how long to ribs take to heal?
Discussion
bust one of my ribs last weekend in a sailing incident... don't think it is broken as there is minimal visible bruising... however, it's considerably uncomfortable to move, breath, eat, do anything etc etc etc...
how long do these things normally take to heal themselves? days, weeks etc etc?
how long do these things normally take to heal themselves? days, weeks etc etc?
Took me six weeks a few years back after I got kicked and cracked a rib. Unbelievable pain, as you say, standing up hurts, sitting down hurts, lying down hurts......
Try to take deep breaths. Not a wind-up, if you breath shallow (which is obviously what you want to do because of the pain), it can cause the rib to 'heal' wrongly. Take nice deep breaths, it'll fill out the lungs and heal properly with no future problems. As I say, mine was only cracked too, christ knows what it must feel like to properly break a rib.
I'm sure Shanghai will be along shortly to tell me that all the above is complete bollox!!!
Try to take deep breaths. Not a wind-up, if you breath shallow (which is obviously what you want to do because of the pain), it can cause the rib to 'heal' wrongly. Take nice deep breaths, it'll fill out the lungs and heal properly with no future problems. As I say, mine was only cracked too, christ knows what it must feel like to properly break a rib.
I'm sure Shanghai will be along shortly to tell me that all the above is complete bollox!!!
Yeh stop winging. 
Actually, badly bruised or broken ribs are both bl**dy painful. If one isn't talking about multiple ribs, then it really doesn't make much difference to treatment. The first 10 days are bad and then things get slowly but progressively better. Regular pain relief - combination of ibuprofen 400mg (if no ulcers / asthma / allergy) + paracetamol 1g (preferably with codeine) will work reasonably well.
The breathing advice is good, but not for the reasons mentioned - it is to prevent small areas of collapse within the lungs. Taking an occasional deep (albeit painful) breath usually suffices.
Let me know if you are having problems.
Actually, badly bruised or broken ribs are both bl**dy painful. If one isn't talking about multiple ribs, then it really doesn't make much difference to treatment. The first 10 days are bad and then things get slowly but progressively better. Regular pain relief - combination of ibuprofen 400mg (if no ulcers / asthma / allergy) + paracetamol 1g (preferably with codeine) will work reasonably well.
The breathing advice is good, but not for the reasons mentioned - it is to prevent small areas of collapse within the lungs. Taking an occasional deep (albeit painful) breath usually suffices.
Let me know if you are having problems.
Took me about 6 weeks to feel anything like right after crashing my MTB & breaking 2 ribs. I tried winter climbing 6 weeks later but not good!
Take plenty of calcium tablets with vit. C.
That did the trick for me until I tried climbing again.....4 months later. Cracked one again!!
Seriously, rest, rest & rest longer......
Take plenty of calcium tablets with vit. C.
That did the trick for me until I tried climbing again.....4 months later. Cracked one again!!
Seriously, rest, rest & rest longer......
Took me at least 8 weeks to feel 100% after breaking two ribs snowboarding years ago. Then I broke one last year being thrown at 30 off a skateboard and felt like sh*t for the same length of time again.
Completely agree with the deep (painful) breathing routine. My lack of doing this and laying on a cold garage floor for a couple of days (didn't know they were broken at the time) lead to me getting pnuemonia and pleurisy 6 months later. I have no medical evidence for this but I know it triggered something, be careful all the same!
Completely agree with the deep (painful) breathing routine. My lack of doing this and laying on a cold garage floor for a couple of days (didn't know they were broken at the time) lead to me getting pnuemonia and pleurisy 6 months later. I have no medical evidence for this but I know it triggered something, be careful all the same!
Thank Xenu that never happened to me! Toxic,
You may not have broken anything, could be a brusied or pulled intercostal muscle.
I did this in a karting accident (t-boned and then rattled around in the seat).
It really hurts - more than a broken rib I reckon (done that as well MTBing)
It's a sort of sick making pain.
The Ibuprofen and Paracetamol combo works a treat but don't over do things while you are on it because it masks the pain which is your bodies way of telling you to stop doing whatever it is you are doing!
It might not be as bad as everyone is making out - you could be well on the mend in a few weeks.
Get well soon
Dunc
You may not have broken anything, could be a brusied or pulled intercostal muscle.
I did this in a karting accident (t-boned and then rattled around in the seat).
It really hurts - more than a broken rib I reckon (done that as well MTBing)
It's a sort of sick making pain.
The Ibuprofen and Paracetamol combo works a treat but don't over do things while you are on it because it masks the pain which is your bodies way of telling you to stop doing whatever it is you are doing!
It might not be as bad as everyone is making out - you could be well on the mend in a few weeks.
Get well soon
Dunc
Six weeks! I have broken ribs on two occasions and both times different doctors sagely pronounced 'They'll take six weeks to heal, they always do'. I was a bit sceptic the first time but they were absolutely right, pretty much six weeks to the day they stopped hurting. Mind you they were bloomin' painful in the meantime!
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