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Treatment of rib fractures and further recovery

A bone fracture is a painful process, and healing can sometimes take a long time. Ignorance of the main rules can lead to an increase in rehabilitation time. Rib fractures are considered one of the most problematic injuries, because the chest constantly expands and contracts during breathing, which complicates the rehabilitation process. What rib recovery looks like after injury is discussed below.

To establish treatment methods, it is necessary to determine the type of damage. A rib fracture can be:

complete – when the bone is damaged along its entire diameter, or is fractured;
subperiosteal – in the presence of injuries bone tissue;
crack – when tissue is damaged and there is no fracture (formation of a crack on the rib);
single – with injury to one rib;
multiple – with injury to several ribs;
unilateral - on one side chest;
bilateral - on both sides (left and right) of the chest;
fenestrated – when one rib is fractured in two zones, which makes the “broken” segment mobile;
with and without offset.

Treatment methods for different types of injuries

How to treat a rib fracture? For all types of injuries there are general rules, however, doctors sometimes establish special instructions. It is necessary to study both categories of prescriptions.

General requirements:

You cannot perform the dressing yourself. Only the attending physician or nurse can bandage the ribs, otherwise there is a risk of complications;
Ice should be applied to the fracture site to relieve pain, bruising and swelling. The compress must be wrapped in cloth to protect the skin from frostbite;
Children under 18 years of age are prohibited from taking aspirin to reduce pain, because it can lead to Reye's syndrome (Reye's syndrome) - liver failure;
must be ensured general state rest the patient, exclude active and sudden body movements;
allowed to commit hiking at an average pace, you can drive a car and work on a computer;
if you have a strong desire to sneeze or clear your throat, you need to lightly press a pillow to your chest or any other bulky and soft object;
It is recommended to sleep in a supine position to remove as much stress as possible from the ribs. However, there are some amendments to this instruction, which will be discussed below;
Treatment of a rib fracture at home involves following a certain diet, which will include all essential vitamins, substances and microelements. Recommended to use nutritional supplements containing calcium, vitamin D3, as well as selenium and magnesium - these substances contribute to speedy recovery bone tissue;
For the entire period of rehabilitation, you should exclude the intake of food and substances that slow down metabolism and promote the removal of calcium from the body - alcohol, sweet carbonated drinks, refined sugar and products containing it, as well as semi-finished products;
You should stop smoking, which slows down the healing processes of bone and muscle tissue.

Fixing bandage for damaged ribs

Ban! No measures should be taken without the recommendation or permission of the attending physician.

Above were the main methods to help cure damage. But you should not ignore the special instructions about which we'll talk Further.

Special requirements during rib reconstruction

There are some features in the treatment of rib fractures that you also need to know about:

in case of a unilateral fracture, you should take a position on the healthy side while sleeping;
a severe fracture requires deep breathing exercises every few hours to prevent the development of infectious diseases and lung atrophy;
minimum daily dose calcium should be 1200 mg. You should take the microelement together with vitamin D3, otherwise absorption of the substance will not occur;
taking expectorants is aimed at improving ventilation;
7-10 days after the fracture, additional fluoroscopy should be performed, which will exclude the development of pneumothorax and hemothorax;
physical therapy may be used to prevent the development of pneumonia.

Complications can be disguised as symptoms of other diseases, so if you detect any abnormalities in the body’s condition, you should consult your doctor.

Differences between home and hospital treatment

If it turns out that one rib is broken in several places, you may need hospital treatment. Hospitalization involves the use of a fixing bandage throughout the entire period of treatment. After discharge, the patient will be forced to comply with all of the above instructions, as well as the individual instructions of the doctor. Hospitalization may be necessary if there are injuries that lead to soft tissue rupture, or if there is damage to the lungs, trachea, or other vital organs.

Determine if there is damage blood vessels very simple - bruises and bruises form at the site of injury. If at any stage the patient develops bleeding or blood clots in the sputum, you should urgently call an ambulance or visit the hospital yourself. Typically, internal bleeding begins immediately after injury, but medicine knows of cases where symptoms appeared with some delay and led to death.

Application of a bandage in a clinical setting

Important! Internal bleeding poses the greatest threat to human life and health. The condition should be carefully monitored internal organs and if you observe any deviations, consult a doctor.

That was all necessary information for the treatment of rib fractures. Using simple tips from the article, the reader will be able to make the recovery period easier and speed up the treatment process. Following the rules and instructions will help you quickly return to your normal lifestyle and end this unpleasant stage.

Traumatic injuries to the chest often end in the ribs. The problem is due to the specific anatomy of these bones. The arched nature and rather weak connection with the spine and sternum makes them vulnerable. Of the 12 pairs of ribs, only the 1st to 7th are fused with bone structures. The 8th, 9th and 10th pairs are attached to the sternum by cartilaginous tissue, and the 11th and 12th are not fused to it at all. Injury rates especially increase in older and older people. old age, When cartilage tissue they become more and more “ossified” (ossify) and become brittle. Among general structure fractures, rib ones occur in 10-15 percent.

The danger of this type of injury lies in the close proximity of important internal organs - heart, lungs, blood vessels. In some cases, a person who has received a fracture does not even suspect that he has this injury. In other variants they develop severe conditions(organ injuries), which without treatment can result in complications.

What causes a rib fracture

The main reasons can be classified into 2 groups: traumatic and pathological.

note

Traumatic ones occur as a result of the action of a direct damaging factor, and pathological ones occur against the background of the development of certain diseases.

Traumatic injuries are caused by:

Pathological rib fractures occur when:

Some diseases connective tissue, in particular - .
Metastatic lesions of costal bone structures that have primary foci of the oncological process a different organs. Penetration into bone structures cancer cells occurs lymphogenously and through the bloodstream.
Tumors localized directly in bone tissue.
The processes that cause osteoporosis are disturbances in the anatomical and morphological properties of osteoid cells, leading to their increased fragility and fragility. The mechanism of this ailment is based on disorders calcium metabolism, hormonal problems, heredity. Separately, we can distinguish senile.
Anomalies of the structure of the sternum - complete absence, or deformations in the background congenital diseases, consequences of certain types of surgical intervention.
Hereditary pathologies leading to excessive bone fragility. The consequence of these ailments is increased fragility of bones, including ribs.

Features of rib fractures in children

IN childhood bone tissue is more elastic and consists mainly of cartilaginous elements. This gives it elasticity . That's why, Bone fractures in children are much less common in percentage terms than in adults. More often they take on the appearance of “green branches” - fractures.

If a rib fracture is detected in small patients, this means that it has been subjected to quite strong mechanical stress.

Mechanism and classification

When diagnosing, the doctor immediately determines a number of situations in order to subsequently apply the correct treatment tactics.

For this purpose, the fracture is classified:

In addition, rib fractures may be multiple(several different ribs, or a fracture of one rib in two or more places - fenestrated) and single. The presence or absence of displacement is determined.

When a fracture occurs, the rib always “falls” into the chest.

This can only occur at the site of exposure:

“double-ended failure” of the fracture site;
“indentation” of a rib fragment when the bone cover is damaged in two or more places;
combined, or multiple fragmentary fracture with “sinking”.

Complaints, manifestations and symptoms of rib fractures

The picture of this type of damage can be varied, depending on the location and severity of the patient’s condition. Let us note the most common clinical markers of this type of traumatic and pathological process.

A rib fracture is accompanied by:

Painful sensations. The source of pain is at the site of injury, of a constant nature, with intensification when trying to make quick movements, with deep breathing (“broken inhalation symptom”), with coughing tremors. During the examination, the specialist pays attention to the “lag” in the volume of respiratory movements (excursions) on the sore side.
Swelling of soft tissues. The fracture area, and often the area around it, swells and turns red. A hematoma may develop under the skin. When the victim moves, a bone crunch (crepitus) can be detected.
Deforming changes in the chest.
Subcutaneous emphysema. This symptom can be attributed to complications closed view. It manifests itself when the layers of the pleura are damaged, which causes air to enter under the skin.
Hemoptysis. This complaint is typical for damage to lung tissue and blood vessels.

With severe types of fractures, the following complications may occur:

Healing of the fracture goes through a number of successive stages. At the beginning of the process, connective tissue cords (with blood cells and fibroblasts) grow from the site of the bone fracture, gradually completely covering the bone defect. Next, the forming callus is added with bone elements. The deposition of inorganic substances and salts in them forms ossification (ossification callus). This formation is supplemented by osteoid elements and acquires the density and structure of normal bone.

note

The volume of the callus exceeds the size of a normal rib, but over time it returns to normal limits.

Diagnosis of rib fracture

When examining a patient (victim), you should examine and palpate the chest along the location of the ribs. In this case, the symptoms of the pain zone (“interrupted inspiration”), crepitus, and characteristic deformation of the chest will be determined. The doctor checks for specific Payr's syndrome (pain at the site of injury accompanied by tilting the body in the opposite direction). Axial pressure on different areas The chest gives off severe pain in the injured area.

Inspection and palpation are complemented by:

. Most informative diagnostic method, allowing you to determine all the details of the fracture.
CT scan. This examination allows us to clarify doubtful and complicated variants of traumatic injury.
Diagnostics using these methods is recommended when X-ray methods are not possible (or are contraindicated).
Ultrasound diagnostics will allow monitoring of the healing process.
Other methods(, angiography).

How to provide first aid

In any condition, if there is a suspicion of possible fracture ribs, you should see a doctor (traumatologist, surgeon).

If the condition worsens - pain increases, the area of edema increases, and difficulty breathing develops, then you should resort to calling an ambulance and transporting the patient to the hospital. To do this, the victim is seated with support on a soft pillow, blanket, clothing, and given the painkiller available on hand. If necessary, apply a compressive bandage and cold to the fracture site.

If the damaged area has open wound, then to prevent the development of external (valvular) pneumothorax, the skin around the wound should be treated disinfectant. Then, clean paper, plastic film, or any clean airtight material is placed on it, which must be sealed, preventing air from entering the chest cavity. This will avoid a very life-threatening complication - a collapsed lung.

Treatment of rib fracture

In uncomplicated cases, it is enough to observe a rest regime and create the most gentle conditions for the independent restoration of bone integrity. Complete healing occurs after 3 or 4 weeks after the injury. In elderly and weakened patients, the recovery process can take up to 4 or 5 weeks.

In the hospital, victims are provided with:

To speed up healing and reduce pain the victim (patient) needs to sleep in a semi-recumbent or semi-sitting position, depending on how it is easier for him, on the extent and location of the injury.

Pathological fractures imply the need to treat the underlying disease.

Rehabilitation and preventive measures

You should not expose your body physical activity before the expiration of 1-2 months of the post-traumatic period. Recovery should begin with low-intensity exercises, gradually increasing their strength and amplitude.

Physical exercises should be combined with breathing exercises.

The prognosis for this type of injury is positive.

Lotin Alexander, doctor, medical columnist

The most common chest injury, rib fractures, often leads to damage to the internal organs of the chest ( respiratory system, cardiovascular system, intercostal vessels). Therefore, a rib fracture is a rather severe and painful injury, which can sometimes be fatal.

Diagnosis of rib fracture

Symptoms of a rib fracture

A rib fracture manifests itself as severe pain when inhaling and exhaling in the area of chest injury, the formation of hematomas (bruises), bleeding through the upper respiratory organs.

Open injuries occur when the chest is hit, as well as as a consequence gunshot wounds and not only.

What are rib fractures?

Chest injury serious injury and it can result not only in broken ribs, but also in damage to internal organs. Such as, respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, and also lead to damage to intercostal vessels.

Like fractures of other bones, rib fractures can be open, closed, or displaced.

IN closed damage The most common injury to the chest is fractured ribs. Most often, fractures occur in the posterior and middle axillary lines. In this case, the ribs break under direct and indirect impact.

During direct impact, the rib bends inward, and a fragment of the rib can damage internal organs.

With indirect impact, compression of the chest occurs; in this case, a fracture occurs around the area of compression. This type of impact can cause fractures. more ribs

Structure of the chest

The chest has two boundaries: upper and lower. Upper limit- a line running along the upper part of the sternum and clavicle to the shoulder blades, and at the back it represents the process of the seventh cervical vertebra. The lower border is a line running along the edge of the costal arches and the edges of the anterior ends of the free lower ribs, and behind this is the twelfth rib and the process of the twelfth thoracic vertebra.

The inside of the chest is covered with intrathoracic fascia (a connective tissue membrane covering organs, vessels, nerves and forming sheaths for muscles) with the adjacent parietal pleura (a membrane consisting of two sheets: one encircles the lungs, the other covers the walls of the chest cavity and the diaphragm).
The bony base of the chest is covered on the outside pectoral muscles and long back muscles. It is also supplied with vessels and nerves on all sides.
Injuries to the chest are: open and closed:
Closed injuries occur during an impact, which leads to compression of the chest. As a result, the following occur: bruises, abrasions, hematomas (bruises), rib fractures, compression of the chest.

Symptoms of a rib fracture

Sharp pain in the chest, which intensifies with inhalation and exhalation.
Breathing is shallow - rapid. Conditions for stagnation arise, and post-traumatic pneumonia develops. This is the most main danger and most common complication in patients with rib fractures.

The damaged part of the chest lags behind in breathing.

For fractures posterior sections ribs, the manifestation of respiratory disorders is mild.
Possible heavy bleeding into the chest, which often end in death. Due to late contact with a specialist. With this damage, you cannot self-medicate. You should immediately consult a doctor and undergo an examination to determine the severity of the damage. If necessary, resort to treatment prescribed by your doctor.

Bleeding through the upper respiratory organs, air and fluid in the chest.
Lateral and anterior fractures are very difficult to bear and are accompanied by pulmonary ventilation disorders. Gas exchange in the body is disrupted.

Complications from rib fractures

A rib fracture often leads to damage to the internal organs of the chest (respiratory system, cardiovascular system, intercostal vessels).
If breathing is shallow and rapid, congestion may occur and post-traumatic pneumonia may develop. This is quite dangerous and the most common complication in patients with rib fractures.

Diagnosis of rib fracture

An x-ray should be taken, which will show whether there are rib fractures or not.

Treatment of rib fractures

The treatment for this injury is as follows: First of all, it is a blockade of the damaged part of the chest - pain relief. If necessary, a puncture is performed to remove accumulated blood from the chest. Another important stage of treatment is rest. The rehabilitation period takes four or more weeks

As mentioned above, with this damage, you should not self-medicate. You need to apply ice to the injury site and see a specialist as soon as possible.
In case of severe pain, in order to avoid congestion and post-traumatic pneumonia, novocaine blockades are used at the sites of fractures for the first days after the injury.
Bandages are not applied because they limit breathing movements, which has a bad effect on recovery period, as a result of which complications such as pneumonia and pleurisy are possible. The rehabilitation period in uncomplicated cases takes 3-4 weeks.

Treatment of a rib fracture at home is carried out quite often. In the absence of aggravating circumstances, you can easily do without long stay V medical institutions. Your main task in self-rehabilitation should be to follow the doctor’s recommendations, ensure rest, eat properly and eliminate with prescribed improvised means. unpleasant symptoms. Let's talk about exactly how recovery should be achieved.

causes and treatment

According to statistics, incidents of this nature most often occur during car accidents or classes active species sports Risk factors include diseases such as osteoporosis and cancer. They weaken bones and make them more fragile and susceptible to external influences.

It's pretty easy to determine. Its main features are:

increased pain during movement or pressure;
sharp pain when breathing in air;
characteristic sound when inhaling.

Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis after a series of special studies. So, it is easiest to see a fracture on x-ray or during the procedure computed tomography. An examination using such devices will allow you to see the exact location of the damage, as well as determine the presence of complications, if any. Treatment of a rib fracture at home is possible only if there are no additional problems.

Where should you start?

So how do you treat broken ribs? Such injuries can be divided into two broad categories: complicated and uncomplicated. In the first case, the patient is subject to mandatory hospitalization, and in the second, after examination, he can be released for treatment at home. Brief plan recovery contains the following recommendations:

complete rest (lack of physical activity);
proper nutrition (following a special diet);
taking painkillers.

Auxiliary recipes of traditional medicine

How to treat broken ribs at home? ethnoscience knows a lot healthy recipes, which will help you significantly speed up the healing process. Let's look at some recommendations in a little more detail:

Compresses based on geranium. First, you will need to chop the leaves and stem of the plant, and then pour one liter of boiling water over them. The product is boiled for several minutes, then filtered and cooled. The liquid is applied to a soft, natural tissue, which is subsequently applied to the problem area. Manipulations are repeated up to three times a day.
Homemade ointment. You will need to combine the following components in the indicated proportions: pine resin(tablespoon), copper sulfate(2 teaspoons), (50 ml), crushed onion(2 tablespoons). The ingredients are mixed until smooth and heated before direct use. A small amount of the resulting substance should be rubbed into the fracture site.

Forming the right diet

Treatment of a rib fracture at home is impossible without following proper nutrition. You will need to significantly enrich your diet by introducing new useful elements, whose main task is to stimulate more fast growth In addition, food should help you improve your overall health and restore vitality. What substances do you need? First of all, this is:

calcium (dairy products, nuts, bran);
pectin (apples);
silicon (currants, radishes, turnips, cauliflower).

Miracle drink recipe

What is the fastest way to fix a broken rib? Treatment, recovery and rehabilitation often include the use of a unique vitamin cocktail. To prepare it you will need the following components:

raisins - 200 g;
dried apricots - 200 g;
walnuts - 200 g;
natural iodine - 200 ml;
fresh lemon juice- from two fruits.

Dried fruits should be pre-soaked, mixed with other ingredients, and then blended until smooth using a blender. Accept home remedy in the morning, at lunchtime and before bed.

Treatment of a rib fracture at home is acceptable if there are no complications. Be sure to undergo a medical examination and only after that proceed to independent rehabilitation.

A rib fracture is a chest injury. The most common fracture of the 8th rib occurs. Its danger is that it becomes the cause of the patient’s death. This happens because the internal organs suffer. The article will talk about typical symptoms rib fractures, causes and treatment methods for injuries. The article also provides information about how long it takes for ribs to fuse after an injury.

This is damage to the cartilage and bones of the rib. It appears in older people, as well as in people suffering from chronic diseases. This occurs because as we age, the bones of the chest become less elastic.

Damage without complications violates only the integrity of one or two ribs. They do not pose a danger to humans, since the bones easily fuse together.

It is considered dangerous when a broken rib damages the integrity of internal organs and interferes with breathing. With such damage, a person’s lungs, pleural cavity and heart vessels are affected. Multiple injuries are also dangerous, which often cause complications that pose a threat to human health.

Symptoms

Signs of a rib fracture fall into several categories, depending on the type of injury sustained.

If the injury does not violate the integrity of the internal organs, then the person is concerned about the following manifestations:

dull pain that may get worse when you cough;
a person takes poses that are not typical for himself;
he is unable to breathe deeply due to pain;
the appearance of redness and swelling on the surface of the skin of the problem area.

A careful study of the described symptoms will help to accurately answer the question: “How do you know if your ribs are broken?”

Multiple injuries without displacement and the presence of bone fragments are accompanied by the occurrence of an uncharacteristic crunch in the chest. It is associated with the friction of damaged bones against each other. These signs also apply to floating fractures.

How to determine a rib fracture if there is damage to the internal organs? The symptoms of a rib fracture in this case are as follows:

rapid pulse and pale skin;
Skin emphysema appears, respiratory activity is disrupted, air penetrates under the skin, and when coughing, sputum mixed with blood is released.
lung injuries are accompanied by the development of pneumonia, pneumothorax, hemothorax, respiratory failure and pleuropulmonary shock;
damage to the aorta and large loss of blood leads to the rapid death of a person at the scene of the accident;
If the heart is damaged, the patient may die in the coming hours. He may also have heart complications after recovery, which will worsen his condition. familiar image life. Such complications include chronic coronary insufficiency and dystrophic cardiosclerosis;
with liver damage and large blood loss, the patient may die at the scene.

Bruised ribs are considered a minor injury. It is characterized by pain and unpleasant sensations when moving; the occurrence of edema and hematoma. These signs disappear very quickly, and the person may not even realize that he has broken a rib.

Causes of damage

Doctors identify 2 groups of reasons that contribute to the occurrence of fractures.

The first group is mechanical damage:

a person gets into an accident;
fall from high altitude and pressure on the ribs;
sports injuries and gunshot wounds;
beating.

The second group is serious illnesses. These include:

development of osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis;
the presence of osteomyelitis and primary tumors in the chest;
development malignant tumors with metastases;
the presence of genetic diseases in a person.

Occurrence of injury

Rib fractures occur due to a person falling on heavy object, impact, compression of the chest. Often a person develops pathological fracture associated with the spread of the oncological process, as well as osteoporosis and osteomyelitis.

Damage to ribs and their types

The classification of injuries is based on the following factors:

Based on existing skin lesions:

open fracture: remnants of bone and cartilage disrupt the structure of the skin and soft tissues;
closed fracture. It is characterized by the fact that bone remains enter deeply into soft fabrics and do not disturb the surface of the skin.

For damage to bone tissue:

full. With it, the integrity of the bone is disrupted along the entire length of the rib;
subperiosteal. It is characterized by damage to the bone tissue of the rib;
rib crack. This type characterized by disruption of the rib bone tissue and complete absence fracture;
bruised ribs occur as a result of a person receiving a painful chest injury.

It is important to remember that the severity of harm to health is determined only after transporting the patient to the emergency room.

According to existing faults:

single: broken rib on one side;
multiple: several ribs are damaged.

Additionally, floating fractures are identified, characterized by the presence of a bone fragment in the chest that is not connected to the spine. If it is not controlled by a doctor, it is dangerous for humans.

For violations:

unilateral: one rib or several ribs in one part of the chest are damaged;
bilateral: the chest is damaged on both sides.

Doctors also distinguish a fenestrated fracture, characterized by a violation of the integrity of the rib on both sides and the formation of a fragment. In the area where the fragments are located, there can be a rib fracture with or without displacement.

First aid to a patient

Remember that you should not try to somehow treat the patient before the doctors arrive, but he definitely needs first aid

Initially, if a rib is fractured, you need to give the patient a painkiller to drink. The most commonly used is Ibuprofen.
Next, the broken part of the body should be fixed with a bandage made from a towel or medical bandage.
An ice compress should also be applied to the damaged area of skin.

During transportation, doctors adhere to certain tactics for rib fractures without damaging the chest organs: they give an anesthetic, apply a circular and then an occlusive bandage to the problem area, apply transport tire. The patient is transported half-sitting.

How to alleviate a patient’s condition if a closed rib fracture is suspected.

Initially, the person must take a pain reliever. Next, ice is applied to the affected area and a tight bandage is applied.

How is the diagnosis made?

How to determine whether a person has suffered a fracture or bruise due to injury?

Firstly, it should be noted that bruised ribs are not dangerous and do not require a doctor’s examination. You should visit an orthopedist if you experience unpleasant symptoms, difficulty breathing, pain, or crunching in the chest. Remember that the most dangerous are floating fractures. They require urgent medical attention.

Methods for diagnosing rib fractures:

Examination of the patient and collection of anamnesis. By examining and palpating the damaged area, the doctor can determine the presence of bone fragments in it. The specialist may also ask the patient to take a deep breath. With a fracture, this is not possible due to severe pain.
Severe damage to the chest bones can be determined using the Payra method. It is based on the fact that the patient is asked to lean towards the side that is healthy from the injury. Because of the pain, it will be difficult for the patient to do this.

How to identify a rib fracture or bruise using additional methods research? To clarify the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed additional diagnostics:

X-ray;
Ultrasound of the chest.

At early diagnosis fracture, flotation of the chest bones may not be determined. This is due to the adhesion of damaged debris.

Stages of healing

Doctors distinguish several stages of bone fusion after a fracture:

Characterized by the appearance of connective tissue callus. Blood and cells that produce connective tissue accumulate in the damaged area.
Osteoid callus forms in the damaged area and is deposited in the connective tissue inorganic substances, mineral salts. Next, osteoid is formed in the damaged area.
Hydroxyapatites are formed in the osteoid, increasing the strength of the callus. Before that, it was loose and had a diameter larger than the rib, but last stage it shrinks to normal size.

Bone fusion in an adult with a single fracture takes about 4-5 weeks. In children, fusion takes 3 weeks. If there are multiple rib fractures and complications, healing will take longer.

An accurate answer to the question of how long it takes for a rib fracture to heal can only be experienced specialist based on a specific case.

Fractures and their treatment

Doctors note that treatment is based on determining the severity of the injury and the presence of damage to internal organs and tissues

If there is a slight fracture, the person is given a circular bandage made from elastic bandages. This process is called taping. He is also anesthetized in the damaged area with novocaine: injected local anesthetic with 1 ml of 70% ethyl alcohol.
If the damage area is large, then narcotic drugs are used. The chest is fixed using a plaster corset or bandage.
In case of bilateral damage and large quantities If bone fragments are removed, the patient may undergo surgery. It is aimed at installing special fixing plates that hold the bones in a stable state until complete fusion.
The operation is also performed for open fractures. During it, the doctor treats the edges of the wound and removes damaged tissue and severely damaged large vessels are ligated. After all the manipulations, the wound is sutured.
If a patient develops pneumonia, he may be prescribed antibiotic and symptomatic drugs.
If a patient develops pneumothorax, a puncture is performed. pleural cavity. Air deflation and recovery normal breathing carried out using a vacuum pump.
In the presence of extensive hemothorax, the patient also undergoes a puncture of the pleura and drainage of blood. If there is not enough accumulated blood, then the incision is not made and the blood resolves on its own.
If a patient develops pneumothorax, hydrothorax, or respiratory failure, he is prescribed special medications.
To remove the consequences oxygen starvation The patient is prescribed oxygen inhalation.

Unlike a fracture, bruised ribs are treated by keeping the patient completely at rest and applying absorbable ointment to the damaged area. If a person experiences strong pain, then he can take a painkiller.

Complications

Doctors note that lack of treatment leads to complications such as:

Pneumothorax. His advanced stage leads to the development of tension pneumothorax, which contributes to cardiac arrest.
Hemothorax. It makes breathing difficult and leads to shortness of breath.
Respiratory failure. It leads to the development of shallow breathing, pale and cyanotic skin, and increased heart rate. Insufficiency also leads to retraction of the chest and the development of asymmetry in it.
Pleuropulmonary shock. It contributes to the development of respiratory failure, painful cough. A person has constantly cold lower and upper extremities.
Pneumonia. With it, a person cannot breathe normally, his structure is disrupted lung tissue, and pneumonia develops.

Rehabilitation

To speed up the recovery process, patients are prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures and therapeutic exercises.

Remember that the rehabilitation period increases due to the following factors:

the patient’s age and the presence of serious illnesses;
displacement of bone fragments;
incorrectness of the prescribed treatment.

During rehabilitation, many patients think with horror about how a patient with a fracture of the thoracic ribs can sleep correctly so as not to harm themselves.

Doctors note that the position during sleep depends on the location of the damage:

In case of injuries to the anterior part of the chest, the patient is recommended to sleep lying on his back, on a hard surface.
If the back of the chest is injured, the patient should lie on the side that is not affected by the injury.

Rib fractures are very common occurrence. When they occur, it is important to provide the right help patient and immediately transport the patient to the nearest hospital. Remember that self-medication in this case is not acceptable. It can only worsen the patient’s condition and lead to death.