Broken Ribs advice

[CSB]

My husband broke 3 ribs while falling off a bike during our vacation. He had x-rays taken at the hospital to confirm the broken ribs and the doctor prescribed an anti-inflammatory, and a pain killer. The doctor said that it would take a couple of weeks to heal.

It is now a couple of weeks later and he cannot sleep much at night, and still has a lot of pain. Any attempt to sleep on either side is much too painful and he has to try to sleep on his back. He went to the doctor this morning who sent him for a new set of x-rays and prescribed a stronger pain-killer. We won't have the results back until next week and we are leaving tomorrow for another vacation. It is a concern of his that the pain-killer may let him sleep on his side but may cause further damage to the ribs.

Can anyone who has had broken ribs please tell us about your experience.

 

[Mel]

Did he break ribs on both sides, or just one? If only one, if he sleeps on the other side, he's not that likely to do any further damage - if they thought he would, they would have told him not to sleep a certain way.

Broken ribs are painful (as he obviously knows). The reason sleeping on his side is uncomfortable is due to stress as his curved body is lying on a flat surface. You might try rolling some towels to put under various spots to straighten and support his spine while he sleeps. He might also find it is more comfortable to sleep on his back if he uses a similar towel to support the lumbar region of his back (place the rolled up towel under the small of his back).

He might also try a heating pad - if the pain is causing him to tense, it might not be the ribs themselves that are bothering him, but the nearby muscles that he is straining as his body attempts to protect the ribs.

I wish him luck in his recovery.

 

[jlwquilter]

Sometimes taping the ribs (tight bandages circling the chest area) provides support (along the line Mel suggested) and eases the pain. My dad broke ribs a long long time ago and that was done to help him thru the healing process. But medical things change so much over time I'd call the doctor and ask before just going ahead and doing it.

 

[caribbeansun]

Yup, hurts like *#&@ and there's nothing you can do but wait for it to heal and take some pain meds. The worst was having to sneeze

I had to sleep on my back which I had a real hard time doing but that was the only way it was comfortable - I put a couple pillows behind my back and head so sort of propped myself up and it seemed to relieve some of the pressure.

 

[Phill12]

Don't laugh!:rofl: :rofl:

 

[mrsstats]

DH broke his in Nov and dr told him they no longer tape ribs as you cant breathe in correctly which can cause pnemonia

 

[CSB]

He broke the ribs on his right side - 7, 8, and 9. He seemed to be getting better consistently until he sneezed a few days ago and then now feels worse. He's worried that he damaged them with the sneeze.

We have another big trip coming up in a month - cruise to Alaska and I am worried about having to cancel it.

Caribbeansun, how long did it take until you could sleep on your side?