Punched in the ribs...broken or bruised?

[BLACK LION]

Any popping sensation when you breath or sit or move?

Often, when hit in a target area of the ribs the after effects can be pretty debilitating even if not broken... bruised ribs are very uncomfortable and hinder most things that associate upper torso movement and breathing.

From what it sounds like, you took a good shot and it may take a week to get back to normal...then it will remain a sensitive spot for a bit.

Sounds like you were caught in between pain and injury... more force and it could have been bad.

Hope you get better , faster...

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Any popping sensation when you breath or sit or move?

Yes, now that you mention it. A tiny 'pop' if I take a deep breath - but only for a moment. Subsequent deep breaths and it doesn't do it again - until later. It's also kind of weird that I can't really localize the pain down to a precise spot like you can with a typical bruise, when you know right where it hurts and can put your finger on the spot. This one is kind of up front near the sternum and about two inches under my left nipple. I can get a slight 'pop' feel if I press in there, which hurts a bunch too. I can even hear the 'pop' noise if I'm quiet.

 

[Frostbite]

Hello. I'm an internet doctor. My official diagnosis is:














Get an X-ray. You'll feel a whole lot better just knowing what the hell's wrong with you. In my unofficial capacity as forum lurker though, you probably just bruised them.

 

[Steve]

Chances are you neither bruised nor broke a rib. From what i've seen, it's usually something done to the soft connecting tissue. If you haven't been to the doctor, I would agree with the others and suggest it. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if he recommends that you take it easy, and use a compression wrap to give sone support.

From personal experience, these take a while to heal and are very easy to reinjure because you start feeling better and try to push it.

 

[Stac3y]

As I mentioned earlier, I took a hard kick to the ribs on Monday night. I noticed this morning that the ribcage on the side that got kicked doesn't stick out as much as the other side. I'm pretty sure they were symmetrical before. This is starting to worry me a little bit....

 

[ATC]

Bruised or Broken really does not matter. Nothing any doc can do for either. Would just be a waist of money to go to the doc. They don't even wrap them.

I had a broken rib a few times and let me tell you, you cannot even lay down or get up without taking 10 minutes to do either. I was out for 6 weeks before I could do anything. Had to sleep in a chair sitting up the entire time.

Got punched in the rib and had them bruised also a few times. Not as bad as broken but still hurt for quite some time. Still pushed through the pain but they hurt for about 3-4 weeks. The pain was not as intense as a broken rib but it hurt something awful none the less.

Ice, and motrin is all you can do. After about a 3 day you can do heat but you will need to ice after each practice.

 

[bigmoe]

Bill when are you going back to michigan

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill when are you going back to michigan

Looks like I'm driving back on Saturday/Sunday. I'd like to stay home longer, but although I can work from home, my boss likes to see my face in meetings for some reason from time to time.

 

[BLACK LION]

Compression wrap definately for a couple weeks... rub some dit da jow or zheng gu shiu on it before compressing it.

I am not the guy to tell you to run out to the doc for a dose of radiation. I am pretty extreme in my activities including skateboarding as mentioned above... I also ride a motorcycle and have been hit as well as thrown from it...I have done some fubar things to myself.

You will know when something is really wrong and when your just milking it. Most often, ribs a like toes... they wrap em and give some 800mg motrin and send you home.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Compression wrap definately for a couple weeks... rub some dit da jow or zheng gu shiu on it before compressing it.

I have no idea what that stuff is...like Icy Hot?

Where would I get it? This isn't California...

 

[BLACK LION]

hahahahhhahhahahh....

Short on Chinese merchants aye??

Dit da jow is wht is used for Dim Mak training as well as Chin Na so its geared for damages from impact or pulls or strains etc ... Zheng Gu Shui is basically the same.

It is not petroleum based... its all herbal and looks like jack daniels.

It works wonders and is very potent... Ill take it over the oily crap any day.

a 100cc bottle is like 3.00 and you only need a small ammount.

 

[Stac3y]

Thought I should post this, since several people have recommended compression bandaging. This is from MayoClinic.com, a reputable source, per my medical librarian training.

"Therapy
In the past, doctors would use compression wraps — elastic bandages that you can wrap around your chest — to help "splint" and immobilize the area. Compression wraps aren't recommended for broken ribs anymore because they can keep you from taking deep breaths, which can increase the risk of pneumonia."

Here's the link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/broken-ribs/DS00939/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs.

 

[Nolerama]

I was the recipient of a pretty vicious takedown last night and ended up bruising some ribs.

It made me think about this post.

 

[Steve]

Thought I should post this, since several people have recommended compression bandaging. This is from MayoClinic.com, a reputable source, per my medical librarian training.

"Therapy
In the past, doctors would use compression wraps — elastic bandages that you can wrap around your chest — to help "splint" and immobilize the area. Compression wraps aren't recommended for broken ribs anymore because they can keep you from taking deep breaths, which can increase the risk of pneumonia."

Here's the link: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/broken-ribs/DS00939/DSECTION=treatments%2Dand%2Ddrugs.

Hey, I hope that it was clear in my post that I was suggesting compression during activity only. I wrapped my ribs when I went to class to train and it definitely helped.

Along similar lines, I cringe whenever I see some out of shape dude wandering around with one of those lumbar support belts on.

 

[still learning]

Hello, Most Doctors will tell you ..nothing they can do for Bruise ribs...except, let it heal by it self....Asbrins or MOTo helps some...If you can get pain killers? ...Yes this helps the most..

Your natural body movements is what will cause it to heal.....laugh or cough....hurts alot more...sleeping and movements...this hurts too...

Lesson here? ...don;t get hit in the ribs....( too many times for us too)...hate getting hit there!!! expect at least the first week to hurt more...by the second week less pain...third week you will hardly notice it....

Aloha, Now you know how to hurt someone...that will last for a while? ...

 

[Haze]

Sounds bruised or maybe a tear in the soft tissue between the ribs. You could wrap it to sort of compress and stabilize the area.

I have had injuries like this and sneezing or coughing along with other movements is a real pain.

My wife use to tell me, "Leave some testosterone home and take your sparring gear instead."

 

[sgtmac_46]

I was at my 'visiting' dojo last night, and we did some sparring without protective gear - something we always use in my 'home' dojo. Took a shot to the ribs, down low, which knocked the wind out of me and hurt the rest of the evening. A sharp, bright, pain which I could really feel when breathing in and out, moving, stretching, etc.

I took a couple Motrin last night and went to bed - woke up a few times when I rolled over in my sleep and 'hit' the spot.

This morning, it's a tad worse. No bruising, and I can press in on the rib in question without extreme pain, but it does smart some.

Broken? Or just bruised? I'm told if a person cracks a rib or breaks it, the pain is intense - this is not what I would call 'intense'. It surely does smart some, though. I sit down or stand up and go 'oomph', if you know what I mean. I doubt I could do situps right now.

Wife wants me to go to the ER. I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise and not that big of a deal - besides, I'm told they can't do anything for a cracked rib anyway except hand out painkillers, which I'm not into. Pain I can deal with - I just want to make sure I'm not being macho-stupid here.

Anyone get a punch to the ribs like this before? Sorry, my inexperience with sparring is showing...

Probably just mildly bruised......it's difficult to diagnose over the internet, but generally cracked ribs would be so bad you wouldn't tolerate it well.

 

[Drag'n]

I've got 2 broken ribs myself at the moment.
I think I originally broke them in a tournament a couple of months ago.
I heard that it was REALLY painful, but although what i had hurt, I wouldn't describe it as "like a knife going in". So I figured I was just bruised.

I took a few weeks off sparring till the pain had eased up a bit.
Then the first day back at sparring I took a side kick right on the sore spot and it hurt like hell.
The next day the pain was worse so I went and got it x-rayed.
Sure enough 2 fractured ribs.
So the doc gave me pain killers and an elastic body wrap and sent me on my way.
So its worth getting it checked out. Just to be sure.

The wrap really helps ease the pain.

But nothing helps ease the frustration of not be able to spar for a couple of months!!!!!