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what's a broken rib feel like?
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:09 am
by steptoe
Anyone had a broken rib and can describe what the result feels like?
Externally below my left pec (huh!) it feels bloody tender to touch, as I breathe in cannot take full lung as it then hurts inside that same rib. To turn and twist one way can be OK but to turn and twist with another angle and ooh boy
Can only recall last Sat when I was gagging on some food that I gobbled, jambing up at the stomach intake valve and had to perform self Heimlich. felt OK on Sunday weilding a power (yeah!) hedge trimmer, mower and stuff around
Also feels like I have had this before maybe from having a good yawn or a constant bad cough with everything sore as
Intercostal muscle tear or something?
It is almost enough to concern me that I may have to actually go see a doctor who may try to tell me it is gout or something redickerless, come away with more germs than I had, less money than I had and no better off.
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 1:46 am
by Hazey
My money is on an Intercostal muscle tear- busted ribs you will feel immediate pain when it happens, and also with any torso movement regardless of the amount of ale consumption
Don't get me started on gout... I'm slap bang in the middle of an attack in my clutch foot as I type, third attack in as many months. No wheeling for me this week
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:49 am
by littlewhiteute
I've had a broken rib from a fall at work.
Hurts to breathe to either extremity, full in or out.
Hurts to move in any direction other than completely vertical.
I'd be having a doctor visit with an x-ray.
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:16 am
by D3V1L
id say its muscle tear. as the rib would have been painfull from the start and not changed.
but should get exray just to be sure
davo
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:31 am
by 1111giles
Got to agree it sounds like intercostal muscle to me mate - wifey is a nurse and she agrees that it wont be a broken rib if its not shown up sooner or giving you severe pain (like she does to me:mrgreen:)
Best get it checked out and take it easy eh?
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 10:59 am
by TOONGA
just noticed this having had a broken rib I can tell you that what you have is 99% not a broken rib it hurts like f$@k so much so that it hurts to breathe
I copped a surfboard in the ribs in a wipeout and was nearly drowned in the process
6 weeks later I was back in the water wincing with every paddle of the board and that was when I was 16
TOONGA
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 7:28 pm
by steptoe
Yeah, thought after, maybe cracked would be more descriptive, and cannot see how I was able to wield the power hedge trimmer the following day. I do however have that extreme ends of breathing - cannot do, so breathing somewhere in between. And doing a bit of the silent grimace as I breathe heavier of take that step that near causes me to buckle a few inches shorter all of a sudden. Sort of gets better through the day, then bed where an unnecessary twist makes me think I should be writing out a will and testament of steptoe.
Doctors are in shorter supply than lawn mower men at the moment - maybe a bottle of Tommys Horse splattered in a pattern typical of a forensic science textbook and burst into an A & E ward somewhere.
If symptoms persist I promise I will see a doctor,
Ta for the comparo's, intercostals suck !
Posted: Tue Dec 07, 2010 8:00 pm
by Subyroo
You may also have had a "greenstick fracture" from your self Heimlich move and then on Sunday after wielding the sledgehammer etc you finally cracked it right through.
I'm no medico just tossing in another possibility.
Here's some more info for you:
Intercostal Muscle Strain
All About Intercostal Muscle Strain
If you have a stabbing pain in your side, where your ribs are, and you do not know what caused it, you may be a victim of intercostal muscle strain. People who are physically active (exercise, sports, etc.) are more vulnerable to this condition, but anyone can get a painful intercostal muscle strain. The symptoms of this, however, are sometimes confused with those of a broken rib. This article will define an intercostal muscle strain, explain the causes and treatment, and tell you how to differentiate between it and a broken rib.
We will begin with a bit of anatomy. The human body, generally speaking, is composed of a few different parts, categorized by what function they do. Bones support your body; organs provide life-giving function; nerves transmit signals; blood vessels carry blood; and muscles allow you to move. It is this last part that we will examine. Muscles are the most frequently injured parts of your body, if you are an athlete or are moderately physically active. People get strains, tears, and cramps all the time in their muscles, which can be quite debilitating and painful. An intercostal muscle strain is no exception; in fact, it is one of the more painful muscle strains you can have.
A muscle contracts and expands in order to perform a specific function. Your diaphragm is a good example of this. As it moves, you breathe; without a diaphragm, you would not be able to draw a breath. Intercostal muscles are similar in that they expand and contract. They are small muscles attached to your ribs that move your ribs so your lungs can expand. They exist in three layers and are some of the most important respiratory muscles you have in your body. Due to their location, however, a strain can result in a lot of pain.
Symptoms of intercostal muscle injuries vary in intensity, depending on how serious your injury is, but on a whole they are basic and simple. Those with strained intercostal muscles will feel pain, varying from sharp, stabbing pains when breathing to a ever-present, painful ache or soreness in that particular area. Sufferers of this condition also cannot draw deep breaths without a significant degree of difficulty, which, due to our need to constantly breathe, provides a lot of pain and a longer healing time than with other muscle strains. Note that these symptoms are very similar to those of a fractured rib. If you feel any of these symptoms and they do not go away quickly, see a doctor. He or she will be able to perform an X-ray to hopefully see if a fracture is there.
How do people strain these muscles? The easiest way is to play a sport that requires your torso to move dramatically, such as basketball or tennis. Swimming is also a common cause. Basically, any physical activity you do that exerts force on your torso can result in strained intercostal muscles. Therefore, be sure to exert caution when participating in rigorous athletic activities. Also, ensure that you stretch well before exercising; this will help you prevent any muscle strain at all.
There is not a lot you can do to treat this condition. The truth of the matter is that you will have to take it easy, relax, and apply ice to the affected region until it heals on its own. If it helps, you can lay on your injured side so you can draw a deeper breath. Healing times vary depending on the injury, but for an average strain, you can expect to be better in two to three weeks. Some severe strains take six weeks or longer, while minor sprains will go away in a week or two.
In summary, an intercostal muscle strain can be a very painful injury that is caused by athletic activity. Its symptoms are also similar to a broken rib, so see a doctor if you have them. And, if you have this strain, be careful when you breathe and rest until it heals.