Best Treatment For Broken Ribs?

[Laurie 0]

I have broken a couple of ribs. What are your experiences with broken ribs and how do you suggest I treat them? My injury came from just a minor nose dive that barely hit the ground with any pressure. But it was enough. I fell, got a little bit of wind knocked out of me, but stood up and went about what I was doing. I noticed a little bit of tenderness but nothing major. The next morning it hurt a bit to breath deeply or move in certain ways. Over the week this pain got more intense and was triggered by littler movement. It got severe enough and didn't seem to be reasonable so I chose to go to the doctor and get it checked out. They took some x-rays and a CT scan. They determined that I had broken a couple of ribs but there was no internal trauma. In the process they found a mass in my liver that they wanted to explore further. So I got another CT scan a couple of days later.I feel like a pincushion. I have 9 holes where they either tried to get blood or put the contrast dye into me. I told them, 'You can have it if you can find it.' They usually didn't believe me until they tried to go for it and they couldn't get a vein. I used to try to donate blood but after a few unsuccessful attempts I stopped trying. So now I have been sent home with broken ribs to deal with. I am told that I should use my pain as a guide to how much I can do. I shouldn't be in any danger of injuring it any further. But it will take several weeks for it to truly heal. Now what? Do I take pain killers? Do I stop using it? Do I exercise more to get it reconditioned? Do I indulge myself and use it as an excuse not to do anything? Do I tell others about it? Can I use it as an incentive to get into better condition? What ideas and suggestions do you have for coping with this situation?

[seez 0]

I think it's unsafe for you to take advice from random people in a forum... you might hurt yourself by doing something wrong... go to your doctor and I'm sure he/she will know what to do.

Edited May 18, 2007 by seez (see edit history)

[jlhaslip 4]

I suggest a Lawn chair and a pitcher of Pina Coladas, preferably with an ocean view...Not much you can do except be thankful for the lack of internal injuries beyond what you have. If it hurts to do something, don't do it. It'll be a few weeks before you vacuum anything, or push a broom. Pushing the schedule to advance the repair will only hurt more and take longer to heal, as far as I know. They can't be splinted and even breathing hurts, so grin and bear the pain. All you can do...

[Laurie 0]

I think it's unsafe for your to take advice from random people in a forum...

Im getting a second (or more) opinion as well as some entertainment from hearing other people's experiences.

so grin and bear the pain

It is easy to grin when people like you respond to my post.

I suggest a Lawn chair and a pitcher of Pina Coladas, preferably with an ocean view...

I think I'll take a chocolate milk and a seat at my computer, with a view of the Xisto forums.

[jlhaslip 4]

I think I'll take a chocolate milk and a seat at my computer, with a view of the Xisto forums.

Whatever floats your boat. Enjoy.

[pkjm17 0]

Lots and lots of beer!

[Misanthrope 0]

I'd follow up with Jlhaslip's advice and indulge in a little R&R and fine spirits, but please, please, please stay away from the chocolate milk. The reasons are twofold: first, milk is an inflammatory which will increase your pain and hinder healing. The pasteurized milk force fed the public at grocery stores is a "dead" product which brings on all manner of illness due not only to it's dead nature but the Bovine Growth Hormone and assorted host of toxins injected into cows forced to perform more like machines than animals. Bottom line: if it's bad for the animals it's bad for you. If you want cow's milk, please seek out real milk from wholesome sources - not factory-farmed poison. I think it's of note that the power broking-elite among us keep their own herds as opposed to buying the factory farmed trash they force on their peasants (i.e., the public). It appears they know something most of us are either too stupid or too blind to accept.

 

Secondly, the sweetener in chocolate "milk" will compromise your immune system for roughly five hours after ingestion. Try to stay away from processed sugar, factory produced meat, pasteurized products and white flour/rice until you've healed. I know this is a tall order, but I assume your goal is to heal as quickly as possible. Consider becoming an aficianado of whole foods, raw garlic, strong herbs and pungent spices. Turmeric and Stinging Nettle come to mind. Wise animals naturally seek out these bitters when afflicted with illness. Find a source of powdered Vitamin C which you're body will actually absorb as opposed to the useless tablet variation that ends up being flushed down the septic system. The FDA has recently issued warnings and become quite paranoid about this essential healing nutrient, which leads me to believe it's probably one of the better supplements for the human body. Remember, the FDA is in bed with the power brokers and medical establishment, who benefit from your sickness - not your good health.

 

And lastly, when you're in physical pain, a shot of good whiskey will render less harm and side effect than any pharmaceutical your pill-pushing "doctor" would have you become addicted to. Yes, I know that doesn't sound politically correct, but are you going to do what's best for you, or what's best for the power brokers?

[Laurie 0]

Breaking my ribs helped me to continue to recognize how out of condition I am. I had noticed it before but wasn't really at a point where I was willing to do anything about it. The subject would come up, I'd do a few stretches and then I would forget about it. Result? I am now 60lbs above my ideal weight and I sit at the computer for hours at a time without even moving from my chair. What would it take for me to be willing to change my habits? Breaking my ribs! I know it seems a bit drastic of a way to get motivated but if it works I am going to use it. Some of you may know that I recently resolved to stand at least one time an hour while I am at the computer. A little step but it will make a big difference. I just returned from a walk around the block with my dog. What used to be easy is now a big struggle. I want it to be easy again. I want it bad enough to do something about it. Once every other day to start with until that is not a struggle anymore then increase it to everyday. Who knows maybe I'll get to where I can go two blocks. Good health comes from proper diet and activities. My eating habits are pretty healthy so I am left with changing my activities to get more healthy. I don't drink alcohol, sodas or coffee, I don't smoke, and I have a healthy sex life. What is left for me? Physical activity. I spend a lot of time sitting at the computer. It is time well spent but it doesn't promote good circulation or lung capacity. I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and now wear a CPAP machine. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a machine that provides constant air pressure down your throat preventing your throat from constricting and cutting off your airflow causing you to wake up enough to start breathing again. The sleep/wake cycle keeps you from achieving REM sleep and leaves you unrested even after a long sleep. My sleep cycle has also been in the pattern of being awake for a couple of hours then sleeping for a couple of hours. My sleep doctor and I are working to change that so that I get a solid 8 hours of sleep and have 16 hours available for other activities. So what will these activities be? What are my resolutions?

Stand at least once an hour

Walk around the block at least every other day

Eat healthy

Control my sleep habits

Update my website http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Post on the Xisto forums

What recommendations do you have in order to motivate and encourage me to keep these resolutions? Maybe you could share your experiences and the steps you are taking to keep yours. This would help me and you would do your good deed for the day by posting your answers.

[JDameron91 0]

Asprin IceHeatRestFoodSleepThese are the things I would suggest, but you should ask a doctor too.

[Sprnknwn 0]

I suppose that you shouldn't pass too much time in front of a computer because although you are sitting, you would be better in a sofa or a bed than in a chair. Yes, it will be boring probably... but it's your health. I think there are lots of good suggestions here, but anyway, ask a doctor... it's their job.

[reelkill 0]

I wrecked a car in the woods and hit a tree on the drivers side.I was about 14 and wasn't suppose to be driving and I ended up breaking some ribs on my left side where the door pushed in. I went to the hospital a little while after it happened since it hurt so bad.They told me just to take it easy I had trouble walking and when I would be sleeping would lay on that side I would get a burning feeling. I would just say take it easy you can always sweat a few pound off.

[Mermaid711 0]

I suggest a pain reliver such as acedaminaphin or asprin. Be carful on how many medications you take, and what you take, and always always always ask your physician first. Get lots of rest and don't overdo it when excersing. But like other posters have said, seek your doctors advice firts.

[blacknite 0]

Now, rather if I was you, I would say, "Doctors, Stop messing with my liver and fix my F**cking ribs!"Of course, no profanity in front of your doctor, but do what you will, and I agree don't take advice from here.

[iGuest 3]

Make sure that you exercise your breathing i got a spirometer from the emergency room , it's vital tat you don't make more complications to your lungs , I am right now home whit 2 broken ribs , this is the 10 day and it's steel painful , i sleep on the couch at 25? , for treatment Ibuprofen 800 mg and Oxycontin 325 one / 8 hour , after i finish my 30 pill stock I switch to Vicodin if pain persists . I fail from a leather only 6 feet but I fall on my side over deck trusses, I am lucky I didn't puncture or rupture organs. get wheel !!

[mrdee 1]

Yes, Russ,that is roughly the way to go about it.The doctor will usually give you pain killerds and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), remedies like ibuprofen or naproxen are best.It is also important to keep your lungs healthy. As you heal, practice taking deep breaths. It is important not to be afraid of taking the pain medication as prescribed, because keeping the pain under control is important for taking strong, deep breaths.The doctor examinig you may, on diagnosing broken ribs (or, a broken rib), as he did with you, Russ, send you home with a tool to encourage deep breathing. The tool is called an incentive spirometer. It measures lung capacity so victims can see how well their lungs are recovering as the broken rib heals. In Laurie's case, of course, it seems to be "a couple of broken ribs", which would obviously need a longer convalescence time.Also, more than 3 broken ribs at one time is potentially life-threatening. Since the only way to know for sure is to get an x-ray, it's important to go to the emergency department anytime you suspect a broken rib.However, the above is what they do these days, in the past, treatment for broken ribs included wrapping the chest with a wide band often called a rib belt. A study in 1990 found no benefit from wrapping victims. Displaced rib fractures caused more problems in this study when they were treated with the belt than when they were not. Most emergency physicians today don't wrap broken ribs.There is good news and bad news about treating simple broken ribs. The good news: It will heal on its own and probably not develop any additional problems. The bad news is it hurts a lot and there's really very little you can do for it.However, either way, no organs seem to have been affected by the broken ribs in your case, fortunately, most of the time, the broken rib is only broken in one place, and is an "incomplete fracture," meaning not all the way through the bone.Completely broken ribs may or may not move out of place. If they do move, they're called displaced rib fractures and are more likely to puncture lungs or damage other tissues and organs. Ribs that stay in place -- usually ribs that are not completely broken in half -- are called nondisplaced rib fractures.That, fortunately, seems to be what happened to you.So, just go on taking your pain killers and anti-inflammatories and take it easy.Certainly do not forget your regular breathing exercises as they are vital (though painful, but stick to your medication) to put you on the way to a full recovery.