Fractured Ribs?

[divegirl]

Hi, I slipped in the bath last Friday and took a fair blow to the ribs, don't think I broke anything... at the time.
Fast forward to Monday and I came down with a sickness bug and spent a fair few hours of quite violent vomiting, bad enough to blow the blood vessels in one eye. I have been to the hospital but of course there is nothing they can do.
So nine days on I feel like I'm getting worse not better and can feel a grinding movement when I breathe...
Please tell me they will heal soon?

[Sqad]

They will heal soon.

[davegosling]

Sorry to hear this, but am slightly puzzled. Hasn't the hospital taken X-rays to see whether anything is broken?

[dannyk13]

Wish I could but ,having had a few broken ribs, I can say it will take five to six weeks to heal

[mikey4444]

Do they still recommend that you strap bruised ribs up tightly Sqad ?

[Sqad]

mikey....yes, the medics recommend that fractured ribs shouldn't be strapped on the basis that strapping reduces movement and increases the incidence of infection (static).
I am not convinced however.

[mikey4444]

I cracked just 2 ribs years ago, and I was in agony for weeks ( sorry divegirl ! )

[dannyk13]

Mikey
//Do they still recommend that you strap bruised ribs up tightly Sqad ?
At the moment I am on my sixth fractured rib (spread over 40 years) and I have never had my ribs strapped.

[pixie374]

In my experience, they don't x-ray or strap them and it does take a few weeks to heal.

[divegirl]

They don't x-ray or strap them any more as if they are broken it is more likely to puncture a lung :( That said I feel that I would benefit from some form of strapping as something, a rib I assume is clearly moving...

[Sqad]

Get the Ibuprofen going for the pain.....400mgms 6 hourly as a minimum dose.

[divegirl]

Oh you better believe the pain relief is flowing....

Thanks guys x

[Mamyalynne]

Feel for you Lisa, it's horrid - yes you do right with the pain relief.

[pixie374]

Hope you feel better soon xx

[Voltage]

get well soon xxx i'd give you a hug best not tho x

[Khandro]

I did similar last June - I'm afraid you're looking at 4 to 6 months of pain.
I'm amazed that the NHS can't afford to even give you an x-ray though.

[Sqad]

Khandro.......what would be the point of an X-Ray?
The treatment would be the same whether a rib was broken or not.
Based on her symptoms of course.

[Mamyalynne]

An X Ray may be done if there were suspicions of a wider range of injuries following a catastrophic accident, but in the case of a fall like this it wouldn't really be of use.

[divegirl]

Hey Mamy... hope you are keeping warm and well... it's snowing here in Essex!
Thank you all so much for your kind words.... just feeling a little sorry for myself at being broken again lol
Could have been worse though ay?

Be good people xxx

[bhg481]

Radiation is cumulative. Why would you want to give someone a dose of radiation in the form of an X-ray when there is no benefit to be gained from it?

[Mamyalynne]

I'm warm ta - yes, it could have been worse love - you'll mend.x