11/29/2006

CRACKED RIBS?

I guess I have to admit it now. Last week, when I returned from my hunting trip, I jokingly made reference to the fact that you could get hurt falling twelve feet from a ladder.

It's true, you can. It happened to me. I had hoped by now I would feel better, but it is becoming clear that this process is going to be a slow one.

I bet you might be wondering what I injured? I'll make no secret of it anymore. I thought I had merely bruised my ribs when I fell, and expected a full recovery from that in a week. Well, it's been a week, and the recovery isn't happening. I am as sore in my ribs this morning as I was the day after I fell. What's more, there is an area that seems to be rather dented in on my ribs near the sternum. It is extremely painful to the touch and causes some pain during the day when I move and breath.

I am assuming that I have cracked ribs (rib as in singular?) and nothing more, because although there is an indentation and much pain, there is no displacement that I can feel. There is nothing medically to be done for cracked ribs as far as I know. I'll check Web MD just to make sure, but I have a feeling this is just going to take some more time.

If you are willing, maybe we could make this fun. We all have "home remedies" and "old wives' tales" we share that may or may not actually help injuries. If you have one, please share it here. If you do, I promise to do my best to try that remedy out (no matter how ridiculous it sounds), if not for healing then just for kicks.

Thank you.
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

you might have cracked your ribs, but it's also possible that they're just bruised - i have fallen twice on my ribs and each time it feels really painful and takes a long time to stop hurting, but doctors have assured me each time that it's just a bruise

sounds like if you weren't sure about going to the hospital, they might not cracked (which would be much more painful, particularly when you poke the area) - even still, you should expect at least three or four more weeks until you feel better

11/29/2006 05:43:00 AM
Rita said...

Tom, I have had the same problem and it can take a long time to heal. I never knew for certain if it was bruising or cracked ribs. I had to sleep in the recliner for a week because if I managed to get into the bed turning over in the night was excruciatingly painful. I bought a wide elastic band at the drug store. Can't remember exactly what it's called, (some type of back brace, I think) but it's about 6-8 inches wide, wraps around your body and secures with velcro. I just looked at mine and it says HoMedics Thera:P on the inside. It was wonderful. Try it.

11/29/2006 11:57:00 AM
Tom Reindl said...

Anonymous,

Thanks.

Rita, I may try it.

I went to Web MD, and did one of their tests to check for a break, and it was a positive. I laid with my back on the bed, pressed on any part of my chest, and nearly leaaped out my skin from the pain, which wasn't where I pressed, but in the area where it has hurt this last week.

11/29/2006 12:21:00 PM
Anonymous said...

ooh, not nice, i broke/bent a rib when i was a kid when a pony kicked me in the guts and never dared say anything, cuz it was kinda my fault, so i've still got one rib that kinda caves in and i'm fine....so far!

11/29/2006 10:51:00 PM
Rita said...

Let me know if you try the brace and if it works for you. I sure hope so because I remember how horribly painful it was.

11/29/2006 10:57:00 PM
Tom Reindl said...

Elle,

Do you experience any pain with your rib yet?

Rita, this morning I will be heading to Walgreens to find a brace. Thanks. Let's hope it helps.

11/30/2006 05:40:00 AM
Anonymous said...

nah not really, i mean i think since i was so young when it happened that it healed pretty quickly. but sometimes if i'm breathin heavily then it kinda hurts, but thats maybe just because it's kinda squishing everything else. it was a great excuse for getting out of physical ed at school when i was going thru the awkward teen phase when physical exercise was to be avoided.

12/03/2006 05:28:00 AM
Yakimaniac said...

Dear Tom,
I'm so sorry to hear about your mishap. Here is what you do: Get up in the middle of the night—you can't sleep anyway—and run through the house until you stub your toe. You will forget about your cracked ribs immediately and like your ribs a broken toe doesn't need extensive medical attention. Hope this helps!

12/03/2006 09:48:00 PM
Tom Reindl said...

Hi Yak,

I don't have to try that home remedy again; as I actually did stub my toe in the middle of the night just about a week ago. It didn't help. :)

12/04/2006 05:48:00 AM

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