Falls often cause a rib fracture. It manifests itself as sudden, severe pain in the chest. Breathing also causes severe pain. Surgery is rarely necessary for a rib fracture.
Here you will find further information and selected doctors for the treatment of rib fractures.
The human rib cage is also known as the thorax among doctors. It mainly consists of the ribs, which protectively surround the organs in the chest cavity. Other important components of the thorax are the breastbone (sternum) at the front and the thoracic spine at the back. The ribs are fixed there via articulated connections and anchored with a certain range of movement. This range of movement is important as the ribs have to move with every breath.
Within the rib cage, the thoracic cavity contains organs such as
The ribcage and ribs are, so to speak, a protective shell for these vital organs.
The ribs are curved and paired bones. Between them, muscles (so-called intercostal muscles, Musculi intercostales externi and interni) provide flexible stability. All ribs are connected to the thoracic spine, but only the true ribs extend directly to the sternum. The pairs of ribs that are not connected to the sternum are called false ribs.
Contrary to popular belief, women have just as many ribs as men, with 12 pairs in both sexes. The fact that men have one rib less than women is due to a religious myth according to which Eve was created from one of Adam's ribs.
Chest with 12 pairs of ribs and sternum © bilderzwerg / Fotolia
The official term for a rib fracture is fracture of the rib(s), sternum and thoracic spine (ICD code S22). Each patient's rib fracture can take a different course, ranging from simple and fast healing to complicated and becoming a medical emergency.
If only one or a few ribs are broken, the injury generally heals well. In the case of an uncomplicated rib fracture, medication is usually sufficient to relieve the pain, and surgery is only necessary in a few exceptional cases.
If it is a simple, closed rib fracture, the fragments are not displaced. They are stabilized by the surrounding muscles in the rib cage.
In some cases, the rib fracture is more complicated. If several ribs are affected, for example, the pleura may also be injured. Or there may be a life-threatening impairment of respiratory function. The patient often avoids deep inhalation and exhalation due to the pain-induced relaxed breathing posture. This can lead to the development of pneumonia.
It is therefore highly advisable to have a medical examination if a rib fracture is suspected so that dangerous risks can be identified and treated in good time.
A rib fracture is unpleasant and can be very painful. However, with the right treatment, it usually progresses without major complications.
Falls or accidents are usually the cause of rib fractures. Typical situations include hitting hard edges such as steps or the edge of a bathtub.
Other situations that can cause a rib fracture are
People with poor bone structure(osteoporosis patients) can also break a rib due to frequent, severe coughing. This can happen due to chronic lung disease, for example. In osteoporosis, the bone structure is weakened so that bones can break more easily. If the bone structure is healthy, a strong cough will not cause the ribs to break.
The breastbone (sternum) is also a very stable bone and can break. It is located in the middle of the ribcage and connects the left and right rib arches.
Extremely strong impacts and blows are required to break the sternum. Such forces can occur in a car accident, for example, when the driver's upper body hits the steering wheel.
The main symptoms of a rib fracture are severe pain in the affected area. The pain intensifies when
Crunching noises often occur when breathing. Those affected usually breathe very shallowly to avoid pain. In most cases, bruising and swelling can be seen externally above the fracture site.
In some cases, so-called paradoxical breathing also occurs. In this case, the rib cage pulls inwards when breathing in, while it bulges outwards when breathing out. Paradoxical breathing is due to the fact that the rib cage is no longer stable as a result of the fractures, although several ribs(serial rib fracture) usually have to be broken before paradoxical breathing occurs. Serial rib fractures occur when three or more neighboring ribs are broken.
The human organs in the chest - protected by the ribs, risk of injury in the event of a rib fracture. © Sebastian Kaulitzki / Fotolia
In principle, rib fractures are very painful bone fractures, but they are not life-threatening in themselves. The occurrence of concomitant injuries can be dangerous. The rib cage encloses the organs in the chest area with the rib arches. A rib fracture can therefore lead to a number of other internal injuries:
A fracture of the ribs should always be examined by a doctor and further clarified by
Rib fractures can be easily recognized on an X-ray © Nonwarit
It can be difficult to distinguish between a simple rib fracture and a rib contusion . However, this distinction is not overly important. If a pneumothorax can be ruled out, the treatment of the two diagnoses is largely similar.
Only in exceptional cases is surgery necessary for a rib fracture. The bone parts usually grow back together on their own. Even in the case of serial fractures, the ribs are usually very well stabilized. This is ensured by the periosteum and the surrounding muscles. During surgery, the broken ribs are repositioned and fixed with metal wires, screws or plates. However, this is extremely rarely necessary.
In athletic young patients with an isolated rib fracture, it may be advisable to tape with special therapeutic adhesive bandages for stabilization. As a rule, however, plaster casts or bandages are not used for fixation.
Pain therapy is highly relevant in order to lead the patient out of pain-induced relieved breathing. Excellent pain therapy is therefore the top priority during treatment. It should enable the patient to breathe in and out without pain. The risk of breathing too shallowly could promote pneumonia.
It is also important to cough up enough air so that the lungs are sufficiently ventilated and pneumonia does not develop.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen or diclofenac are usually prescribed for pain therapy. Sometimes opiates are also the drugs of choice. A nerve block in the relevant region may also be necessary. A local anesthetic is then administered for a short time. This leaves the patient pain-free for around 6-8 hours.
In some cases, thoracic epidural anesthesia (PDA) is used as a further treatment for particularly severe pain. With this method, the doctor injects local anesthetics into the epidural space, i.e. the area of the spinal canal. This temporarily inhibits the pain-conducting nerve fibers.
A breathing trainer can help to strengthen breathing. This device consists of three small balls that are moved by breathing in and out deeply. It is particularly important for bedridden patients,
to breathe more deeply and cough up mucus.
Patients with a serial rib fracture are sometimes treated as inpatients in the orthopaedics department. This may be necessary if life-threatening complications have arisen in connection with the rib fracture. In rare cases, it may also be necessary to operate on a rib fracture.
The fracture of one or more ribs usually heals within four to six weeks. In exceptional cases, this process may take longer if bone healing is delayed.
If there are no complications, the pain after a rib fracture will subside significantly after about two weeks.
Nevertheless, you should not do any sport for the first six weeks after the fracture that could put the broken rib at risk. You should also avoid other heavy physical activities until the fracture has fully healed.
Apart from sport and heavy physical activity, you do not need to take too much rest after a rib fracture. You can continue your everyday life as usual. You can carry out all movements that do not place any strain on the ribs and rib cage.
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