NancyH
08-01-2006, 02:14 PM
Is it possible to crack a rib without falling? I got stuck in a very tight spot a few days ago tight enough I couldn't breathe so I paniced and squeezed out. The part in the squeeze was just the bottom of the rib cage to the collar bone. When I did that I felt a sharp stab and a pop in the side of the ribs at bra area by the armpit, it took my breath away. Since I have not been able to take a deep breath without sharp pain along side of ribs, coughing is beyond tolerable, and even clearing my throat is painful. This is the 5th day and it seems to now entail the entire left side of rib cage as well as the entire left back area. I'm sure some tissue got piched as well. I do have osteoporosis, and have had a stress fracture in the back a couple years ago, I'm a high risk for fracture especially back and hip, is it possible to fracture without a fall? I was trying to squeeze in a spot to clean, got in fine sort of but getting out was a whole different ballgame. My Dr is out of town right now anyway and after reading about rib fractures I got to thinking I sound like I have one. Any experience out there with this one?
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hypatia
08-01-2006, 03:21 PM
A friend of mine cracked two ribs coughing and that's when she was also diagnosed with osteoporosis--so it would seem external pressure could very well cause a rib to crack. Can you go to an urgent care facility, Nancy? Or do you feel you can wait till your dr. is available?
BrittleBones
08-01-2006, 03:50 PM
Hi Nancy - I can feel your pain as I sit here and type this response! I have broken at least 5 ribs on different occasions and none of them have been from traumatic injury. I have osteoporosis as well and broke ribs by bending over to get something out of my purse; by sneezing, by coughing, by rolling over in bed and by turning quickly. Point being: with osteoporosis I think it's possible to spontaneously break a rib. Unfortunately for me, I was told that there is no real treatment for a broken rib unless the rib is threatening to cut through a lung or is really keeping you from getting adequate oxygen. But I would still get to an urgent care center or an emergency room for an xray to make sure that you arent' dealing with something more serious. Perhaps you can get something for the pain which would then allow you to expand your lungs in order to take deeper breaths. The last thing you want is to get pneumonia from not clearing your lungs sufficiently. Please post back and let us know what the doc says. I can't remember anything more painful than broken ribs! And I've broken almost all my vertabrae, my right hip, and other bones all from osteoporosis and all of them were non-traumatic injuries, just spontaneous fractures - and I'd still have to say that a broken rib is the most painful!! Hope you feel better soon. KathyMac
minny51
08-31-2006, 05:33 PM
Hi Nancy - I can feel your pain as I sit here and type this response! I have broken at least 5 ribs on different occasions and none of them have been from traumatic injury. I have osteoporosis as well and broke ribs by bending over to get something out of my purse; by sneezing, by coughing, by rolling over in bed and by turning quickly. Point being: with osteoporosis I think it's possible to spontaneously break a rib. Unfortunately for me, I was told that there is no real treatment for a broken rib unless the rib is threatening to cut through a lung or is really keeping you from getting adequate oxygen. But I would still get to an urgent care center or an emergency room for an xray to make sure that you arent' dealing with something more serious. Perhaps you can get something for the pain which would then allow you to expand your lungs in order to take deeper breaths. The last thing you want is to get pneumonia from not clearing your lungs sufficiently. Please post back and let us know what the doc says. I can't remember anything more painful than broken ribs! And I've broken almost all my vertabrae, my right hip, and other bones all from osteoporosis and all of them were non-traumatic injuries, just spontaneous fractures - and I'd still have to say that a broken rib is the most painful!! Hope you feel better soon. KathyMac
minny51
08-31-2006, 05:44 PM
Hi Nancy, I was diagnosed with osteopenia this May after I had broken a rib.
My sons friend gave me a hug and we heard a crack., this was last May 05, Now it is 1 year and 2 months and I have been to all kinds of doctors because I was still in pain, and they can not believe the ribs could break this way, finally one doctor gave me a bonescan and a ct scan and they found out I had 5 broken ribs. Now I am on Boniva for 3 months and the gave me an option to get on hormone treatments. I am new to this illness and I am just happy they found out why I was in pain. If anyone can tell me how long it will take to heal these ribs, please reply.:confused:
My sons friend gave me a hug and we heard a crack., this was last May 05, Now it is 1 year and 2 months and I have been to all kinds of doctors because I was still in pain, and they can not believe the ribs could break this way, finally one doctor gave me a bonescan and a ct scan and they found out I had 5 broken ribs. Now I am on Boniva for 3 months and the gave me an option to get on hormone treatments. I am new to this illness and I am just happy they found out why I was in pain. If anyone can tell me how long it will take to heal these ribs, please reply.:confused:
NancyH
09-02-2006, 01:27 AM
IT takes about 3 to 8 weeks for the rib to heal so my Dr said. I cracked my rib in late July and when my Dr got back from vacation he took xrays, CT and sure enough I had a cracked rib along with some tissue damage, the rib will heal faster than the tissue damage and so far he's proved to be right. If I use my left arm more than usual the left side of the rib cage starts to tighten up so I know the muscles are still healing. So hang in there!
Linni
09-04-2006, 12:43 AM
I read this with interest, since as I write this now, I'm in a large amount of pain on my right side. Since this is a totally anonymous board, I'll tell my story. Last week my wonderful husband and I were making love, :) and at one point, I felt an awful pain along my right ribs and I screamed out - in pain. What a way to wreck the mood! Anyway, since that time I've been in pain and wonder if I, too, may have broken a rib.
I'm going to my dr this week about leg and back pain, and will mention this, too - although I'm trying to figure out a nice way to explain how it happened.
After it happened I sat on the bed and cried, because I feel like my body is falling apart at the seams if I can't even have my husband hug me anymore. He's very understanding, but this whole thing is so depressing to me. Especially since I'm trying to do everything right - I walk, lift weights, do yoga take calcium and eat all the good food. And it doesn't seem to be enough.
Linni
I'm going to my dr this week about leg and back pain, and will mention this, too - although I'm trying to figure out a nice way to explain how it happened.
After it happened I sat on the bed and cried, because I feel like my body is falling apart at the seams if I can't even have my husband hug me anymore. He's very understanding, but this whole thing is so depressing to me. Especially since I'm trying to do everything right - I walk, lift weights, do yoga take calcium and eat all the good food. And it doesn't seem to be enough.
Linni
minny51
09-07-2006, 02:10 PM
Hi ,I understand how you all feel . Two years ago I was fine and now since I went into menapause at 49 I have osteopenia I dont feel I am part of my family anymore , I have had 5 broken ribs since last May 05 , I got on boniva this March 06 when I was diagnosed with osteopenia, I am in pain all the time and I have not been able to go to the gym or play golf with my family , I lay in bed most of the time and I am scared if I dont do any excersise my bone will become more pourus. Doctors keep saying the ribs will heal but I must do nothing. If anyone has had broken ribs , and not healed for a long time , please answer my post, I cant understand why I am not healing ?
minne51
minne51
minny51
09-08-2006, 01:51 PM
Hi Nancy - I can feel your pain as I sit here and type this response! I have broken at least 5 ribs on different occasions and none of them have been from traumatic injury. I have osteoporosis as well and broke ribs by bending over to get something out of my purse; by sneezing, by coughing, by rolling over in bed and by turning quickly. Point being: with osteoporosis I think it's possible to spontaneously break a rib. Unfortunately for me, I was told that there is no real treatment for a broken rib unless the rib is threatening to cut through a lung or is really keeping you from getting adequate oxygen. But I would still get to an urgent care center or an emergency room for an xray to make sure that you arent' dealing with something more serious. Perhaps you can get something for the pain which would then allow you to expand your lungs in order to take deeper breaths. The last thing you want is to get pneumonia from not clearing your lungs sufficiently. Please post back and let us know what the doc says. I can't remember anything more painful than broken ribs! And I've broken almost all my vertabrae, my right hip, and other bones all from osteoporosis and all of them were non-traumatic injuries, just spontaneous fractures - and I'd still have to say that a broken rib is the most painful!! Hope you feel better soon. KathyMac
minny51
09-08-2006, 02:04 PM
Hi Nancy, I am back to talk about ribs broken again , so it sounds like you can break them over and over ? Or maybe because we have osteopenia and the bones are pourus they take a very long time to heal. I play golf and work out at the gym and 8 months after I broke them and was back to playing , I didn't feel totally good, but I was getting so fat I needed to get excersice and also I was afraid not to get excersise for my bones. And they are still broke as I had a ct scan. So we dont know if I keep breaking them or they have not healed from the first time they broke. All of my doctors say they have never seen someone that takes so long to heel? I had all blood test and calcium tests and I am fine. But I am always in pain with these ribs. How are your ribs? are they healing? I have a fracture in my wrist and in my ankle, I wonder if these sports will cause me to break these bones? I am going on hormone therapy today and also boniva which I have been taking for 4 months. I hope my next dexa scan will show the same bone loss or less which I think is unlikely. My doctor said not to exspect better , just no more bone loss, at least he is honest.
minny51
minny51