hi there, my father was involved n a horrific car accident 10 days ago, after finally persuading him to go to the hospital for a check up, they admitted him straight away and diagnosed a broken sternum and cracked ribs, my dad is not one for hospitals so the next day he was discharged, on the advice to take paracetamol which he was prescribed, i would like to no the healing proceess, as now it has been 10 days and he is still sleeping in a chair as he cannot lay down, he can barely walk far, and he is in constant pain, and the paracetamol does not seem to be doing anything?? can you please advise me on the healing proceess and is it usual he is still n such agonising pain, thankyou
Loading...
I am very sorry about your father. I think that paracetamol can't help him with sternum fracture because this is really a serious injury and it requires some stronger painkillers that are going to help him relieve the pain. Sure that he is in constant pain because paracetamol can't do almost anything, it is not a cure for his diagnose. He needs something stronger that is going to help him to get rid of that pain, even if you should know that this pain can last for more than 5 months.
Anyway, the good thing is that he won't need any surgery to fix this.
Good luck.
Loading...
This is totally normal. Broken or even cracked ribs take forever to heal; one to two months usually. Sucks.
Loading...
hiya, i have recently crack and possibiliy fractured my ribs through coughing, i am also pregnant, and due to give birth in 7 weeks, i have heard 6 weeks is the normal healing process, but also heard it takes longer. i have asked my midwife if i could possibily consider having a section, but they said i would be refused. so i was just wondering how long will it actually take to get over?
Loading...
Hi, I also recently fractured/broke my sternum, and also a rib seperated from the sternum. That happened on the 2nd may 2008 and it is now the 7th July and i can still feel it if i lift anything heavy... it took about a month untill i could sleep on my back! After the injury i waited about a week to go to A & E, where i was given just paracetomal and diclofenac. I could hardly move at first and couldn't drive or work. I am sorry to say but these injuries seem to take ages to heal.
Loading...
Mine happened 11 August 2008. Some days are better than others - today is a beach (sic). Doctor told me not worth x-ray as he could feel the fractured ribs and movement in the sternum. 12 weeks and counting! Please let me feel better by Christmas!!!
Loading...
I was run over by a truck. 10 broken ribs & rib cage all messed up broken shoulders and 4breakes in pelvic not to mention punchered lung... Wooo haaa the pain was a Bitcccccch for weeks lot of great meds.. happened 3months ago ... ribs stilllll move and pop but doing better .. I think it will be another three months.. Hang in there could take awhile depends how badly they were broke..YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! :$
Loading...
I was the passenger in a car accident on December 17th. The seat belt caused several fractured ribs, fractured sternum and lacerated spleen - but even with all the damage the seat belt caused - it saved my life. It took me about a month to be able to sleep in bed, I slept in a chair sitting up for a month. I'm still in a lot of pain and have a 19 month old child that I have to lift frequently so the pain is constant and fairly intense. The hospital wont give me any more pain meds as they say that I should be able to just get by with motrin or tylenol now WRONG!!!!! Motrin and Tyleon don't even come close to touching the pain. I haven't had any pain killers for two weeks and am in total agony constantly. I am praying the pain will go away soon but with what I've read on most forums it could be several more months.
Loading...
I was in a car accident last week. I have a fractured sternum and 2 broken ribs. The pain from the sternum is much worse than the ribs, because it is affected by every movement. I just found the newest form of torture--hiccups. Anyway, sleeping upright definitely helps. I tried to sleep laying down last night and made it about 2 minutes. I hope speedy recoveries to all!
Loading...
i totalled my brothers car a little over a month ago. I fractured 11 ribs collapsed my lung, broke my pelvis, and suffered a lacerated liver and spleen. The ribs are still bothering me a ton and my lungs arent quite back to normal yet either. I've been sleeping proped upright for the last month. laying down flat hurts way to bad. The doctors said it could be a couple months till I was fully healed but that I should be able to resume normal activities and be able to surf in two months. I feel your guy's pain I can't believe the one lady that couldn't get any pain meds i cant go more than six hours without taking something, hope this helps.
Loading...
:-(
I was car accident 2 wks ago, other car/driver crossed over road.
I've had numerous test, CTs, and Xrays. I have a broken and displaced sternum and several cracked ribs.
I'm on Morphine and Oxycodone. It's still miserable. My doctor has been very upfront with me that it will be six weeks before I feel any real improvement and six months to heal. Some days are better than others, some are far worse. I sleep semi sitting up and half on my side in a recliner with a motorized lift and still have chest spasms several times a night. At some point I will start physical therapy. Rest, absolutley no lifting and lots of sleep are the only way to heal properly. It's a longer road to recovery if that's not possible.
My body is a bruised and broken mess, but it still beats being dead.
I was car accident 2 wks ago, other car/driver crossed over road.
I've had numerous test, CTs, and Xrays. I have a broken and displaced sternum and several cracked ribs.
I'm on Morphine and Oxycodone. It's still miserable. My doctor has been very upfront with me that it will be six weeks before I feel any real improvement and six months to heal. Some days are better than others, some are far worse. I sleep semi sitting up and half on my side in a recliner with a motorized lift and still have chest spasms several times a night. At some point I will start physical therapy. Rest, absolutley no lifting and lots of sleep are the only way to heal properly. It's a longer road to recovery if that's not possible.
My body is a bruised and broken mess, but it still beats being dead.
Loading...
Gosh I'ms orry that you're having a hard time. It sounds like you have a really long road ahead of you but I know you'll be good to do it. Can you keep us posted on your progress?
Loading...
I went snowboarding 2 weeks ago and cracked and bent back my floating ribs on the left side, the doctor told me they would be ok in about three weeks so i could do a rafting course to get my Guide certificate but they are still very painful and i cannot lay on them so i missed out on doing the course :-( . Depending on how serve the crack/break is and how healthy you are will determine how quickly they heal. The Doc did said however, not to take Asprin or Nurofen incase you are still internally bleeding as these thin the blood! So just whack on your heat pack and stick with good ol' Panadol and go easy so you don't make it worse and pop a lung!
Loading...
Was in an ATV accident June 12, 2009. 3 broken ribs under my right sholder blade and 2 broken it two spots under my right arm. Basically spent first 4 weeks in the recliner on pain meds 24/7. Then could finally start moving around and walking more, but still couldn't lie on my back. Coudn't lie on my back until about the 8 week mark. At 12 weeks was able to start feeling more like normal, but still no lifting or strenuous activities. Now at almost 18 weeks, still have pain off and on when bending over, coughing yawning or lifting but it is at a 4/10 instead of 12/10. It takes a long time to recover, don't push it, you don't want to start over.
Loading...
Thanks for sharing a lot of intormation on what exactly happened to you. My friend had this happen to him too and I'll share oyur story. I am sure that it will help him get through this time! Thanks again.
Loading...