pressure breaks - Osteoporosis Message Board

NancyH · 08-01-2006, 11:14 AM

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?

hypatia · 08-01-2006, 12:21 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, 12:50 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, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KathyMac

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, 02:44 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 ******** 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.