How to tell if you have a broken rib?

Breaking a rib can be a serious injury, but how do you know if that nagging pain in your chest is actually a broken rib? Fear not! In this humorous guide, we will help you diagnose whether or not you’ve fractured one of those pesky ribs.

The Anatomy of the Ribcage

Before we dive into detecting how to know if your rib is broken, let’s take some time to learn about what exactly makes up our ribcage. As humans, an average adult carries 12 pairs of curved bones that protect vital organs such as our lungs and heart. These boney structures attach on the spinal column and curve around anteriorly before meeting at midline where they are connected by costal cartilage.

But Wait… What Exactly Is Costal Cartilage Again?

If you forgot about beloved costal cartilage from your biology class because it was unimportant or boring (we get it), here’s a quick revision! It acts as connecting tissue between the sternum (breastbone) and the ribs; it allows for mobility during respiration & protects due to its elastic yet sturdy properties(ta-daa!)

Now that we’ve reviewed the anatomy behind your floating bony friends located towards anterior side adjacent to our beloved thoracic cavity ,let’s see what red flags points out towards a ‘rib fracture’.

  1. Intense Pain While Breathing
  2. Bruising Around Chest Area
  3. Sharp Pain With Movement
  4. Difficulty Taking Deep Breathes

So next time when someone asks “what does broken rib feel like?”, You’ll definitely have these four symptoms mentioned above down-pat.

Causes Of Broken Ribs

It may come as no surprise but there are several possible causes that lead us toward broken undercooked ribs.

Trauma

Physical injury is number one reason for rib fractures. This could be a direct blow to the chest from an elbow, fall or car accident (or maybe you participated in a round of wrestling with your buddies at that party)

Repetitive Motion

It does seem surprising however but participating in sports such as golf and tennis, can lead to repetitive strain which can result in tiny bony fissures .(Are these our new little friends now?)

Osteoporosis

So it turns out that brittle bones don’t discriminate — age ain’t nothing but a number folks. Aged individuals having weakened bones due to osteoporosis are more susceptible towards into breaking their precious ribs even from mild trauma like coughing ,;(insert gasp)

Complications That Arise With Fractured Ribs

If you fail to see traction during early stages and fracture worsens then complication may arise such as :

1) Pneumonia
2) Pleural Effusion
3) Lung Collapse
4) Empyema
5) Cardiac Injuries

Who knew undercooked ribs could do so much damage?

How To Treat A Broken Rib ?

To treat a fractured rib doctors often recommend:

  • Pain Medication – Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs)
  • Surgery (if required)
  • Splint /Brace/Taping
  • Using Chest Binder
  • Abstain yourself from any strenuous physical activity( Sorry gym-addicts 🙁 )

Severe broken rib injuries require hospital care for close observance & aggressive management lest serious conditions arise secondary towards this neglected relatively benign look problem .

Some complications include:

  1. Traumatic Flail Chest
  2. Pulmonary Contusion
  3. Aspiration Pneumonia
  4. Myocardial Contusion
  5. Aortic Rupture

(Ok, seriously this is not to scare-y poo but it’s better be safe than sorry folks)

Here are a few instances in which you should consult your physician if you suspect broken rib:

  • experience intense pain , difficulty breathing or feels like compressed elephant just sat on top of chest
  • have bruises accompanied with swelling & redness( – And no (!)you didn’t receive hickey marks from Vampire Diaries
  • experiencing an increase in pain (indicates worsening of the injury)
  • injury was sustained through motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries or high altitude falls.

Closing Thoughts

A Fractured rib can be disheartening and painful! Early detection ensures early management thus reducing long term complications. Now that we’ve provided such great advice it’s time for us to leave our readers feeling confident enough towards detecting a telltale sign of any fracture (‘coz who doesn’t love mending their own ‘undercooked ribs’) 😉

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