Should i ice bruised ribs

While a rib injury itself may not be life-threatening, in some cases, complications associated with rib injury can be. Rib injuries can occur in any person who sustains an injury to the chest, such as during a car accident. Elderly people with low bone density who are prone to falls may be more likely to experience rib injuries.

Children have more flexible ribcages—the bones may bend rather than break. However, young people who engage in rigorous athletics or competitive sports may be more at risk for rib injuries.

The chest, also called the thorax, contains several key anatomical structures and organs. The ribcage contains 12 ribs total on each side, divided into three different types. The first seven ribs attach to a bone in the front of the chest called the sternum or breastbone. Ribs 11 and 12 are known as " floating " ribs as they aren't attached to the sternum or to other ribs.

The organs contained in the thoracic cavity, those found in the adjacent abdominal cavity, as well as the spine are also vulnerable to injury as the result of chest trauma. The chest wall can become injured in a variety of ways. These structures can become damaged on impact while performing their job of protecting vital organs, such as the heart and lungs.

Bruised Ribs. The bones of the ribcage and sternum can break fracture and the muscles of the chest that support the ribcage can also be injured, strained, or bruised. In this case, it is not the bones that are involved. The pain of a bruised rib is actually from the strain or injury of the tissue, cartilage, and muscles of the chest wall. While a bruise does not sound as serious as a break, injuries to these surrounding tissues can be quite painful.

Ribs can experience breaks just like the other bones of the body. However, unlike an arm or a leg, a broken rib cannot be set or put into a cast. It's also not easy to keep a broken rib rested until it heals—the entire ribcage moves as the lungs expand when a person breathes. A "fractured" or "broken" rib refers to the same injury, one in which the bones of the ribcage are involved as opposed to only the surrounding supportive tissue, cartilage, and muscle of the chest wall as with a bruised rib.

The sternum, which serves as a point of articulation for ribs, can also become injured. After a trauma such as a car accident, a person may experience injuries to both the bony structures and supporting tissue of the chest wall. Both types of injury in isolation have similar symptoms and can be treated using basically the same method. Both bruised and broken ribs can be extremely painful.

Furthermore, unlike injuries that occur in other areas of the body, such as an arm or a leg, which can be wrapped, put in a cast, or more easily rested with crutches or a sling as they heal, the chest wall and ribcage move every time a person breathes.

These structures are also engaged during normal movement of the body, much of which is initiated in the torso. Injuries to the ribs and surrounding tissue often cause normal movement and even breathing to be very painful. However, these activities are not easily avoided—in fact, attempts to do so can worsen the condition or lead to complications.

Symptoms of bruised or broken ribs include:. This sharp pain may get worse when twisting the torso, moving the shoulders or arms, breathing in, and coughing. Sometimes people report an audible "snap" or "crack" as the injury occurs, which may indicate that a bone has broken.

Some people also report feeling a "popping" sensation. If the injury is very severe or multiple ribs have been broken, a person's chest may appear visibly deformed on an exam. If a person's chest moves in an odd way when she breathes called paradoxical movement it can be a sign of a serious condition known as flail chest —this results when the ribs become detached from the chest.

With flail chest, the movement of the chest when a person breathes will be abnormal. Flail chest is indicative of significant trauma and is often associated with other severe injuries to the body. In some cases, a bruised or broken rib can result in other health conditions that could even be life-threatening.

While any person who experiences trauma to the chest are at risk for complications, older people or people who have low bone density osteoporosis are more likely to not only experience broken ribs but to develop complications from the injury, such as pneumonia. Persistent coughing can also lead to rib injuries and would be more common in people who smoke or have conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD.

Young adults who engage in competitive sports may be more likely to experience a chest injury, but they can also be at risk for stress fractures affecting the ribs if they participate in an athletic activity that requires repetitive motion such as rowing. Rib injuries are fairly common, but the exact incidence isn't known. Since there is not much that can be done for rib injuries other than treating the symptoms and helping people avoid complications, medical intervention is usually minimal and supportive.

Most of the time, a healthcare provider will be able to diagnose a rib injury based on a person's symptoms and a physical exam.

Imaging tests like an X-ray or CT scan may not always be performed. Even when radiologic imaging tests are used, broken ribs do not always show up on an X-ray. Rather than to look for a broken bone, a healthcare provider is more likely to order imaging tests to make sure a person with a rib injury doesn't have other complications. If a person has been in an accident, the presence of rib fractures can indicate the possibility of more serious injuries to nearby organs, including those in the abdomen.

Imaging may also be needed if a person is at high risk for complications or has an underlying medical condition that could be made worse by the injury. Exceptions may be cases involving children, which typically warrant a more thorough medical investigation. If a child's ribs are broken, it indicates a major trauma or abuse may have been sustained.

Additional tests and evaluation may be needed to determine if other organs have been damaged as well as to determine the nature of such severe trauma. In some cases, rib injuries can result in more serious conditions or complications, some of which may be life-threatening. Pneumonia can result from chest infections that develop when a person resists coughing due to pain. A condition called a pneumothorax can develop if a broken rib injures a lung.

Other nearby organs may also be injured by ribs, or as a result of the impact, and can cause bleeding into the chest cavity hemothorax. The primary treatment for rib injuries is time. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one. Go to It could mean a broken rib has damaged something else, like your lung, liver or spleen. Page last reviewed: 05 January Next review due: 05 January Broken or bruised ribs. Check if you have a bruised or broken rib Broken or bruised ribs are usually caused by a fall, a blow to the chest or severe coughing.

Where can you learn more? Top of the page. Overview You can get a bruised rib if you fall or get hit, such as while playing sports. How can you care for yourself at home? Rest and protect the injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that causes pain. Put ice or a cold pack on the area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.

After 2 or 3 days, if your swelling is gone, put a heating pad set on low or a warm cloth on your chest. Some doctors suggest that you go back and forth between hot and cold. Put a thin cloth between the heating pad and your skin. Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen Tylenol , ibuprofen Advil, Motrin , or naproxen Aleve. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. As your pain gets better, slowly return to your normal activities.

Be patient. Rib bruises can take weeks or months to heal. If the pain gets worse, it may be a sign that you need to rest a while longer. For example, call if: You have severe trouble breathing.