Has anyone broken/cracked any ribs?

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

In my incredible grace, last week I slipped on the floor (in my defense, the dog peed on the tile floor, I stepped in it and went flying).  In an effort to save the compost bucket from going flying, I grabbed for the wall and missed.  My brow bone hit the wall and left me with a black eye, and my left side hit the VERY hard tile floor.

I'm pretty sure I cracked some ribs.  Dr. Google says that they really don't do anything for it, other than treat the pain.  For the first week, I liberally used my leftover narcotics because any sort of movement made me see stars.  Trying to move/roll over in bed was the worst.  A week out, coughing and sneezing is still very, very painful and while I can move better, I still ache while breathing.  Carrying anything on my left side is impossible. 

Any idea how much longer this is going to last?

BTW....the compost bucket still went flying, regardless of my machinations.  TD walked in to see coffee grounds, carrot peels and onion skins all over the hallway and wall.

[Tiny]

I have never cracked/broke ribs - but I have dealt with a family member who did (and a couple of coworkers -sports related (or maybe just fell off the barstool at the bar.. not sure). It's not pretty or fun or easy to work around.   Cause, you know, you need to breathe and move around.

I, too, would recommend a visit to a doctor.   Just to make sure it isn't more serious than just a cracked rib or two (where you just have to tough it out). Ribs are NOT like toes (which you can crack and break but deal with on your own).

As for a "get well" time frame... it's a lot like a cracked/broken toe - 2 weeks for the 'seeing stars' pain to subside and then another 2 to 4 weeks for it to really heal up.   And lots of NOT moving during that time. 

I'd really make the drs appt.  

[dannylion]

Oh, ouch.  That sounds really painful, Mich.  I hope you're feeling better soon. 

Have you sought medical assistance?  You might benefit from something like Lidoderm patches or even a topical NSAID for the localized pain.

Sending good thoughts your way for a speedy recovery.   

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Nope, no doctor.

With everything that is said and done, between my black eye and broken ribs, I had a fear of some sort of abused spouse alert put out.  Where I hit my eye it really looks like TD belted me (and yes, more than once person asked as I went to class with my eye in full purple glory)!

At this point, I think I'm good though.  While breathing is painful, it's not hindered.  What's worse is that I cannot take NSAIDs anymore and acetaminophen didn't touch the pain.  So my choices for pain relief are pretty slim.  

[greeniis10]

I broke 2 ribs in a car accident years ago. I also had a cracked pelvis and an incision from my sternum to my pelvis because I was bleeding internally but they didn't know from where so they just sliced me completely open. There was no special treatment for either the ribs or the pelvis. Just rest and let it heal. Very painful process, so I feel for you, Mich!

Pretty sure my ribs healed crooked because I tend to have chronic pain in that area but I've learned to live with it over the years.

[copperboxes]

Urg, that sucks, sorry about that.

I broke two at one point.

They didn't do anything for mine, we just waited for them to heal.  I seem to recall it took about 3 months to heal, but I kept accidentally messing with them.  I sleep on my stomach usually, so even though I'd carefully guard the ribs during the day and fall asleep on my back, in the middle of the night my body would unconsciously roll to my stomach to get more comfortable, and I'd wake up panting in pain.

Really bad reactions to a lot of common medicines like aspirin, birth control, penicillin, hand fulls of pain medications etc. run in my family (worst one was dad started seizing and was in a coma for 2 days when the emergency room folks gave him some high grade pain meds for a badly broken leg), so we didn't gamble on prescribed pain medication for my ribs.  Luckily high pain thresholds run on dad's side, and I could still take advil then.  I don't know what changed over time, but about 3 years ago an advil once a month for the worst day of cramps starting giving me the same reactions as an excedrin or tylenol, nothing major, but still unpleasant, sheets of cold sweat down my back and my body trying to retch the pill back up, so I'm down to heating pads for pain now.

If you're not doing it already, it might be helpful to sleep on a couch or something that sort of forces people onto their backs because of the depth of the padding and the way bodies bend?  Rolling onto the ribs in the night is unfun, and if you can't feel it as well because of high power pain blockers, it might be aggravating it some?  Just thoughts.  Good luck, hope you heal soon!

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Sorry to hear but VERY glad to read between the lines that the hips are okay.

No personal experience but do know from the kids' sports injuries (pulled back and shoulder muscles) that being able to breathe fully and deeply is absolutely critical. If you can take deep breaths, yawn, cough thoroughly, etc., you should be okay. Otherwise, see a doc immediately.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Mar 31, 2016 11:43:44 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

Sorry to hear but VERY glad to read between the lines that the hips are okay.

No personal experience but do know from the kids' sports injuries (pulled back and shoulder muscles) that being able to breathe fully and deeply is absolutely critical. If you can take deep breaths, yawn, cough thoroughly, etc., you should be okay. Otherwise, see a doc immediately.

Hips are fine.  My upper body took the brunt of this fall, but I did move a bit gingerly afterwards, to make sure that there was nothing going on with regards to my hips.  

[tskeeter]

Mar 31, 2016 10:29:00 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

In my incredible grace, last week I slipped on the floor (in my defense, the dog peed on the tile floor, I stepped in it and went flying).  In an effort to save the compost bucket from going flying, I grabbed for the wall and missed.  My brow bone hit the wall and left me with a black eye, and my left side hit the VERY hard tile floor.

I'm pretty sure I cracked some ribs.  Dr. Google says that they really don't do anything for it, other than treat the pain.  For the first week, I liberally used my leftover narcotics because any sort of movement made me see stars.  Trying to move/roll over in bed was the worst.  A week out, coughing and sneezing is still very, very painful and while I can move better, I still ache while breathing.  Carrying anything on my left side is impossible. 

Any idea how much longer this is going to last?

BTW....the compost bucket still went flying, regardless of my machinations.  TD walked in to see coffee grounds, carrot peels and onion skins all over the hallway and wall.

You can expect your discomfort to continue for several weeks.  Although the Doc said I didn't have any broken ribs after a car accident, it hurt to cough, laugh, or lift anything heavy for a couple of months or so.  I walked around hunched over with my shoulders rolled forward to avoid stretching muscles and pulling on the injury.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Sigh....2-3 weeks to go.

[Artemis Windsong]

I injured a rib in judo class when I was in my 20s.  After a few other students were injured while I was recuperating, I quit the class.

My Dmom seemed to injure her ribs frequently. while over consuming alcohol.  She had a band that fit around her ribs to help limit movement.

Best wishes.  It's a long, painful recovery. 

[lund]

My experience is about 3 really bad weeks, then 3 somewhat better weeks, then 3 bad weeks, then 3 weeks getting better quickly, then OK.
So sorry....
Hope that you will heal well and fast!

[TheOtherMe]

My sister broke ribs while celebrating at the high school state championship football game.  A friend hugged her too tightly.  She said broken ribs really hurt and there was no treatment.

[mroped]

Had some cracked in more than one occasion.
There is nothing that doctors can do. I didn't have acces to pain killers either so for the first couple days was hell.
Luckly I'm a fast healer so in about two weeks I was brand spanking new,

All you can do is hang in there and wait for it to pass. 

[Deleted]

Cracked three when I bailed off a fast-moving horse (alternative was being decapitated when he ran into the barn).  As others said, no quick fix.  I couldn't take pain killers so breathing was a *$^&@ for a couple of weeks.  

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

I've broken/cracked ribs three times .... and it was super painful ALL three times.

I hope you feel better soon.

[cronewitch]

I didn't but maybe a binding so you can't move would help like a corset or ace bandages.

[mroped]

Apr 1, 2016 3:08:01 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

I didn't but maybe a binding so you can't move would help like a corset or ace bandages.

That is why they don't put you in a cast. The cast would restrict your movements and is apparently not good in the healing process.

[milee]

Agree with the posts that say it will be 2 weeks of sharp pain, then another 4-6 weeks of less pain most of the time but still enough to surprise you when you roll over or cough.  After the first couple of painful weeks, it gets gradually better.

Sorry that happened. FWIW, I also think you're right not to bother with the doc. On separate times I've cracked a rib and separated one (but felt the same as cracking one so thought it was cracked). The various doc friends all said the same thing - that there wasn't anything that would be done to treat a broken rib unless it had punctured something - usually a lung.  Odds are that you'd know by now if you've punctured a lung so it seems a waste of time and money, plus exposing yourself to more x-rays to get a doc to take a look.  If you have any trouble breathing, turn blue or something similar that indicates a lung injury then go get help immediately.  Otherwise, just be patient until it's better.

[olderburgher]

I broke 5 ribs in a fall on ice. It was two + weeks till the pain was reduced to a tolerable level and another week to 10 days for me to get back to "normal".

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 1, 2016 3:08:01 GMT -5 cronewitch said:

I didn't but maybe a binding so you can't move would help like a corset or ace bandages.

Dr. Google says they don't do this anymore because it restricts breathing and could cause pneumonia to set in.

[lexxy703]

I broke a couple of ribs when two guys came tumbling down the stairs on top of me & slammed me into the corner of a wall. It was very painful. And I agree that the rolling over while asleep thing is a real biotch. I went to the ER & the doctor gave me Percocet. Sorry you are in pain.

Is it wrong that I laughed at the mental picture of slipping in dog pee & splashing compost all over the floor & wall.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 1, 2016 13:44:49 GMT -5 lexxy703 said:

I broke a couple of ribs when two guys came tumbling down the stairs on top of me & slammed me into the corner of a wall. It was very painful. And I agree that the rolling over while asleep thing is a real biotch. I went to the ER & the doctor gave me Percocet. Sorry you are in pain.

Is it wrong that I laughed at the mental picture of slipping in dog pee & splashing compost all over the floor & wall.

Nope, if I hadn't been in pain, I'd have laughed at the mental picture too.

If you want an even funnier picture, I can't get up from the floor without help so I had to scooch my body down the hallway to the downstairs staircase, so I could use gravity to help me get on my feet.

It is times like this (and trying to get out of a pool) where my lack of hip flexors really piss me off.

[obelisk]

At least 3 times, it takes 3 months to recover. Getting out of bed is the worst.