Pain in a broken rib

introduction

If you break one or more ribs in an accident, the pain is very severe. Rib fractures are among the most painful bone fractures ever, because the fracture Not through a plaster or one rail can be immobilized and the movement of the chest cavity while breathing causes constant pain. If the fracture is in a favorable position, there will be little or no pain, but in most cases a rib fracture is extreme painful. At complicated Breakages can also lead to further injuries such as one Hemorrhage into the chest cavity (Hemothorax) come. This makes breathing difficult and it can cause one Blood loss shock come.
Please also read our article on this Hemothorax

When the lungs are injured, air can enter the Pleural space (which is usually filled with a liquid) and collect in the chest basket, causing a pneumothorax. These injuries also lead to severe pain and must be treated immediately.

Without an X-ray, it is often difficult to differentiate between a bruised rib and a broken rib, because the bruise comes with it similar severe pain, sometimes causing even more pain. A bruised rib also often takes a little longer to heal completely than a fracture. As it is in therapy though none It makes the difference whether you suffer from a broken rib or a bruised rib, an X-ray can often be dispensed with.

Pain when lying down

A broken rib causes pain in almost all positions, but many feel the pain particularly clearly when one lies. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that there are few distractions and pain when lying down or sleeping more conscious be perceived. On the other hand, the two broken ends can continue depending on the lying position apart pressed, which promotes the pain. Under certain circumstances it can be useful and helpful to actively lie on the fracture side at night. The stress on the broken rib causes the broken ends to be pressed together and the sensitive new bone tissue due to the lack of movement relieved which leads to a relief of the pain and allows a more pain-free sleep.

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Painful breathing

Getting used to it is very typical of the pronounced pain associated with a broken rib Easy breathing. The broken ribs are made when breathing constantly moves, the injury is not immobilized, which is why every breath is painful. A Respiratory therapy can support the healing process of a broken rib, as the person concerned can use a Therapists can learn to breathe as effectively and painlessly as possible despite the injury. Without suitable therapy (breathing training, pain medication), breathing movement can be severely restricted due to the pain and pneumonia (pneumonia) can develop, which should definitely be prevented.

Back pain

The ribs can be broken in different places. Especially if you fall backwards (e.g. if you fall from a horse), a broken rib in the back can occur. But even if the ribs in the front of the chest area are broken, it can happen that the pain is particularly felt in the back. When you inhale deeply or cough, the ribs are pushed apart and pain occurs. Leaning forward or turning the upper body can also lead to back pain in the event of a broken rib. In many cases, broken ribs in the back area are less painful than elsewhere, as the strong back muscles stabilize the fragments and keep them relatively calm.

You might also be interested in: Pain between the ribs

Therapy - How can you relieve the pain?

A broken rib is generally considered to have healed after around 12 weeks. That is how long it takes for the bone fragments to grow back together. In the first four weeks, the defective bone tissue is broken down and the two ends of the fracture are connected with a soft bony tissue (callus), which is hardly resilient. As soon as the callus has formed, the pain from the broken rib subsides and the discomfort is alleviated. There are no real therapeutic measures to accelerate this healing process, as the body first has to form new cartilage mass, as with any other fracture. However, it makes sense to take painkillers to relieve the symptoms and prevent possible relieving postures caused by the pain. Often pain reliever drugs also contain anti-inflammatory substances that counteract inflammation in the injured tissue. Surgery is rarely used to connect the two fragments together. This is used, for example, in the event of a series breakage of ribs, when several adjacent ribs have broken or when ribs are splintered. In the operation, the rib pieces are screwed together or fixed with plates.

diagnosis

A rib fracture can often be seen from the description of the Cause of the accident and the complaints (Anamnesis) can be determined. Any underlying or previous illnesses such as osteoporosis are queried by the doctor and provide further information on the diagnosis. In some cases, broken ribs are palpable or visible from the outside as a palpable step. If breathing is impaired, there are additional symptoms such as shortness of breath up to Blue color of the lips and skin (cyanosis), rapid and superficial breathing (Tachypnea) and a fast heartbeat (tachycardia). The clear diagnosis can be made by an X-ray examination, in which the chest is shown in two planes. This examination is also important in order to exclude or assess accompanying injuries to the lungs. Further examinations such as an ultrasound of the abdomen (Sonography) or echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) may be necessary, depending on the type of accident, to rule out further injuries.

Prognosis - How long will the pain in the broken rib last?

A broken rib can Not through a plaster cast to be immobilized. This is because a cast would not allow the chest to move to breathe. The healing time of a broken rib varies from person to person and depends on several factors like that Fraction type and the Age of the person concerned. Especially when the ends of the fracture are opposite each other, fractures of the rib generally heal relatively without complications. Broken ribs in the back area in particular heal well, as the strong back muscles automatically support the break. Exercise and physical activity should be avoided while pain is present or medication is required to relieve pain. The individual healing process for a broken rib can be very different, which is why the treating person doctor it should be agreed when a full load is possible again.