Chest/rib pain after car accident

It sounds like you have deep bruise type injuries. These are common in accidents such as yours and will generally resolve themselves in short order. While that is no consolation, I'm sure, be glad the injuries were not worse and that the doctors found no overt critical injuries. If the pain does not ease within a week, return to the doctor for further examination. In the mean time take an analgesic for the pain. I recommend ibuprofen or naproxen.

Sounds like you may have bruising on your chest wall or ribs. Trauma
to the chest wall is very common in the event of blunt trauma, like a car accident. It can vary in severity from simply minor bruising to a single rib fracture to even severe crush injuries of both rib cages. The more severe the injury, the more critical it is. Severe chest wall trauma can lead to a compromised respiratory system. Most chest injuries and chest wall traumas require no real therapy or treatment. So, there is not much you can do for it other than rest and allow time to work on your side.

That sounds like a very uncomfortable situation to be in. It is true that sometimes you can still be injured without showing any visible symptoms of injury. I think if it appears to be worsening, then it might be a good idea to talk to your doctors again. Even though they said it's fine, they might have missed something the first time. It is always okay to get a second opinion, if nothing but for peace of mind! Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

Hi:
This could be a bruised/sore muscle or it could be an undetected broken rib, which if left untreated, could be life threatening. Unfortunately, the medical care that is available is not good. That is a big concern. You can't let this go on unresolved. If you have a cracked or broken rib, it could puncture your lung and in a country without good medical care, you'd be in a bad predicament. Is it possible for you to travel to a neighboring country that might have better treatment? That is sometimes a possibility in Europe. Check out that kind of option right away before you find yourself with a condition that no one over there is qualified to treat. Good luck !

It was the fracture that showed the effect of it in the car accident, you didn't expect that you had that problem. Even if, you have done to go to doctor for some check up. I'm just thinking that doctor said that you are fine and no fracture, I think that he/she did not study well the problem in your body.

I was in a car accident over a month ago. I feel severe pain in middle of chest. The Hospital did x-rays for fractures and the results were negative for broken bones. The pain I experienced during the x-ray was worse than having a baby. All they want is to give pain medicine and send you home.
No EKG was done. No test was done for nerve damage.

A friend of mine was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. She went to hospital and they did x-rays for fractures and sent her home also.
Her knee is huge and needs to be drained. She has extensive bruising on both legs. She was hit head on.

It is standard operating procedure in hospitals to do the minimum.

Both of us shared our stories at a soccer game and we both agree, when it is a Motor Vehicle Accident in Georgia, we both got the same treatment, which was hardly nothing. Hospitals have become insensitive to the patients' needs and provide little or no care.

I was also in a car accident on tuesday the 14th. I lost control of my vehicle due to road conditions and spun out into the oncoming lane where I was hit on the passenger side. Airbags deployed and the visible wounds including burns and bruises are healing, but my right lower ribcage area seems to be getting worse. there was no visible bruising to the ribs and x-rays were done in the ER. since then I've been to a chiropractor AND a general physician. I have "no broken ribs" but when i sit up straight or lay even semi flat the pain is excruciating, like something is ripping my ribs apart from one another. And even the highest dose of ibuprofin I can take daily does not even touch the pain. I feel like I need to stretch, but I can't because of my limited mobility. I've read that icing is supposed to help, but it in fact makes the pain worse and more difficult to breath like it's just freezing my muscles giving me even less range of motion. I'm alive, but this sucks!

oh and yes....hospitals are the worst, and I'm in Cali.

I too was in a car accident a week ago last Wednesday. I was rear ended, hit a wall and t-boned. I have been healing on most of the pain, but have an ultra sensitive area on my left side just below my ribs and stretching part way around my back. I am afraid I have kidney damage or something.  I too had x-rays in the ER and was sent home with no other tests.  I was hoping for answers here, but I guess we're all in the same boat.

I am glad there are others with the same pain it is comforting...and I learned I need to get an xray tomorrow cause it is so hard to breath and it has been a week after going in the ocean and getting rammed down on my boogie board by a big wave when the board came out from under me and hit my left side (my boob was in so much pain) and I did not realize it would only be the beginning of not being able to move , breath and the pain Aghh!! It is hard to get in and out of bed it is pretty painful on my left side and it has been a week so i am going to Urgent Care in the morning to make sure I am not gonna die and see if I cracked my left rib. Agghh!!! I really need to take an ibuprofren and sleep... goodnight and thank u fellow rib pain sufferers!

I too was in an accident about a week ago. Lost control of my Jeep and flipped it twice. Luckily I'm alive but just pretty beat up. I hit my left side against the door. Got checked out at the hospital X-rays and the whole 9 yards. Bones looked good and was sent home. Feels like my bones crack all the time in my chest ( mostly sternum area) and my back. Also having lot of pain in my muscles. All will subside just take it easy and use Epsom Salt bath's. They help to relieve the soreness and soothe the muscles. Your muscles are all tensed up at the moment so they tend to pull at ur bones causing really uncomfortable pain. Be sure to keep the Doctor's visits to make sure no later underlying causes will come about in the long run!

I was in a major car accident the other day slammed into a tree going 45 mph i cant breathe, i cant cough or laugh or sneeqe without excurciating pain.... i have not consulted with a doctor.... I have had three kids and would rather give birth again than go thru this pain.....I have asthma and am concerned about pneumonia.... what should i do????

My case is similar to what you all explained in this thread. Last Saturday 20th Oct 2012 I met with an accident when I was travelling in my friends car. I was in front passenger seat and My friend was driving. Luckily we escaped with minotor injuries, but I got severe chest pain and went to doctor immediately. They said it was because of Air bag hit me forcibly.

They did x-ray, ECG and CTScan and said everything is fine and no worries. They prescribed medicine IBUPROFEN 600 MG if I feel minor pain daily three times and HYDROCODONE/ACETAMINOPHEN if I get unbearable pain. Inspite of using IBUPROFEN it's not got reduced and night times I feel more pain than day time. I couldn't lay down, turn sides and get up immediately.

I though of consulting doctor once again this week end to understand what happened exactly.

Pl suggets anybody how do I proceed.

kitten wrote:

emilyalex77 wrote:

I was also in a car accident on tuesday the 14th. I lost control of my vehicle due to road conditions and spun out into the oncoming lane where I was hit on the passenger side. Airbags deployed and the visible wounds including burns and bruises are healing, but my right lower ribcage area seems to be getting worse. there was no visible bruising to the ribs and x-rays were done in the ER. since then I've been to a chiropractor AND a general physician. I have "no broken ribs" but when i sit up straight or lay even semi flat the pain is excruciating, like something is ripping my ribs apart from one another. And even the highest dose of ibuprofin I can take daily does not even touch the pain. I feel like I need to stretch, but I can't because of my limited mobility. I've read that icing is supposed to help, but it in fact makes the pain worse and more difficult to breath like it's just freezing my muscles giving me even less range of motion. I'm alive, but this sucks!

oh and yes....hospitals are the worst, and I'm in Cali.

I was in a major car accident the other day slammed into a tree going 45 mph i cant breathe, i cant cough or laugh or sneeqe without excurciating pain.... i have not consulted with a doctor.... I have had three kids and would rather give birth again than go thru this pain.....I have asthma and am concerned about pneumonia.... what should i do????

You should go to a doctor. Why haven't you? Are you in the US? Have no insurance? Please go see a doctor even if it costs $. I was also in a car accident recently and have spent the past 8 weeks healing and am still in pain. I am in Canada where we have free healthcare but my auto insurance is covering trips to chiropractor, massage, physio, etc. Take care of your body, it's the only one you have!

Hello, I just wanted to give one suggestion for everyone with rib pain. Went through it for several months and thought it would NEVER end but it did and I'm fine now. Here's the suggestion: if you can find a position in bed that is comfortable, put soft pillows all around you and push them firmly against your sides so that you cannot turn over during the night. That way you will stay in the good position and not keep waking up from turning onto a painful place. It may take a few tries to get it just right, but it's worth the effort to be able to sleep for awhile.  Best wishes to all as you recover!

(also try Arnica from the health food store for bruising--it's a Homoeopathic medicine that really works.)