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Sat on the sofa now munching on a large cookie and getting ice packs on rotation.
Never broken a rib before but have heard a&e would only result in token sympathy and being sent home, therefore pointless? I'm guessing they are only bruised, what's the difference?
Was a big over-the-bars landing on rh side, upper arm and shoulder are sore but moving ok. The main complaint is back and rib cage muscles, struggling to move around, bit like having lower back spasm but higher up. I was totally winded on landing, walked away from it but couldn't lift the bike on the landing side.
Any similar experiences, what to expect tomorrow?
I'd go just to check no spinal complications.
Pain killers and anti-inflammatories. Deep breaths now and again to prevent infection.
It'll get worse before it gets better too. 😈
Don't know why you didn't go to A&E, then you could have complained on here if they did send you away having done nothing, or they might have found something? 🙂
I expect you will hurt more tomorrow....get well soon.
I went otb on a rock garden and cracked a rib. Freaking sore. Breathing hurt like hell (the day after). Went to minor injuries a few days later but they sent me to A&E to check spine for potential problems. On the plus side i did get some ace painkillers!!
I've currently got a pulled muscle in my ribs from coughing due to a chest infection that I think happened due to shallow breathing from damaging a different rib.
It hurts. Rib pain sucks.
Go to A&E, make sure you haven't cracked any vertebra. I read somewhere that broken backs are more often caused by hard impacts to your shoulders and chest than your back.
Don't sneeze whatever you do.
No need imo ( advice on the internet is worth what you pay for it)
There is no treatment for broken ribs. A&E I worked in years ago wouldn't even x ray for broken ribs for this reason.
Are you coughing blood? Short of breath? tingling in arms and legs? Difficulty in moving head and/ or real neck pain?
I landed hard on sunday and ended up in A&E for 4 hours. Result was fractured ribs and a sprained pelvis,I didn't even know you could sprain your pelvis! Although given the speed the Dr checked the x-rays and kicked me out i'm not convinced he did anything more than check that I hadn't punctured a lung. I even had to ask him for some pain relief!
Its now tuesday, i've had bugger all sleep and have been restricted to my armchair as i'm still in agony. Seems to be worse today and the co-codamol is only just taking the edge off the pain. I might give my GP a call tomorrow and see what he has to say
I'd go tomorrow and get checked out, worth a couple of hours wait in a&e for peace of mind imo, I did the same a couple of years ago, front wheel wash out and landed heavy on right side on hardpack, wasn't too bad at the time but the next day hurt like hell to breath, mine were only bruised but could hardly bend down for a good few days, and was uncomfortable for a good couple of weeks. (I have a manual job, and quite a high pain threshold I think)
Thanks all. Haven't got the nastier symptoms listed. Yet. Breathing is ok really, though I expect to be wincing tomorrow. The scan for vertebra fractures sounds wise but I don't expect any, the worst part area is just below the shoulder blade and round to the side.
Have made it from sofa to loo to bed whic was sketchy as back and ab muscles were close to cramping.
Will send Mrs D to get diclofenac tomorrow on the way t a&e
Google diclofenac, it can have some unpleasant effects
Google anything, it will have unpleasant outcomes...
DrP
/\ trust him he's a dr 😉
I break or bruise (not much difference and treatment the same, i.e. none) at least once a year.
I think I have glass ribs and have even damaged them doing up a rear track nut very hard while leaning over the saddle! Typically lasts around 6 weeks before the pain goes away.
Dr checked the x-rays and kicked me out i'm not convinced he did anything more than check that I hadn't punctured a lung. I even had to ask him for some pain relief!
Thats probably they key one, my brother soldiered on for a few days after doing his playing Rugby... not the best way about it. Ribs, no real treatment
I did a couple of ribs a few years ago. The GF made me go to a&e, regardless that I told her they wouldn't do anything.
The Dr was very reasonable, but told me he would check my blood pressure as ruptured spleens take a little while to notice, and are not uncommon in big motorbike/bicycle accidents.
Pop in, it might save your life.
6 weeks, eughpf. Doing a fell race next week seems beyond hope?
Woken up with improved muscles and increased soreness. Not concerned about spleen as impact was on right not left and urine normal.
111 said to go see the GP today so that's the plan, some tranquiliseresque drugs could be good to bring forward driving / lifting mini digger again.
Def go and get checked, Im currently sitting here in a sling with a broken arm which I nearly wasn't going to get checked out as I thought it would be fine. Nearly 3 weeks on and I can still barely move my arm.
I have broken across and up through the ball at the top my arm at the shoulder.
Along with the arm I damaged ribs too which is painful.
I broke ribs a couple of years ago and it takes weeks before they are back to 100%. You start to feel fine then go to lift something and all of a sudden the pain hits again. A&E won't even xray if its only your ribs unless there is a chance one has punctured a lung etc but getting the shoulder checked may be advisable.
I managed to lose the front wheel in L2A three weeks ago whilst on a solo bike trip, broke 5 ribs and fractured my scapula, I ended up in the local clinic and was then sent to Grenoble to have a CT scan to check for lung damage. There is little they can do apart from prescribe pain killers and a sling if necessary . If you are struggling to get out of bed you have probably broken a rib, either way get it checked out. Six weeks to mend
A&E won't do anything for broken ribs, true - but the danger here is that you might have done more than crack a rib or two.
Two real life examples from riding buddies in the last 12 months:
1. One guy thought he'd pulled a few muscles and cracked a rib. Drove home from Fort William to Lancs, went to A&E as it wasn't getting any better. Turned out he'd broken his back.
2. Another guy came off on first run at BPW. Assumed just aches and pains from soft tissue damage. Drove home to Lancs, went to A&E because it was getting worse. Found out he's torn his spleen into three pieces. They said that if he'd just gone to bed as he'd planned, then he wouldn't have woken up in the morning!
If you're sat eating a large cookie wondering if to go to emergency department then it's not an emergency.
Minor injuries for assessment.
Spleen injury is one thing to watch out for, as I discovered when I broke my ribs in a 12mph OTB. A broken one is like a leaky bag of blood that can drain your system and then you're a gonner. Symptoms were nausea, fainting and blood in urine, which came on a few hours later.
For some reason we have this organ tucked just under the bottom rib on the left side, just waiting to be pulped if you fall at the wrong angle.
Unlikely this is the case for the OP, but worth bearing in mind when forumites start saying it's "just" a cracked rib.