Fractures of the ribs – let’s protect the internal organs in the chest

Post surgery

In the human body, the ribs together with the spinal column constitute a frame where several vital organs are located. If a rib has been broken, due to an injury or because of other reasons, in heavier cases it may cause a serious threat to life.

Injury, a reason for broken ribs.

Breaking one or several ribs is among the most common injuries of the thorax. It is important to know, that a rib may get broken as a result of a direct injury, which may be blows to the chest, falling or some other direct contact with an obstacle, as well as indirect injury, for example strong cough or similar. Depending on the severity of the rupture, the experience of the person may range between slight discomfort and life-threatening situations. Most commonly, the middle ribs from 4 to 9 are affected by ruptures.

Symptoms of a broken rib may include:

sharp, ticking pain when moving the thorax, breathing, coughing, sneezing, laughing, crying,
breathing disorders,
bleeding through the upper breathing organs,
swelling,
bruising.

If the symptoms referred to are observed after a thorax injury or in other cases, it is important to seek medical help. The doctor will listen to complaints and prescribe the necessary examination to establish the diagnosis.

Even before reaching a medical institution, it is important to provide first-aid on site. It is important to put the injured person in a semi-recumbent position, as well as put a cold compress on the aching place. Yet, it is by no means recommended to place compression bandages.

Treatment – From Rest to Lifesaving

To diagnose a rupture of a rib, the most popular method is an X-Ray scan. If the situation is unclear, then computer tomography is prescribed additionally; this examination method helps to diagnose internal body damage caused by the fractured ribs. A timely diagnosis is very important, to prevent life-threatening situations, when breaking of the ribs may harm the lungs and other vital organs located in the thorax. Most often this happens upon injury in traffic accidents, in sports and similar.

When treating rib fractures, depending on the severity of the injury, medical help may range from observing peace and using analgesics to life-saving surgery.

In the case of less complex rib fractures, the doctor shall fix the thorax, which at present is made easier by special elastic belts, meant for the fixation of the chest and internal organs, for them not to move during recovery. At the same time, the rest regimen prescribed by the doctor should be observed, which usually takes at least four weeks.

In the case of a more severe injury when surgery is needed, the treatment will be considerably longer and during it the patient will have to experience other medical manipulations as well, to alleviate this/her condition and make the recovery faster. In these cases, most probably, fixation of the chest will be needed as well. Often, after rib fractures, physiotherapy is required, which alleviates breathing and enhances the work of the internal organs located in the chest, thus reducing the development of complications.

Photo by Valentin Balan on Unsplash