Bruised Ribs From Fall

A rib contusion, also called a bruised rib, can occur after a fall or blow to your chest area. A bruise occurs when small blood vessels break and leak their contents into the soft tissue beneath the skin. This causes the skin to become discolored.

Bruised ribs are notorious for their long healing time. Unfortunately, unlike other bones of the body, ribs cannot be placed in a cast, which is why we need to wait for them to heal on their own. Typical healing time for bruised ribs is anywhere between 3 to 6 weeks. However, some may take even longer.

Broken ribs recovery is slow. It takes a good 6 to 8 weeks for fractured or broken ribs to heal. During this time it is imperative to observe for and treat any complications that could turn into emergency situations. Unfortunately, pain will continue throughout the entire recuperation time.

Treatment Options. While healing time for bruised ribs typically ranges anywhere between 5 to 6 weeks, rib fractures might take longer to heal. The time one would take to recover would also vary, depending on the overall health of the patient. It might range from 6 weeks to 6 months.

Resting and restricting your activities are the main treatment options for bruised ribs. Ice may help relieve some of your pain and swelling. Since bruised ribs cause pain when you inhale – causing you to take more shallow breaths – your doctor may prescribe medication to help manage your pain.

The best broken rib treatment is simple pain medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are best. If you go to the ER for your broken rib, the doctor is likely to give you a prescription pain medication as well as a NSAID.

Cracked or Broken Rib Symptoms Chest Pain: Mild to severe pain is experienced in the affected region. … Breathing Problems: The person may not be able to breathe, as functioning of lungs may get affected due to the injured rib. … Painful Breathing: Patient may experience pain while breathing due to the chest wall deformities that are caused as a result of cracked rib. More items…

The best broken rib treatment is simple pain medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen are best. If you go to the ER for your broken rib, the doctor is likely to give you a prescription pain medication as well as a NSAID.

Try sleeping on the injured side. If your broken ribs are only on one side, some physicians recommend that you sleep on the injured side because it restricts the movement of your injured ribs and allows you to breathe more deeply on your uninjured side.

Cracked ribs are considered a minor injury but are not an easy fix. Broken ribs recovery is slow. It takes a good 6 to 8 weeks for fractured or broken ribs to heal. During this time it is imperative to observe for and treat any complications that could turn into emergency situations.

The treatment for a broken rib is simple: it can heal on its own with proper rest, but can take approximately six weeks to completely heal.

Doctor and medical specialist list for Rib fracture: The following types of doctors or medical specialists may be involved in diagnosis, treatment or management for Rib fracture: Emergency Medical Physician.