Treatment of broken ribs - useful tips and advice

Patients with fractures of different severity often come to polyclinics. Someone's legs break, someone needs a cast to break their hands to apply. According to medical statistics, most injuries occur in which the bones of the chest are damaged. After serious injuries, the treatment of rib fractures requires surgical intervention.

What is dangerous is a broken rib

This injury can be obtained with a strong injury, an unsuccessful fall or, having got into an accident. At the time of the fracture, you can feel a lot of pain. Gradually it passes or becomes less tangible. If the injury is not serious, then there will be no consequences. The bones will be consolidated within three weeks, a maximum of a month, and no special treatment for the rib fracture will be required . However, if there is a serious injury, a consequence may occur which will lead to death. It is especially important to know that broken pieces of bone tissue can puncture the lung. The puncture will lead to internal bleeding (hemothorax) or the chest cavity is filled with air (pneumothorax). In any situation, you should consult a doctor urgently.

How to independently determine the fracture of the rib

To make an inspection and diagnose it is possible without the help of a doctor. To do this, you need to know the symptoms of fractures. First of all, pay attention to breathing, pulse and pain when moving. If the person feels pain and discomfort when breathing, the heartbeat increases dramatically, and the soreness does not disappear - it may fracture. Now you need to determine the place of the alleged injury. Usually, it swells, and when you press the rib, the pain increases dramatically. If these symptoms occur, consult a doctor for an examination. After it, the treatment of fractures of the ribs is prescribed.

How to help a person injured

With closed fractures, if the victim can breathe on his own, a bandage should be applied. It is suitable for all improvised means. For example, you can use a bandage, towel, T-shirt or something else. The victim should collect air in lungs, and you at this moment will make to it a rigid bandage.

With open fractures, you can not move a person. The only thing you can help is to call an ambulance. Arriving doctors will deliver the victim to the clinic, where he will be assigned appropriate treatment of broken ribs. Having discovered an open fracture, do not try to help yourself. If you do not have medical education, only further aggravate the situation.

What is the treatment after the fracture?

Before making an appointment, the doctor conducts an examination, sends the patient to X-ray and additional tests. Provided that the fracture did not affect the internal organs, the patient is given a tight bandage and prescribed painkillers. Presence in the hospital is not required. If the trauma resulted in such consequences as pneumothorax or hemothorax, the victim will undergo a number of appropriate procedures.

After receiving an injury, remember that the treatment of rib fractures should be performed only in the polyclinic.