doctors advice required

[MontyVeda]

Last Monday I had a minor, low speed off... landed quite heavily on my side with my elbow between my ribs and the cobble stones. Although no bruising was visible, my ribs were quite sore.

By Wednesday, it was really sore, but seemed to calm by the weekend. However since this Monday (yesterday), I seemed to 'pull something' they've been hurting like hell and I'm wondering if I've actually broken one or cracked one. Comparing side for side, they do feel different, but not massively so.

I know there's little can be done for a broken rib apart from not boxing, skateboarding or partaking in other extreme sports for while.

questions..

am i being daft by not going to the doctor with it?
am I being daft continuing cycling to work? (alternative is a half hour walk)

should i buy a corset?


any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[ianrauk]

Get down the Docs and get it checked out. You are not being daft doing that.
A cracked rib is so bloody painful. Especially when you cough, laugh or sneeze. And near impossible to sleep at nights. It usually take about 8-10 weeks for the pain to subside. Of course could take less or longer.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

GP's not going to be able to tell whether it's bruised or cracked, so if he or she sends you up to A&E to get it x-rayed, it would have been quicker simply to have gone there in the first place.

I don't think cycling will do it any harm provided it doesn't hurt like hell or prevent you breathing properly. I'm no doctor, though....

 

[Rob3rt]

GP's not going to be able to tell whether it's bruised or cracked, so if he or she sends you up to A&E to get it x-rayed, it would have been quicker simply to have gone there in the first place.

I don't think cycling will do it any harm provided it doesn't hurt like hell or prevent you breathing properly. I'm no doctor, though....

They most likely won't X-ray, there is nothing they can do. They will listen to your chest to check it had not punctured your lung and then will give you similar advice to the following. If the pain starts to subside in a couple of weeks, it is bruised. Else it is broken and it will hurt for a couple of month.

 

[fossyant]

I've done my ribs in chasing the kids round the swimming pool on holiday. Couldn't sleep for days, nor lie on them - didn't seek any medical attention as I could breath and hadn't punctured a lung.

Was very painful though, I could cycle, but pulling away from lights and climbing was tricky. Does take quite some time to settle - get's easier by the week, but you are looking 2-3 months.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

have broken a rib through coughing which was exceptionally painful - used to get lots of chest infections as a child with asthma.
don't think the corset option will help much ( ), though it might stop you bending side to side and hurting yourself.... but they are more comfortable than most people would believe...
take it easy, if in doubt speak with your GP, but otherwise rest easy and enjoy spring arriving.

 

[MontyVeda]

cheers for the replies....

didn't go to A&E in the first place because it didn't feel that bad, plus i was going about 2 mph when i came off that and going into A&E saying my ribs hurt a bit is like walking into the police station and asking to be banged up for 8 hours, only to be released with a pack of ibuprofen

I doubt I've punctured my lung as I have been (painfully) coughing and no sign of blood (although I am ignorant on such things).

laying down, sleeping is the worst bit... I seem to wake up on the wrong (right) side every hour or two, which is boring.

I'll hold back on the corset, they're bloody expensive!!!!

 

[Edwards80]

I cracked 2 ribs whilst racing Karts a few years ago - I finished the race weekend by popping some extremely strong painkillers but I could hardly sit up on the Monday afterwards.

I went to the Doc but it's just a case of taking it easy,. . . don't cough or sneeze either The doc gave me a proper telling off for carrying on with the racing.

It took about 7-8 weeks to feel normal again, I've bruised them before and felt ok after a week or so, but there is nothing much you or the doc can do. Strapping your torso up helps slightly if it reduces movement, will still hurt! If the pain is breathtaking when you ride, then it's probably best to avoid it until it settles down.

Hope it heals quickly!

 

[Hip Priest]

I did something similar last November. The doctor said there was nothing they could do, but advised that my ribs were either bruised or cracked. I think it was the former because the pain subsided in 2-3 weeks, rather than months.

 

[byegad]

I parted the join between the ribs, not the bones but the gristly bit that sort of fills in the gaps. I'm not sure of the correct medical terms but it was painful* (though not as painful as broken ribs the doctor said!) and took ages to go away. Then I did it twice more! That put an end to my Rugby playing days. It gets tough in the front row of the scrum. I have managed to do it a few more times over the years, always in the same place, since and suspect it's now a weak spot.

*Best way to describe it is a stabbing pain if I twist from the waist or breathe too deeply, but OK if I don't.

 

[Nebulous]

In the old days they used to wrap you round the chest with one of those sticky bandages. Then they would cut it up the middle and rip it off. Enough to make a grown man cry!

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Advice given so far is good. If you're breathing ok, you probably don't need to go to the doctor or A&E. No point in an x-ray as no treatment required. If you find your breathing is compromised or you cough up any blood - then you definitely should get checked out. Finally, when people have cracked/bruised ribs they tend to breathe less deeply than usual to avoid pain - but this can make them more prone to chest infections, so do take regular pain killers and at least once an hour try to slowly exhale fully and then breathe in gently and slowly up to the point of feeling slightly uncomfortable...but not beyond.

 

[MontyVeda]

Cheers.... Having confined myself to sleeping on the sofa since Tuesday (can't roll onto my right hand side on the sofa)... it's feeling much better ... until i lean on my RH side.