Broken ribs...?

Question

I broke a rib(maybe a few) several months ago and I never went to the doctor, I know that was stupid, but too late now... Anyway, after like 2 months they started to be tolerable and eventually they only hurt on occasion, however today they are hurting almost as bad as back when I actually broke them, is this normal or should I be worried?... Also, lately, my breathing has been harder to catch, when I do breathe it is slightly more frequent, it hurts to yawn, cough, sigh, breathe, move, lay down, sit, sleep, talk, etc... In addition I have been coughing a lot last few days, and when I put pressure on ribs its more frequent (in fact, I only cough at night or when laying down...)

I broke 'em on 4/16 just in case that helps o.o

Answer 1

Broke ribs hurt like hell and sometimes it takes alot longer than 6 wks to heal. Honestly there is nothing that can be done for broke ribs, but if it is causing you problems breathing, go get it checked out. You never know, a rib could be popping in and out and sometimes it can hit your lung without actually puncturing it. Regardless, still needs to be checked.

Answer 2

The first thing would to have the ribs x-rayed to determine the type of break and location.
Once it is clear that a broken rib is not in danger of puncturing a lung, the next step is to wait for them to heal.

This can take up to 6 months depending of how severe the break is. Broken ribs usually heal completely in about two months. Wraps are discouraged because they tend to mask other symptoms. The greatest danger for someone with broken ribs is pnemonia as breathing becomes changed due to pain.

It is very important that deep breathing is done every hour to avoid pnemonia.
A wrap can be used if the ribs seem to be moving but only if the pt is diligent about deep breathing.

Ice packs and anti-inflammatory will help with pain.
Avoid heavy lifting and activities that would aggravate the area.
you need to rest, take it easy, and try not to lie on the side that is injured when you sleep. If you strap on a bunch of bandages not only do they do very little to help but they can impede healing by restricting your ability to breathe.

Healing should take about 3-6 weeks, although the DISCOMFORT from the broken rib is likely to last for a time longer than that.

Pain control involves medical and non-medical options. The medical options include your "pain pills" that she is currently on, and even simple things like paracetamol can help. Non-medical options are simple though, and it mainly involves breathing within the limits of the pain. Try not to over-exert the chest wall.

Wraps and bandages that are done by a practicing health professional do help with providing support to the chest and it helps with the symptoms too, whilst still being flexible enough to permit breathing and expansion.

I would take her for a chest x-ray right away, to determine which ribs have been broken and if there might be other complications (collapsed lung). Again, I recommend seeing your doctor because a broken rib might sound benign but it could result in a host of problems if not treated properly.
Broken ribs occur when strong blows are taken to chest or lung area.
A pillow is helpful for hugging if you have to cough. Lots of deep breathing exercises to keep away pneumonia- You really do not want those two together! I'm sure your doc got you straight on pain meds. Vitamins and a healthy diet are about everything else you can do.

Answer 3

Usually ribs take a long time to heal. The doctor may give you an elastic wrap to help stabilize the ribs so it's not so painful, but, that's all they do. Even after they heal, they are tender and easily hurt. You are still in the healing process, give it at least 6 months before you expect the pain to ease completely.

Answer 4

One common complication of fractured ribs is pneumonia. What happens is that people aren't able to take a deep breath because of the pain and then part of their lung (temporarily) collapses. This collapsed area is susceptible to pneumonia moving in.

Typically, this happens in the first couple of weeks after the injury - when the pain is at its worst. Nonetheless, this possibility is yet another good reason to go see the doctor already.

Answer 5

You need to see a doctor, but I'm sure you saw that one coming. You use your intercostals (rib muscles) to inhale deeply. It makes sense that your breathing rate has increased. You cannot inhale as deeply but your body still require the same amount of oxygen so it compensates by inhaling more frequently. You could have also re-injured your ribs while sneezing, coughing, etc. You should be worried and you need to see a doctor now!