspected broken rib is, then maybe not.

You need decent pain relief and deep breathing exercises whatever, try hugging a pillow tightly across the front of your chest while sitting upright and taking slow, deep breaths to expand your lungs followed by a small series of coughs to try and clear any secretions.

TENS machines are good for relieving rib fracture pain, if you can get hold of one (and check contraindications first)

Coughing is so painful!

Thanks for all advice. Saw doctor today and he was concerned enough that I have an x-ray tomorrow for peace of mind...and cocodamol.