{"id":4841,"date":"2020-02-10T13:32:57","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T13:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=4841"},"modified":"2020-07-07T13:54:41","modified_gmt":"2020-07-07T13:54:41","slug":"14-symptoms-of-a-broken-rib","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/14-symptoms-of-a-broken-rib\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Symptoms of A Broken Rib"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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One of the most common types of fracture-related injuries is a broken rib. One of the reasons for this is because there are numerous ways that a rib can be broken. This includes car accidents, assaults, falls, etc. If you have broken a rib, there are several symptoms that you may be experiencing. Swelling, bruising, and pain are often associated with a broken rib. The symptoms that you experience will vary based on how many ribs are broken and which ribs they are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also depends on how the ribs were injured and at which angle they break. If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort in your rib cage, it is important to make sure that you discuss it with your doctor. In some cases, the rib may be broken in such a way that it can cause damage to the surrounding organs. Here are 14 symptoms to watch for if you think you have broken a rib. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Extreme Initial Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you break or fracture your rib, one of the first things that you may notice is pain. Everyone experiences pain in different ways, the way that you experience it in this situation will do a lot to tell your doctor about the type of injury that you may have. When you are describing your pain to your doctor, make sure that you describe it in the best way that you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A stabbing type of pain will tell your doctor something different than a dull ache or pressure-related pain. In addition to the pain, you may notice that the area where the injury occurred starts to bruise almost immediately. Certain activities may cause you to experience more pain in the area especially if it adds more strain to the rib that has been broken or fractured. It is important to make sure that you keep your body as still as possible until medical personnel can evaluate the injury and provide you with proper treatment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Bruising<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time a rib will be fractured or broken because of an impact on the site. This impact can be enough to burst the blood vessels that are located in the area. The blood vessels bursting are what will cause you to see an initial bruise in the area where the injury took place. The bruising will often spread and be tender to the touch. In addition, the bruising that is associated with a broken rib is often darker than normal types of bruises that you get from bumps and scrapes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have had an impact in the area of your ribs and you notice bruising, swelling, and any pain, even if the injury did not feel as bad at first, it is important to go to the doctor right away. An x-ray will help determine how bad the injury is and how it needs to be treated in order to make sure that you do not injure yourself even more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Swelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you notice that your ribs are starting to swell, you can almost assume that it is because there is a fracture, especially if this occurs after a traumatic event. A rib is not a body part that can be simply sprained. This means that if you are having symptoms, you can typically assume that you have broken your rib. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your ribs start to swell after a traumatic event, you need to get to the emergency room as fast as possible in order to have the area looked at. If you do not get medical attention right away you can make the injury worse. The swelling can actually point to a rib that is broken and about to puncture an organ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure that you ice the area right after the event has occurred. This will help the swelling go down naturally. Ice packs can be used throughout the healing process in order to help keep the area cool. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Pain When Breathing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have broken a rib, chances are that you will have pain at the site of the fracture. However, this is not the only area that you may experience pain. In addition, chances are that you are also going to have some pain when you move in certain positions and when you are breathing in and out. When you breathe, the rib cage expands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When one of your ribs is broken, it can make breathing painful. This can be very dangerous as the ribs move they can become displaced and poke into things that they are not supposed to, such as an important muscle or organ. If you are having pain when you breathe, the rib fracture may be quite severe and puts you in a lot more danger. An x-ray will determine the extent of the injury and what steps should be taken next in order to help you begin the healing process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Added Strain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

 If you feel added strain in the area of your ribcage, this is a common sign that you have injured your ribs in some way. Chances are that you will also have some of the other symptoms on this list, such as extreme pain, bruising, and swelling at the fracture site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The added strain is something that you will typically notice when you are doing any type of exercise or activities that use the muscles located near the ribs. This includes simply breathing or moving around. This added strain will typically be noticeable throughout the healing process, which can take six to eight weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to reduce strain right after the initial injury until you have seen a medical provider. Make sure that you follow the instructions of your doctor to make sure that the strain is reduced in order to allow the ribs time to properly heal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Internal Pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, if you have fractured or broken a rib, most of the pain is going to be focused near the actual injury. However, this is not the case of all types of rib injuries. There are many cases where you may experience pain that extends further than just near the ribs. There is often internal pain that is associated with the broken rib as well. This type of pain should be taken very seriously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internal pain that is associated with a broken rib can mean that there is a risk of internal bleeding or an injury that was not there before. Make sure that you go to the emergency room as quickly as possible after the injury to make sure that it is examined to determine how bad the injury really is. If your pain gets worse or changes at all, make sure that you let your doctor know right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Chest Tightness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Any type of pain that is associated with the chest can be very scary. If you have suffered from an injury and you are experiencing any of the symptoms on this list, there is a good chance that you have fractured or broken a rib. If you notice that there is a tightness in your chest after an injury, go to the emergency room for x-rays as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waiting to get properly diagnosed can be fatal in this type of situation. If you start to feel a tightness in your chest during the healing process, make sure that you report this to your doctor. There are times when tightness in the chest may happen without a broken rib being present. This could be a symptom of an underlying heart condition and you need to make sure that you get it checked out as soon as possible as not doing so can be very dangerous. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Popping or Grinding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are different ways that an injury may lead to a fractured or broken rib. This type of injury may happen to several different bones at one time. There are several ribs that make up the entire rib cage and any of them could be fractured at once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on how the injury occurred and what is going on under the skin near the ribs, you may have a popping or grinding feeling along with some of the other symptoms on this list. A grinding or popping feeling when you exercise or use the rib muscle is common in some types of breaks or fractures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have this symptom, you need to get your ribs checked out right away to find out if there is an additional concern as to the result of the injury. It may mean the fracture is not set right and needs to be adjusted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A fever is the body\u2019s natural way to guard against infections and illnesses. When you develop a fever, it is typically a sign that your body is trying to get rid of something from the body. The fever may make you feel worse at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your body is under a lot of stress it can cause you to get a fever.  If your fever becomes too high it can cause many other health issues, so it is important to keep your fever under control using over the counter medications, cool baths, and other methods to bring it down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have broken a rib and develop a fever, it is often just the body trying to deal with a very traumatic event. If you cannot get your fever to go down, it could be a sign of a serious infection. You will need to go to your doctor in order to determine what is causing the fever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Shock<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shock is a condition where the body will simply shut down when it has experienced a traumatic event. If you have been in an accident or are a victim of a crime, there is a chance that you may go into shock. Some of the symptoms associated with shock include a fever, coldness throughout the body, and shaking throughout the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have broken a rib in a traumatic event, your body temperature may drop suddenly, which can cause you to go into shock. If you are experiencing the symptoms on this list and you notice some of the symptoms of shock, you need medical attention right away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this process, your body is shutting down and you need a medical professional to begin treatment for these symptoms right away. Not getting medical treatment can lead to many complications and could even be deadly, which is why it is so important to see a doctor as soon as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Impaired Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you have fractured or broken one of your ribs, one of the first things that you are likely to notice is that you are not going to want to move the area that is affected at all. The pain that comes with moving the area will likely be extreme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simple movements such as moving during your sleep can actually increase your risk of damaging the fractured or broken rib even more. A rib cannot be splinted in the same way that a traditional break or fracture of another bone can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that it can be more difficult to keep the ribs in place while they are trying to heal. The healing process for a broken or fractured rib can be anywhere from six to eight weeks after it is set. During this time your movement is going to be somewhat impaired and you will need to limit your daily activities in order to give yourself time to fully heal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Heat to the Touch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many people who have fractured or broken a rib notice that not only do they have pain near the fracture site, but they also have a feeling of warmness or heat around the area. You may also experience numbness or tingling in the area as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are symptoms to really watch for as they can help you identify the exact rib that is broken. The area will likely be tender to the touch as well. If you have been hit in the ribs and notice heat in the area and there are no other signs of an injury, you should consider medical attention as this is a definite sign of a fracture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, the shock will mask some of the other symptoms of a broken rib for several hours and it is during this time that further injuries are more likely to occur. This is why medical attention after an accident is so important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Arthritis Flare-Ups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are thousands of people who are affected by arthritis. If you suffer from any type of arthritis and sustain a traumatic injury, there is a good chance that you will notice a flare-up of your condition. Flare-ups of arthritis may occur as the body is under a lot of stress or when the season\u2019s change and the weather becomes colder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arthritis is not just a condition of the bones and joints. It is technically an inflammatory condition. This means that a traumatic event may cause inflammation, which results in a flare-up of arthritic symptoms. Some of the symptoms of an arthritis flare-up include pain, reduced movement in an area of the body, and warmth to the touch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When this is combined with a broken rib it is important to discuss it with your doctor right away. Anti-inflammatory medications should help reduce inflammation and may alleviate some of the pain you are experiencing as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Fainting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you break a rib, it can be quite traumatic. This can be associated with many different effects on the body that goes further than simply experiencing pain. When a rib has been recently broken, the pain may become very extreme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This extreme pain may cause a person to faint as a response. Fainting can be dangerous as it can cause even more injuries as you fall to the ground. This motion of fainting can further extend the damage to the site of the fracture. Fainting is often caused by the body reacting to the extreme pain and the blood pressure dropping as a result of the pain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people faint or lose consciousness after a large accident. Fainting can also pose a problem if it occurs in what is considered to be a danger zone of the accident. Medical personnel should be called right away if a person faints and has symptoms of broken ribs or other bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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