How broken ribs can affect your body?

Broken Ribs

A rib fracture is a common injury that occurs when one of the ribs in the rib cage breaks or cracks. The most common causes are chest injuries such as falls, car accidents, and blows during contact sports.

Many broken ribs are broken. It’s still painful, but cracked ribs aren’t as potentially dangerous as ribs that have splintered into separate pieces. The rough edges of a broken bone can damage major blood vessels and internal organs such as the lungs.

Symptoms

One of the most persistent symptoms of a rib fracture is chest pain when breathing. It hurts more when inhaled. You may also feel a sharp pain from the resting place if you laugh, cough, or sneeze.

Bending or twisting the upper body can also cause sudden pain, depending on the location of the fracture. Hitting or pushing on a fracture will cause pain for at least a few weeks.

You may also notice swelling and redness around the break. In some cases, you may have a bruise on your skin near the gap.

Treatment

Most broken ribs heal on their own within six weeks. Limiting activity and applying ice to the area regularly can help heal and relieve pain.

Medication

Taking appropriate pain relievers – If you have pain with deep breathing, you may develop pneumonia. If oral medications don’t work, your doctor may recommend long-term anesthetic injections around the nerves supplying the ribs.

Therapy

When pain is suppressed, shallow breathing is at risk of developing pneumonia, so doctors may prescribe breathing techniques to deepen breathing.

Previously, doctors used compression bandages (elastic bandages that can be wrapped around the chest) to help secure the area with splints. The compressed dressing is no longer recommended for rib fractures as it may increase the risk of pneumonia and interfere with deep breathing.

Your ribcage consists of 12 pairs of ribs. In addition to protecting your heart and lungs, your ribs also support many of the muscles in your upper body. As a result, breaking a rib can make everyday activities very painful. Read more about it on Healthline.com

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