Have you ever cracked or broken a rib?

Have you ever cracked or broken a rib?

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Discussion

hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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I think I've done mine the other day - its agony!! I had a stupid slip and fall whilst vaulting a gate (don't ask!) and now have a very dark purply bruise just under my pecs/manboob *delete as appropriate.

I didn't realise how much you use the muscles in that area of the body - standing up, sitting down, getting out of bed, deep breathing in, sneezing, coughing, the list goes on. There is quite a lot of pain actually and I have a fairly high threshold.

Given it was done approx 5 days ago - can anyone let me know how long I'm in for?! Any specific meds I should perhaps take?

The NHS website basically says don't bother going to the doc or A&E as they probably won't actually do anything, just send you on your way.

Chebble

1,906 posts

151 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Cracked mine a few years ago.

Like you, I was shocked when I realised just how much work your core does for you in day to day life.

I went to the GP and was prescribed CoDrydamol for the pain and I took ibuprofen for the inflammation. If you do the same, be aware that A) CoDrydamol can make you feel a bit weird if you aren't used to any opiate based drugs and B) you won't st properly for ages because they make you constipated (which didn't help with the rib situation!) Also they can be addictive. It is a quite nice sensation, drifting around, I found it quite euphoric actually.

Breathe deeply and slowly every half an hour or so to stop you from stiffening up. This also stops any mucus build up that can happen if you are shallow breathing to limit the pain. It also helps you to get used to the pain.

Don't sneeze. Just don't.

Keep moving as much as possible. When I sat still I stiffened up, and it made the pain worse.

If you aren't showing any improvement in a couple of weeks, go to the doctors.

Took me around 4 weeks to feel vaguely normal.

Marcellus

7,111 posts

218 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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As ^^^^ said DO NOT SNEEZE!!

I did and woke up in A&E!

Reality is there isn't anything that can be done to speed recovery, but when I did wake up in A&E the doctor suggested that every two hours I take drugs alternating between Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, from waking up until going to bed and if trouble sleeping add in some co codamol (sp?) before bed and to keep doing this for 3 to 4 weeks.

I am not a doctor or pharmacist so am not suggesting you do this but it worked for me and I was skiing again within a month!

227bhp

10,203 posts

127 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Bruising is more painful than breaking, I remember the doc telling me that.

DocJock

8,341 posts

239 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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What I remember most is how much it hurt when cornering in the car.

campionissimo

578 posts

123 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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I broke 2 ribs when i got crushed by 963kg of glass on a building site. The other bits of me hurt more than the ribs, so i didn't really notice them until i laughed or sneezed.

I resnapped them when someone drove into the back of me and I found out that the seatbelt runs right across those ribs.


yellowjack

17,065 posts

165 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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February 2014 I was knocked off my bike by a van. Broke two ribs and my scapula. Out for 5 months with that, all told. Indescribable pain for a couple of weeks too. Now when the quacks ask "on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst pain you've experienced..." I mostly respond with one to three, even if it hurts A LOT...

Last time was last year and I wasn't concentrating and had a silly 'off' while riding a MTB on a wide, flat forest road. Simply dug the front wheel into soft sand and got flipped into the air. Pretty convinced (going by previous experience) that I broke a rib that time, but didn't bother with going to A&E. Just tamped some of the strong opiate pain killers I had left over from a previous prescription and rested.

But yes. Definitely the worst injuries, pain-wise, that I've ever experienced have been fracturing ribs and that shoulder blade. Very difficult to do anything at all 'normal' like dress yourself, or even get out of bed, when it's at it's worst. On the plus side, it will heal though, without the need for any medical intervention, if you rest it enough.

Might be wise to let your GP know what you've done, if only to document it as part of your medical history for future reference...

AdamIndy

1,661 posts

103 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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I broke a couple when I had a minor off while racing karts. Didn't bother buying a rib protector as they were quite expensive. It would have been worth every last penny. It hurt like fk for about 2 weeks!

Breathing hurt, getting out of bed hurt, I was in a world of pain. I didn't take anything other than ibuprofen because I'm a double and bd obvs.hehe plus I couldn't get the time off work to get to the doctors.

I really don't want to do that again!

Trophy Husband

3,924 posts

106 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Did 3 on my right side on the last day of a skiing holiday doing a silly jump off piste. Mine took 16-20 weeks to heal properly. Coughing, laughing, sleeping, moving, everything was agony for the first 8 weeks!! Then, I'd forget about it and do something to aggravate them and the pain would start again!!

Good luck!!

hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Thanks for the feedback chaps.

Balls! hehe

Ascayman

12,732 posts

215 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Broke six in an accident not so long ago along with a pair of punched lungs.

Don't ever sneeze.

If in a car ask whoevers driving you to avoid roundabouts.


hman

7,487 posts

193 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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I have broken ribs on multiple occasions from dirt biking.

Ibruprofen, paracetomal, and dont sneeze or cough.

The jiffle king

6,894 posts

257 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
quotequote all
Not sure whether I've bruised or broken them in the past, but it hurts and rest is the only option. Sometimes, it can be tears in the intercostal muscles which again, hurts like hell and again, don't sneeze or cough.
Had this 4 times, but doctors are unlikely to do anything, so it's a case of suck it up and if not starting to recover in 2 weeks, then see a doctor.... hope you stay healthy during this time as coughing/sneezing is awful

Chebble

1,906 posts

151 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Ascayman said:
Broke six in an accident not so long ago along with a pair of punched lungs.

Don't ever sneeze.

If in a car ask whoevers driving you to avoid roundabouts driving.

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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I fell over at a party while very, very drunk and chatting some woman up, and hammered my own beer can through my rib, got up and kept chatting her up.

Hurt the next morning.

fttm

3,664 posts

134 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
quotequote all
Most is 3 at the same time , fking agony , however last year I was first on scene at an RTA , poor bloke rear ended a parked semi and wasn't wearing a belt , later turned out that amongst his long list of injuries were 11 broken ribs , poor bd .

Madness60

571 posts

183 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
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Broke 2 ribs playing rugby

Broke a rib playing football

Ruptured my rib cartilage falling off a mountain bike

Really st annoying injury as everyone else says it just makes normal life annoying and painful. Sneezing is the worst but coughing, laughing, sudden turns, rolling over when asleep are all a shock to the system.

Docs just tell you they can't do anything and it'll be rubbish for months. Good quality drugs are the only help.

Marvtec

421 posts

158 months

Wednesday 26th April 2017
quotequote all
Yep been there done that.

GP won't be able to do anything per se, but at least can prescribe you some decent pain meds ie 'proper' cocodamol (30mg codeine) rather than the crappy 8mg you can buy over the counter.

FlyingMeeces

9,932 posts

210 months

Thursday 27th April 2017
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Ouch ouch.

For fksake if you're on any opiate or opioid get yourself some Movicol (most common equally effective generics are CosmoCol or Laxido) or similar* laxative going STRAIGHT AWAY - sorting out opioid constipation after the fact is g*dawful, necking a glass of dilute whatever once or twice a day as a preventative is easy. Your ribs will thank you.

  • similar in this context = anything that's okay to use daily for weeks, not the medical Drain-O/Agent Picolax type stuff.

hornetrider

Original Poster:

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 27th April 2017
quotequote all
I'm not using any drugs. The pain is ok if I don't move, I'm just taking it easy at the moment. First thing in the morning is worst when I've been still sleeping all night.