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How to Treat Broken Ribs

February 1, 2024 by admin Category: How To

You are viewing the article How to Treat Broken Ribs  at Tnhelearning.edu.vn you can quickly access the necessary information in the table of contents of the article below.

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This article was co-written by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a licensed pediatric health surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his study in Surgical Urgent Care at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and served as a member. from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

There are 8 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 72,474 times.

A broken or cracked rib occurs when a direct blow to the chest or upper body occurs, such as in a car accident, a strong fall, or a heavy impact while playing sports. [1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source However, certain diseases such as osteoporosis and bone cancer can significantly weaken the rib cage (including other bones), and cause ribs to break. easily, such as when coughing vigorously, turning, or lifting heavy objects. Although a broken rib can heal on its own in a month or two if you are relatively healthy, knowing how to treat it at home can greatly reduce discomfort. In some cases, a broken rib has punctured the lung or other internal organs and can be fatal, requiring urgent medical intervention.

Table of Contents

  • Steps
    • Confirm rib injury
    • Treat broken ribs at home
  • Advice
  • Warning

Steps

Confirm rib injury

Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 1

Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 1

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Go to the emergency room. If you have had a severe injury to your chest or upper body and it is very painful, especially when you breathe deeply, then you may have broken a rib or two. This condition can also be associated with other serious injuries, so you need to see a medical facility. You can sometimes hear or feel a “crack” when a bone breaks, but not always if the break occurs at the cartilaginous end of the rib where it attaches to the breastbone.

  • You are forced to go to the hospital for treatment after a severe injury to your ribs, because if the bone breaks into small and sharp pieces (in contrast to the case of just a fracture), they can do more serious damage to the lungs. , liver and spleen. [2] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source The doctor will determine the condition of the fracture for appropriate treatment.
  • Chest x-ray, CT scan, MRI, and diagnostic ultrasound are tools for doctors to assess the condition of a rib wound.
  • Your doctor may prescribe strong pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs if you have a lot of pain, or recommend over-the-counter medications at home if the pain is tolerable.
  • A potentially fatal complication associated with broken ribs is a punctured lung or pneumothorax. Broken ribs can also lead to pneumonia.
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Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 2

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Refer to corticosteroid injections. If the broken rib is in a stable position but causes moderate to severe pain, your doctor may recommend steroid injections, especially if the meniscus is torn. Corticosteroid injections near the injury site can quickly reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and make breathing easier and increase upper-body mobility. [3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source

  • Potential complications of corticosteroid injections include infection, bleeding, local muscle/tendon atrophy, nerve damage, and impaired immunity.
  • Alternately, the doctor may inject drugs into the intercostal nerve block. The drug numbs the surrounding nerves and stops the sensation of pain for about 6 hours. [4] X Research Sources
  • Most people with broken ribs don’t need surgery – they heal on their own with home care.

Treat broken ribs at home

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Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 3

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Don’t bundle ribs. In the past, doctors used to use a bandage to brace the area around a broken rib, but this is no longer preferred due to the high risk of lung infection or pneumonia. So don’t try to bundle or bandage the ribs. [5] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source
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Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 4

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Apply ice to the broken bone. Apply an ice pack, a pack of frozen gel, or a bag of peas fresh out of the refrigerator for 20 minutes every hour for the first 2 days (while awake), then reduce to 10-20 minutes and Do 3 times daily as needed to reduce pain and swelling. [6] X Research Source Ice causes blood vessels to constrict, thereby reducing swelling, while ice also numbs the surrounding blood vessels. Cold therapy is suitable for all cases of broken ribs, and can be applied to basically any musculoskeletal injury.

  • Put ice in a thin cloth bag before applying it to the injured area to avoid the risk of frostbite.
  • In addition to a sharp pain when breathing, you may also feel a slight tenderness and swelling above the broken bone, possibly bruising in the surrounding skin, which is a sign of internal blood vessel damage. [7] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source
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Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 5

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Use over-the-counter medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be taken without a prescription, such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), or aspirin. This is an immediate treatment to combat the pain and inflammation caused by a broken rib. [8] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source NSAIDs do not promote wound healing or speed up recovery, but they can help reduce pain to carry out activities. basic daily activities, you can even go to work after only a few weeks if the job often sits still. Remember that NSAIDs force other organs to work harder (like stomach, kidneys), so don’t take them daily for more than two weeks. Read the directions on the package for the dosage.

  • Children under the age of 18 should not take aspirin because it has been linked to the fatal Reye’s syndrome.
  • You can take over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylep) instead, but they don’t reduce inflammation and make the liver work harder.
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Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 6

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Avoid moving your upper body. Although some light movement is necessary for most musculoskeletal injuries to stimulate blood flow for healing, during the first few weeks you should not do exercises that significantly increase your heart rate and heart rate. breathing, as it can stimulate inflammation at the fracture site. In addition, you should minimize rotations (twists) and side bends of the upper body while the ribs are healing. [9] X Research Resources You can walk, drive, and work on a computer, but avoid all strenuous household chores, jogging, heavy lifting, and sports until you can. You can take deep breaths with no or almost no pain.

  • Take one to two weeks off work if needed, especially if the job requires physical activity or involves performing concussion movements.
  • Ask a friend or loved one to help with chores around the house or yard while you recover. Avoid lifting and remember to consult your doctor about driving.
  • You will inevitably need to cough or sneeze at some point, so keep a soft pillow in front of your chest to absorb the thrust and relieve the pain caused by the cough.
Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 7

Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 7

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Choose a sleeping position. Broken ribs often cause discomfort at night when you sleep, especially when you lie on your stomach, side, or often turn over. Perhaps the best sleeping position for a broken rib is lying flat on your back, as it puts the least amount of pressure on the ribs. In fact, you should sleep with your body slightly upright in a recliner for the first few nights, until the swelling and pain subside. [10] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to the source You can also prop yourself up in bed with mattresses under your back and head.

  • If you need to sleep more upright for many nights, don’t forget to prop your lower back. Placing a pillow under the knees will relieve pressure on the lumbar spine, preventing lower back pain.
  • To prevent your body from rolling back and forth during the night, place a long pillow on either side of you to stop it.
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  • Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 8

    Image titled Treat Broken Ribs Step 8

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    Eat well and take supplements. The body needs enough nutrients for broken bones to heal, so the best strategy is to have a balanced diet rich in minerals and vitamins. [11] X Research Source Focus on eating fresh agricultural products, whole grains, lean meats, dairy products and drinking plenty of purified water. Adding more nutrients to your meals also helps speed the healing of broken bones, so add in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins D and K.

    • Mineral-rich foods include cheese, yogurt, tofu, beans, broccoli, nuts, sardines, and salmon.
    • On the contrary, you should avoid eating foods that interfere with fracture healing such as alcohol, sparkling soft drinks, fast foods and refined sugars. Smoking also slows the healing of the ribs, and generally adversely affects all other musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Advice

    • You need to consume enough calcium to maintain healthy bones. To prevent fractures you should get at least 1,200 mg of calcium per day from foods and supplements. [12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source When you have broken bones you’ll need to take in more calcium each day.

    Warning

    • See your doctor right away if you develop severe chest pain, fever, chills, shortness of breath, extensive bruising and/or coughing up blood. [13] X Research Source
    X

    This article was co-written by Jonas DeMuro, MD. Dr. DeMuro is a licensed pediatric health surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his study in Surgical Urgent Care at the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and served as a member. from the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

    There are 8 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.

    This article has been viewed 72,474 times.

    A broken or cracked rib occurs when a direct blow to the chest or upper body occurs, such as in a car accident, a strong fall, or a heavy impact while playing sports. [1] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source However, certain diseases such as osteoporosis and bone cancer can significantly weaken the rib cage (including other bones), and cause ribs to break. easily, such as when coughing vigorously, turning, or lifting heavy objects. Although a broken rib can heal on its own in a month or two if you are relatively healthy, knowing how to treat it at home can greatly reduce discomfort. In some cases, a broken rib has punctured the lung or other internal organs and can be fatal, requiring urgent medical intervention.

    Thank you for reading this post How to Treat Broken Ribs at Tnhelearning.edu.vn You can comment, see more related articles below and hope to help you with interesting information.

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