Bruised Ribs
All About Bruised Ribs
Have you ever had bruised ribs? This can happen when you are hit too hard in the ribs or the abdomen area. This happens because the ribs will push against the muscle wall that surrounds them. Technically, bruised ribs can not be diagnosed by a doctor but there are certain things that you can do to make sure that you do not continue to harm this area. This article will explore those things in more detail and explain more information about injured ribs.
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If you are involved in a situation in which your ribs are forced out of its normal position it will injure the muscles in this area. It can also cause damage to the organs under your rib cage. Because of this, your ribs can be bruised by a number of things. You may have suffered from a trauma such as abuse or an injury during an accident or while playing a sport. Diseases such as leukemia can also cause bruised ribs. Chronic steroid use may cause this complication as well. This is important to know if you are taking steroids and begin to have trouble breathing or feel pain in the abdomen area.
If you have a rib injury, you may experience several different things. You may have pain when you try to breath, laugh, or cough. It may also appear to be very tender in this area. If these symptoms are experienced your physician may want you to have a chest x-ray. The x-ray will not show a bruise because a bruise can not be diagnosed (as previously mentioned). However, it will rule out any other complications such as a break in the ribs. Treatment for a broken rib is going to be different than treatment for a bruised rib. Actually, a broken rib may need to be reset by your doctor.
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The first thing you need to do when treating a bruised rib is consider your level of pain, your personal situation and your ability to move. Sometimes, you may not be able to stop doing certain activities. If you must continue with normal activities you should wear a protective pad. This is usually made out of a very strong plastic and it will have a soft material under it. This should be wrapped around the rib area and strapped over the shoulders in order to help decrease movement.
You can eventually move towards doing exercises that will strengthen this area and the muscles that are sore. When doing these exercises you should never push yourself too far. This will only cause more pain and it could actually make things worse by continuing to damage the muscles. You should only complete the stretches to a position that is comfortable for you. Make sure that you always get checked by a physician in order to determine the severity of your injury. They can also help you determine what is going to be the best treatment option for you.
Remember, this is most likely going to be a painful experience for you. However, you can always purchase an over the counter pain medication like aspirin to help with the pain. You should then take the medication as it is prescribed on the bottle. You will want to keep your arm over the bruised area. This can keep others from touching the sensitive area. Avoid stretching the area for two to three days. You will also want to avoid physical activity for a few days to rest the area and give it time to heal. You should apply ice to the area to help decrease swelling and help with the pain.