MODS: This isn’t really a request for medical advice, but only whether should seek such. However, if it’s a no-no, shut 'er down.
A whole mess of years ago, I broke a couple of lower ribs in a skiing accident. I can agree that broken ribs hurt, and one must refrain from sneezing, coughing or laughing, among other things.
Went to doc, got X-rays, and he agreed that they were broken.
ME: What can be done?
DOC: Nothing.
ME: Nothing/???
DOC: No. We can tape them up, and it will take six weeks for them to heal, or if we do nothing, it will take six weeks for them to heal.
Fast forward to last week when I bent way over a cement block fence to retrieve something and felt a sharp pain in my chest under the pectoral muscle.
Oops, well maybe it's just a bruise, but now it still is pretty tender and when I press on it, can identify the rib that hurts. Probably only cracked.
It seems silly to go to my doc, get X-rayed, and go through that Abbot and Costello routine again about treatment, unless there is some new, miraculous cure for the problem.
Is there?
I tore some cartilage in my ribs a couple of months ago.
They took x-rays to see if I had broken anything. I hadn’t, but the doctor told me the treatment would have been the same for a broken rib vs torn cartilage: Nothing. Yup, nothing.
Well, they did give me some prescription pain killer, and demonstrated a hilariously stupid-looking maneuver I could use to “splint” the area when coughing or sneezing. Needless to say I did not perform the maneuver and my injury healed in the projected 8-10 weeks anyway.
Broke my ribs last year and was told the same thing. I was told they don’t even wrap them anymore as it may promote pneumonia. I was given a scrip for ibuprofen and was sent on my way.
The only time I’ll go to the doctor is if I’m having difficulty breathing, as I once had broken ribs accompanied by a punctured lung. *That * needs medical attention. Of course, if you want the pain meds, you need to go to the doctor. Other than that, it’s tough luck for you.
Personally, I would probably want to have it checked out just to rule out the possibility that a serious underlying condition might have contributed to the bone being weak. For example, it is possible for men to develop osteoporosis. Now, I’m not saying a serious issue is likely at all. I just tend to like erring on the side of caution, so I’d want it to be checked out to be sure.
In any case, hope you have a speedy recovery.
Geoff, no offense, but you’re an older guy, right? You leaned on something and one of your bones cracked (you’re pretty sure). Even though it’s a given that there isn’t much that can be done about a cracked rib, you might want to go to the doc anyway just to see what state your bones are in.
I know you’re really healthy and really active and all that, but you have to take care of yourself as best you can so you can continue to be really healthy and really active
Right, thanks to you and the others. It does make sense to see if have osteoporosis, I suppose, as there are meds for that. I put my full weight on a narrow edge, so not surprisig the bone protested, I guess, but will check it out.
I know that weight-bearing exercise is supposed to help prevent the disease, and as I climb a mountain almost every day and lift weights three tiems a week, was assuming everything was OK.
In elderly people there is a 10% increase in mortality for each rib broken (I don’t have a specific cite, this is from my Trauma attendings, I can find one if you want).
In addition to adequate pain control (an absolute must to avoid pneumonia or hypercapnia), you should use those ‘stupid splinting’ maneuvers when coughing or sneezing and you should be using an incentive spirometer hourly while awake to help with recruiting atelectacic lung segements (i.e. collapsed alveoli).
Thanks for the info, USCDiver, as scary as it is. Just to update, in case anybody is interested, went to doc yesterday and got X-rays. No break, but probably a bone bruise and some bruised cartilage.
Had me come back for a bone density scan today, and sure enough, some bone loss, so will start taking calcium suppliments. Could be worse, I guess.
