Ribs - ouch! What to do?

Did exactly this, followed every YouTube video out there hoping to recover in 2 weeks rather than 6-8. No luck, super frustrating.

Found breathing exercises and massaging intercostal muscles better than any of the movement exercises.

Don’t try and do some light deadlifts as soon as the pain goes like me or you will add another 2 weeks of frustration.

The best thing you can do is nothing.... Probably best to watch one of your favourite comedies to pass the time.

Yep, nothing to be done but rest. I didn't try a deadlift, but I did pick up my baby son when I thought I was healed, and very abruptly and painfully found that I was not. Just rest

Go to the doctor, they can then send you to MIU for an X-Ray and then work out what the issue is, as always, rib injuries are just rest and recover, depends on what it is though, intercostal strains/tears are worse from my experience, and having something like diclofenac or the likes helps the recovery, broken ribs can be sore, or sometimes not an issue, when i broke my collarbone and shoulder last time i was told that my 3 x broken ribs were knitting well, i didn't even know i'd broken them on a fall 2 months earlier!

Make a list of the movements that make it hurt then don't do those.

Judging from the young lady and her mother in the cubicle next to mine on Sunday night, yelling at your a&e Dr when they say go home and take paracetamol might be very helpful, more so than going home and taking paracetamol.

Go to the doctor, they can then send you to MIU for an X-Ray and then work out what the issue is

Not sure where you live but my Dr would tell me to go home and take paracetamol, as would the folks in MIU and A&e, xray for ribs? Not a chance unless I'm paying for it and even then I'm not sure they'd take my money without making it clear the answer will still be go home and take paracetamol regardless of what the xray shows.

What ever you do, don't sneeze!!

+1 for don't sneeze /cough / get any form of respiratory illness.

There's a reason that paracetamol is recommended over ibuprofen, diclofenac & naproxen; less side effects and particularly, it doesn't slow down the bone healing process in the way that those others all do, so quite relevant if it's a fracture.

What I would add though is get back on your bike as soon as possible, start on a static/turbo if you have access to one and then get out and about but be really careful.  Gentle exercise and gentle additional breathing load will accelerate the healing process a little but you have to get the balance right.  As does a good healthy diet.  Mind, you've got quite a few repairs to do here and that takes quality nutrition.

Not a lot you can do. Co-codamol is good to help prevent coughing if you feel you may be developing a cold - will at least reduce the pain. Broke mine a few times. Was able to ride gently after two weeks (I commuted to work on the bike) but not pull on the bars - just took it easy.  Broke 4 ribs and my spine in the last one - ribs caused most pain at first, and severe spasms, but, after 6 weeks lay flat on my back in hospital, they were OK. My spine less so.

Not sure where you live but my Dr would tell me to go home and take paracetamol, as would the folks in MIU and A&e, xray for ribs? Not a chance unless I’m paying for it and even then I’m not sure they’d take my money without making it clear the answer will still be go home and take paracetamol regardless of what the xray shows.

My doctor has done this twice with me, MIU is 100 yards away, they raise it on the system, i go over and then get the x-ray, all done in 20 minutes, then wait for a call or appointment. I can't go into MIU and get an X-Ray where i am though as it's a service rather than the MIU department, it has to be raised via a Doctor or the likes.

Folks in MIU do not treat broken bones, it's only that the X-Ray machine is located there in our area for referrals via GPs in the area, might not be the set up others have, pretty sure Dursley MIU has the same though so that's my two nearest doing the same.

I feel your pain - I cracked a rib earlier in year (ran out of skill on the mountain bike). Unfortunately I get fairly bad hay fever... Early part of summer was most amusing. Sneezing fits with a cracked rib aren't great 😆

I didn't think there was much I could do. As for seeing a GP, I reckon I'll be healed in the time that takes these days (it usually takes weeks just to speak to one on the phone); I'm not sure how I'll even get a sick note if I need one.

I'm in Somerset (Street) and our closest MIU does have an X-Ray, but the other time I attended with rib cage damage they didn't X-Ray. I gather that there's not point in knowing as bruised, cracked or broken they're all treated the same (rest & painkillers).

Struggling a bit with feeling this hurty when it wasn't my fault (no different from illness I suppose).

Struggling a bit with feeling this hurty when it wasn’t my fault

where there’s blame there’s a claim.

Took me 6 weeks to recover from rib cage / car bonnet interface at 40mph earlier in the year. Worse thing was not sneezing / coughing / laughing. During one funny film I had to go and stand outside with a cushion clutched to my chest. Not a lot you can do but suck it up and wait.

Plenty of deep breathing to stop any infection forming and freeze spray worked for me

I go to the docs and say something along the lines of "I don't want to seem like an addict seeking opiates or something, but, please prescribe me some 500/30 cocodamol.". And then I mainline that and ibuprofen til it gets better. An excellent mix of pain relief and mild stonage.

The only other thing I can recommend is for sleeping- build a nest. Going flat and getting back up always absolutely sucks, keeping a bit more upright makes a huge difference. Sleeping in a comfy chair can work great too

You can rest, but you'd might as well suck it up and carry on. I probably broke my ribs and was spasming in the office through pain - went to A&E and got nothing. It subsided but there was residual pain for a loonnnng time. If you intend to rest until better, I hope you like jigsaws.

I had a massive crash and slam in a skiing accident, my ribs were in tatters. Just about everything but sitting stock still was agony, even laughing. Don't even mention lying in bed. It lasted about a month then really reduced in pain, thank god. I was doing a lot of ibuprofen but nowadays I would avoid as overdoing it has given me some gastric problems

Still very ouchy following a rough night of tossing and turning. I also picked up a wound on my shoulder which refuses to stop bleeding and weeping yellowy gunk.

Anyway, spoke to a GP yesterday who didn't strike me as being concerned (or particularly interested). No interest in x-raying and his advice was to take lots of paracetamol (8 a day) as he said it would speed my recovery.

I'm on loads of pills for my heart and not keen on taking more unless I really need to (although they do help with the pain noticeably). I'd assume that painkillers just dull the pain. Is there anything magical about paracetamol and ribs (bruised, cracked, broken, torn or whatever mind are) or will I just be giving my liver a kicking?

Don't know about paracetamol.  I took Ibuprofen (as anti inflammatory pain relief) and diazepam (as a relaxant).  I has spasms though.  Take it easy, rest and heal up.  It takes a long time to feel better.

Your liver will be fine unless you exceed the recommended dose.

Unfortunately, rib injuries are one of the few that have very limited rehab options- it's basically just pain management, really.

The reason why your GP is saying that oain relief will speed your recovery is because it will keep you moving, and therefore less prone to inflammation, muscle atrophy and losing joint range. The last thing you need now is a stiff, weak and painful trunk on top your existing injury, which is surprisingly easy to get when it's painful to move. As a physio I lot of people get themselves into really horrible situations through pain related fear of movement, it can be shocking how life changing it can be. Not saying this will necessarily apply to you, of course, but it's useful to illustrate how important it is to get on top of the pain and keep moving as much as is reasonable.
Other non-pharmaceutical pain management optiond include hot and/or cold packs (whichever works beat for you), hot showers/baths, and some kind of compression- some people literally hold a pillow or folded towel against their ribs as they move. It has to be said, though, none of them will work as well as the pharmaceutical ones. If you don't like taking pills, have you tried topical gels? Volteral and ibuprofen gels both work, although make sure you are safe to take ibuprofen and it still counts as a dose, so follow dosage guidelines

I was given Lidocaine patches and told to take vitamin D supplements.

I'm 12 weeks into 8 broken ribs. I had surgery to repair 5 of them and been back on the bike a few weeks. Ribs are fine but the nerve / muscle damage can be uncomfortable.

The muscle damage can be even more painful than broken ribs.

Kinesiology tape is my go to. Awesome

Anyway, spoke to a GP yesterday who didn’t strike me as being concerned

Did you speak to them about the shoulder wound too? Yellowy gunk sounds less than desirable as does refuses to stop bleeding. I'll be honest, I'd probably take my self to miu with that, infection is not good.

Anyhow, hopefully to make you feel better op, at least at my expense.
I picked up a hole in my arm (five stitches), a dislocated shoulder, a couple of cracked ribs and a very hurty knee and elbow (both xrayed and thanks to pads just hurty) on my fall last weekend.
The hole in my arm started weeping this morning - I think because I stretched it too far - but it seems less inclined to stop today than when I did it.
I cut the waist high grass back today, i didn't recall from last year until a bit too late just how much dust that would involve and have as a result been sneezing lots this afternoon. The ribs and shoulder are not keen on this.
Due to the antibiotics they gave me for the big hole [now not] with a bit of tree root in it that they stitched up I can't even have a beer or a glass of wine to stave off the discomfort.
And, as if that weren't bad enough, I've the whole day with the in laws tomorrow.

A week after I fell off and elbowed myself in the ribs (which flipping well hurt) I went on a pre-booked weekend to Afan.
Riding wasn't an issue, but my mates had to lift my bike through/over gates, as attempts by me, to do so, resulted in a sudden fluency in Welsh (or was it Anglo-Saxon?)

Seriously, though, keep as active as you can, and avoidt coughing/sneezing/laughing

Get a nice good firm cushion.

Carry it around like a comfort blanket

When an urge for a cough or a sneeze occurs hug it like a long lost relative

And try sleeping sitting up. Therrs no magic just time.