Bruised ribs

[sinclair1]

Good luck. I cracked my sternum 40 years ago playing football and it still hurts when I irritate it.

 

[georgia_home]

From heart op patients, open chest ops, those big Huggy pillows help if you get to coughing, sneezing and stuff. keeps things from juggling around. Have known a number of folks that benefitted from after the chest cracker worked on them.

may help for the ribs as well.

 

[redeli]

Don't sneeze!!

 

[NE GA Pappy]

i flipped a UTV over and broke some ribs and dislocated a couple from my spine area. That was January 2021. They still hurt if I strain to pull or lift something. Normal life, they are ok, but that took over a year

 

[GeorgiaBob]

The next chapter in my never ending list of injuries is bruised ribs

How long does this take to go away? I have stuff to do

I jammed up a few ribs last spring when a rotted board broke on my dock. I hit a 2" round metal arch on a boarding ladder in a very solid impact with my ribs. Possibly cracked some ribs but no obvious breaks. Some swelling over three ribs appeared almost immediately.

It was painful to breathe for about two weeks. For the first week I had to be very careful sitting and standing. Even wrapped, it was impossible to twist my trunk, without seeing stars and breaking out in a sweat, for almost a month. Six weeks later it still hurt to take a deep breath and was was careful not to move in a way that renewed the sting.

At ten weeks, during a regular scheduled visit, my doctor laughed at me (sympathetically, I think?) and said: 1. I was right that without sign of an obvious break, a trip to the ER would have been a waste, and 2. I would probably still hurt for a couple of more weeks. He said three months of pain was common for rib damage involving stressed cartilage, strained or pulled muscles, and deep bruising. He also said to take it easy for a few more weeks after it quit hurting.

I was hurting with every move for about 3 weeks after it happened, somewhat limited in movement for a total of 6 weeks, and experiencing some degree of pain for about three months!

Be patient. Plan your moves until it hurts less. DON'T aggravate the problem by trying to "exercise" the hurt away. (I tried that years ago - added months to recovery time!)

Sorry I don't have more encouraging news.

 

[notnksnemor]

Don't bend over.

 

[Crakajak]

Eating soft food for the next few months will make your life easier at least a few minutes each each day.

 

[Throwback]

I wish mine was a good story.
I slipped in the tub
I landed so that it really hit kind of under my ribcage so that the outside edge of the tub (pretty narrow) was against the inside of my ribs. If that makes any sense.

My fat gut probably helped keep it from getting more damaged.

 

[AllanS]

How long to heal? I believe that is directly related to your age. At 18, 20-30 minutes.....at 60, might not ever and will flare up when it's gonna rain.

 

[Doboy Dawg]

Many years ago I was working as a service technician at a trucking company. My coworker and I were moving a 55 gallon drum of antifreeze close to the grease pit. When I stepped in a spot of oil he had spilled and didn’t bother to put oil dry on.

The drum went one way and I went the other, right over the side of the pit and into the pit. I landed on my ribs against the top rail of the pit and then fell into the pit.

I cracked two ribs on that rail. I was lucky, that was the only thing broken. The only thing the doctor did was wrap me up gave me a note for a few days off. He told me it was going to be a few painful weeks.

He also told me, as mentioned, to hold a pillow to cough or sneeze if possible. Laughing, coughing, sneezing, etc. was painful for a week or so. Of course everyone had jokes.

Bar B Q ribs are much better

 

[specialk]

smoke some reefer....

 

[WOODIE13]

Hit the radio mount in a HMMWV once when the driver crashed it, sore for 30 days @ 24.

Fell on some rocks dragging a deer out, sore for 45 days @ 44.

30 to 45 days is my guess

 

[Resica]

I broke 5 ribs and punctured a lung in early 2021. 3 days in icu and over 2 months before back to work. Couldn't sleep in a bed flat for quite awhile.

 

[Dub]

I wish mine was a good story.
I slipped in the tub
I landed so that it really hit kind of under my ribcage so that the outside edge of the tub (pretty narrow) was against the inside of my ribs. If that makes any sense.

My fat gut probably helped keep it from getting more damaged.

Tough time of year for such an injury.


Reason being is all the sinus & chest crud that folks are passing around. You DON'T need that mess right now.


Last time I had something similar the doc was adamant that I ensure I breathe deeply....no way do to it vigorously.....but good long intakes....until it hurts...then a bit more.

Don't fall into the trap of short & shallow breathing.

Extra-strength fast acting version of Tylenol dosed alternating with Aleve sure helped, too. I was alternating every couple a hours between the two.


Keep breathing 'til it hurts. It's gonna hurt anyway so you might as well stave off the chest & sinus horrors as best you can.




Hang in there.

Your post is a good reminder to us all to consider putting down those grip enhancers in the tub & shower floors.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

I caught a pool cue across the rib cage clearing out a beer garden one night. I was a young buck, around 25 years old I reckon. It took several weeks before it quit hurting enough to cough or sneeze. Doc wrapped them up and sent me on my way. @Throwback , you’re opening yourself up to some good “ I’ve fallen and can’t get up jokes”. Your lucky my google foo is weak.

 

[notnksnemor]

Back to your original question.

What is the sympathy level being received?

Recovery time is symmetrical.

 

[JustUs4All]

I wish mine was a good story.
I slipped in the tub

Slipped in the tub is so mundane. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Now try again. It should contain something much more manly like a motorcycle, a rocky cliff, a parachute, or a jealous boy friend or something like that.

 

[Throwback]

Slipped in the tub is so mundane. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Now try again. It should contain something much more manly like a motorcycle, a rocky cliff, a parachute, or a jealous boy friend or something like that.

It was the first bath I’ve taken in 6-7 years.

 

[WOODIE13]

It was the first bath I’ve taken in 6-7 years.

Brandon to bab baths on his next platform

 

[JustUs4All]

It was the first bath I’ve taken in 6-7 years.

Great opening line. Now we are getting somewhere. LOL