What you should know about broken ribs?
A broken rib is a common injury.
It occurs when one of the bones in your rib cage breaks or cracks.
The most common cause is chest trauma, such as from a fall, motor vehicle accident or impact during contact sports.
Many broken ribs are merely cracked. While still painful, cracked ribs aren't as potentially dangerous as ribs that have been broken into separate pieces.
A jagged edge of broken bone can damage major blood vessels or internal organs, such as the lung.
In most cases, broken ribs usually heal on their own in one or two months. Adequate pain control is important so that you can continue to breathe deeply and avoid lung complications, such as pneumonia.
Symptoms
The pain associated with a broken rib usually occurs or worsens when you:
- Take a deep breath
- Press on the injured area
- Bend or twist your body
Causes
Broken ribs are most commonly caused by direct impacts — such as those from car accidents, falls, abuse or contact sports.
Ribs also can be fractured by repetitive trauma from sports and from severe and prolonged coughing.
Risk factors include:
Osteoporosis.
Sports participation.
Cancerous lesion in a rib.
Complications
A broken rib can injure blood vessels and internal organs. The risk increases with the number of broken ribs.
Possible complications include:
- Torn or punctured aorta.
- Punctured lung.
- Lacerated spleen, liver or kidneys.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-ribs/symptoms-causes/syc-20350763
