Experience with broken ribs

Aw man, i hate when I just got my baby back ribs, and i find one of the ribs is broken, total bullshit, i feel your pain OP.

Nothing much is done to treat them, unless they are completely fucked up and you would most likely need surgery. I think the only treatment is rest

Agreed the only thing you can really do is just order another rack of ribs and hope for the best.

If they were really fucked up you would know.

I have about as jacked up of a rib cage as you can get. I turned my sternum when I was in 8th grade so all of my ribs constantly separate and I have broken several of them. I can tell you from experience that it is LIKELY a bruise. They hurt a lot worse than you would think but there is a large gap between bruising/braking a rib. Braking will cause you what will feel like a knife being stabbed into your chest, honestly. If you are having trouble breathing or expanding your chest then it is likely broken/separated and you should definitely go to the doctor. If it is simply painful to the touch then it is likely a bruise, and they definitely last a long time. Like has been mentioned previously, there isn't much in the way of treatment so you're best bet is probably rest, but who knows you may be able to get some pain meds out of the doc. The only reason you would NEED to go to the doc would be if they are separated severely and you are at danger for doing serious damage, in which case they will get you some chest bands to keep everything in place.

Thanks a lot guys this is helpful, I think it is just bruised so hopefully it starts feeling better soon.

go see a doctor. get it x-rayed.

Word of warning coming from personal experience. If you feel a sneeze coming, get in the fetal position because ive never had more pain in my life than when i sneezed with 2 broken ribs. It feels like someone is taking a reciprocating saw to your chest.

you will know it when they are broken. Suck it up and they will heal eventually. not much you can do

This. Except to elaborate on this "fetal" position, do like a wall sit on a wall and pretty much hug yourself applying pressure to your chest. It will keep your chest from expanding as much into your ribs. Even more important if you happen to separate them as I have probably separated mine 20 times just from sneezing. I have some pretty funny memories of standing up from a test and having to go squat on a wall in front of everyone just to sneeze.

My buddy fractured his rib smoking weed. Coughed too hard. We all gave him tons of shit for complaining about his rib that he hurt smoking. He finally went to the doctor, got an xray, and low and behold, he fractured his rib.

Tell your friend to drink some milk, holy fuck.

I broke 4 in September. It hurts like a bitch but theres nothing you can do for it. Dont waste your time or money going to the doctors, its a waste. They cant do anything except take your money for going in. Just take it easy for a while

I broke 3 ribs a few years back and the doctor just gave me pain meds and said to stop moving around so much. It didn't heal right so I have Costochondritis. That's the only problem from it

thump