How to know if you broke your rib?

Are you feeling a sharp pain in your chest and wondering if you broke your rib? Well, fear not my friend! In this article, we will teach you some telltale signs that indicate whether or not you have done the damage. So sit back, relax and let’s get cracking!

What are Ribs?

Before we dive deep into how to know if you broke your rib or not, let us learn what ribs actually are. Ribs are thin but strong bones present in the human body – they form an important part of our skeletal system.

There are a total of 24 ribs located at the topmost portion of our trunk (12 on each side). These ribs attach to the vertebral column posteriorly and curve anteriorly as they approach their attachment with the sternum bone.

What Causes Rib Fractures?

Now that we know what ribs are made up of, let’s focus on what can cause a rib fracture. An injury resulting from a physical blow due to an accident or fall is one common reason for breaking a rib(s). Additionally,wrestling, contact sports like football, car accidents or even violent coughing may lead to broken ribs.

How Can You Tell If Your Rib Is Broken?

A question many individuals who experience blunt force trauma ask themselves immediately after such event is “how do I tell if my rib is broken?” There exist several indications which signal that someone has broken their //rib//:

  • Pain when taking deep breaths
  • Extreme tenderness when touching chest area
  • A crunching sound during respiration
  • Shortness of breath especially when lying down
  • Swelling near point-of-injury

NOTE: It does worth noting however, sometimes individuals can break one/some/most/slightly fracturing almost any amount landing anywhere between those fractures could be classified as having broken a RIB.

Additionally, x-rays and other diagnostic imaging tests may help confirm rib fractures.

How Long Do Rib Fractures Take to Heal?

It is never pleasant breaking your ribs/bone in general. It usually takes 6-12 weeks on average for the rib(s) to heal after fracture; however, every individual’s injury is different hence could take more or less time.

There are some possible complications that can arise as well; pneumothorax or collapse of lung tissue due to the puncturing of one’s own lung when a bone fragment has pierced it, you’ll find this case more commonly with basketball players like LeBron James who stands tallest in NBA history at an unbelievable 6ft9 -which so happens makes him more prone to such occurrences-. Regardless though all should be set within range inside a month given enough bed rest / rehabilitation (depending on severity).

What Precautions Should You Take If You Have Broken Your Rib?

You ought not ignore broken ribs because they do take hefty time before they get back together properly without causing any trouble.

Below are few tips which will facilitate swift healing process:

  1. Rest: Seek proper medical guidance! Doctor approved breaks laying down during recovery phase are necessary owing safety precautions.
  2. Medications: Bone pain is synonymous with discomfort therefore pain relief medications would come helpful but only take what doctor instructs as overdosing might lead into grave problems
  3. Keep Bathrooms Safe: Slips and trips while walking especially in washrooms need looking out for–let someone else know where things have been cleared up better rather than attempting them first hand.
  4. Proper Nutrition & Adequate Hydration: Intake of nutritious diet and good hydration helps our body fast-track quick repair thus helping us recover speedier.

A tip-top attitude throughout these changes might end up making life with broken bones almost liberating if we look at it from the humorous side

Final Thoughts

We hope that our article has been informative, enlightening, and funny. Although breaking a rib is definitely not something to be happy about but hey! It’s right up there with people trying to figure out how cows can digest field stubble or how many ways there are of tying a shoelace (which as fate would have it is 43!).

Stay safe, take precautions when indulging in high-contact sports avoid accidents whenever possible—and don’t beat yourself up too much if you happen to sustain a broke bone—it happens!

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