Broken/cracked ribs?, do they take long fix?

[Chadford]

Yes, yes I should get this checked out (and if it becomes problematic I'll do it next week).

Is this normal... pretty much fine during the day(ish), agony (need assistance) getting out of bed since Sunday.

Any helpful advice appreciated (and yes I will see my GP next week if necessary).

 

[mjn]

Mine took around 4-6 weeks to heal correctly. Don't bother with the doctors, they won't do anything, just recommend rest.

Obviously, should you notice an increase in pain, get yourself to A & E.

 

[Deadringers]

urrrmm get yourself down to the doctors straight away...you do know that your lungs and all the bits that allow you to breath are pretty near to your broken bones right?

Something called Flail Chest should get you interested in going to the doctors.

Don't be a wally

 

[Chadford]

Mine took around 4-6 weeks to heal correctly. Don't bother with the doctors, they won't do anything, just recommend rest.

Obviously, should you notice an increase in pain, get yourself to A & E.

Did you suffer the same thing with getting out of bed? i.e. horizontal to vertical... very difficult, getting a drink of water whilst in bed, i.e. sitting up to drink agony, once up I'm pretty much fine, not going down the Gym but pretty much OK otherwise.

 

[Chadford]

Don't be a wally

I know I'm not following what would be my own advice (and your very good advice), I just need a few days before sorting this out.

 

[Deadringers]

I know I'm not following what would be my own advice (and your very good advice), I just need a few days before sorting this out.

Can't get to the doctors today mate? Seriously though it is a real problem to have these sharp broken things near your lungs.

Just worried for you that if you were to have another knock to the ribs for some reason you could do your self a lot of damage. At least get the doc to see you and give you an idea of what is going on

 

[StevePSIV]

Can't get to the doctors today mate? Seriously though it is a real problem to have these sharp broken things near your lungs.

Just worried for you that if you were to have another knock to the ribs for some reason you could do your self a lot of damage. At least get the doc to see you and give you an idea of what is going on

Agree with this.

Just rang the Drs myself and got an appointment for something I have been putting off for a while. Would rather get the all clear from the Doc then think the worst.

 

[mjn]

Did you suffer the same thing with getting out of bed? i.e. horizontal to vertical... very difficult, getting a drink of water whilst in bed, i.e. sitting up to drink agony, once up I'm pretty much fine, not going down the Gym but pretty much OK otherwise.

Yep, getting out of bed, and laughing, both very painful.

Doctors and many people will call a cracked rib broken, even though it is only cracked.

If it was broken broken, you'd know about it!

 

[mjn]

Can't get to the doctors today mate? Seriously though it is a real problem to have these sharp broken things near your lungs.

Just worried for you that if you were to have another knock to the ribs for some reason you could do your self a lot of damage. At least get the doc to see you and give you an idea of what is going on

Ok, you go to the doctors and he says, "yep, you've cracked a rib"......now what? Nothing, there is nothing you or he can do. You won't get put in plaster, and he won't give you a magic injection.

 

[Deadringers]

Ok, you go to the doctors and he says, "yep, you've cracked a rib"......now what? Nothing, there is nothing you or he can do. You won't get put in plaster, and he won't give you a magic injection.

...that's like saying you go to the doctors for your over 40s health MOT and he confirms what you thought..no cancer or other problems so there was no point in going

For the 30 minutes / 1 hour of your life it will take to get down there and get confirmed what is or is not wrong with your ribs is a good idea mate.

 

[Badger0-0]

I agree, if you've cracked a rib, you know about it!
And it doesn't come and go, as far as I know.
What makes you think it's cracked or broken anyway?
Have you had any serious trauma?

I suspect it's more a "bruised" rib, which I suffered a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Surebrec]

I broke my rib a few years ago and it was hell, way more debilitating than a broken limb. what makes it worse is that there's not much you can do about it other than let nature take its course, which for me was nearly 3 months.

for the first week I didn't think it was too bad, but it went downhill fast after that. my doc told me it would get a lot worse before it got better and he was right on the button.

couldn't sleep, couldn't breathe properly. any exertion would result in me having to stop what I was doing.

one strange thing I experienced when I broke mine was a feeling of a "phantom" break after a couple of weeks, around the back near my spine, on the same rib, on the same side as I broke at the front.

when I would breathe in, the break at the front would hurt like a bitch, and when I breathed out, the phantom break at the back would hurt, so the pain never went away, it just shifted repeatedly from front to back, back to front.

 

[Stinja]

Can you sleep properly? if the answer is yes, then its not cracked. The only point of going to the doctor is to ensure you havent punctured anything.

Takes 4-5 weeks to get mostly better 8 to really get no twinges at all.

 

[bobflunkit]

Yes, i agree. Getting in and out of bed is very painfull with sore ribs. Just try not to get a cold which will involve coughing(even more painfull) and heaven forbid sneezing(the most painfull).

one paracetamol and one iboprofen is a god send.

I've cracked/broken ribs 3 times and 2 to 3 weeks to regain mobility but up to 6 weeks to feel 100%

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[blasted]

Injured some of mine once, couldn't do anything but pretty much stand upright for the first three days. Doctors only checked that I hadn't punctured a lung and sent me on my way. Took a good while to get back to normal.

Quite a few of people mistake intercostal muscle injury as rib injury.

 

[Badger0-0]

Injured some of mine once, couldn't do anything but pretty much stand upright for the first three days. Doctors only checked that I hadn't punctured a lung and sent me on my way. Took a good while to get back to normal.

Quite a few of people mistake intercostal muscle injury as rib injury.

Good point.
And would also explain why it's ok after a while.
Ie, when it's been warmed up/used.