How is the rib fractured?

Any injury to the chest is a serious cause for concern. Particularly dangerous is a fracture of the rib, as vital internal organs such as the heart, lungs can be damaged. You can get injured anywhere. It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of a broken rib in time, provide first aid and contact a doctor to prescribe a treatment.

• Varieties of fractures
• Causes of damage
• What are the symptoms with a broken rib
• Signs of complicated fractures
• Ribbed cracks
• First aid for the victim
• Treatment of fractured ribs

Varieties of fractures

To understand how injuries occur, you need to know the general picture of the structure of the human body, how the ribs look. The thorax is formed by 12 pairs of ribs:

• 1-7 edges - primary pair;
• 8-10 ribs - a false pair;
• 10-12 ribs are a staggering couple.

Doctors say that the most common fractures of the posterior ribs, especially from 5 to 8 rib. Less likely to be injured are 12 and 11 ribs.

By the nature of damage to bone tissue, the following rib lesions are identified:

• complete fracture - damage along the entire rib;
• subperiosteal fracture - damage only to the bone part, the periosteum remains intact;
• crack.

Depending on the nature of the damage to the skin, the rib fracture can be:

• open - fragments damage the skin;
• closed - fragments remain in soft tissues, the skin is not damaged.

If two or more ribs are broken, then such a fracture is called plural. Depending on how the bone fragments were located, when a trauma occurred, a fracture with a displacement and without is distinguished.

Causes of damage

The most common cause of fracture of the rib is an accident, and in the person who was behind the wheel at the level of the chest. In case of severe braking, if the driver is not fastened and the airbag is activated, the person hits hard on the steering wheel. The result of a strong impact may be a fracture, both upper and lower ribs, as well as the sternum.

The child, whose body is in the growth stage, the bones are not as strong as in an adult. The cause of broken ribs can be an accident on a regular playground. If a child falls under the thorax of a hard object, it can lead to at least a crack in the rib.

Interesting! Most often in children, the fracture is affected: 4 ribs, 5 ribs, 6 ribs, and simultaneously.

What are the symptoms with a broken rib

In uncomplicated fractures, there are such symptoms:

1. Painful sensations that increase with breathing. Fracture of the ribs of the anterior thoracic part causes a more intense pain syndrome than the posterior one. This is due to the fact that the movements of the ribs during respiration are not the same in the anterior and posterior parts.
2. Unnatural position of the body. The main sign of the rib fracture, visible to the naked eye - the desire of the victim to take a characteristic pose. Some begin to grasp the chest with their hands, supporting the ribs. Also a person can lean over the whole body to the injured side.
3. Superficial breathing. At fracture, breathing causes severe pain, so the victim involuntarily tries to reduce the movement of the ribs, breathes shallowly, barely audible. A symptom of a "ragged inhalation" is characteristic, when a breath, having begun, suddenly breaks off from acute pain.
4. Damage to the skin: bruises, bruises indicate the place of impact and possible fracture.
5. Crepitation is a characteristic crunch that occurs when friction of bone fragments against each other, when performing respiratory movements. It is an absolute sign of fracture of the ribs.
6. The change in the shape of the chest - invagination, as well as the appearance of fragments of the ribs, visible on intact skin - are particularly noticeable in lean people.

In case of injury, the cartilage may suffer, which will lead to increased pain, especially if 9 ribs or other false pairs are injured. They are connected by a cartilaginous part, forming an arc. Even small damage to these parts causes aching pain.

Important! If the fracture is not multiple, the symptoms may be mild, similar to those of other diseases. Finally, you can find out the problem only through ultrasound, x-rays, examination by specialists.

Signs of complicated fractures

Uncomplicated fractures are usually easy to treat, especially if you start it on time. Symptoms of complicated injuries require immediate medical intervention. In especially severe cases, there is a threat to life. The main ones are:

1. Pneumothorax - ingress of air into the pleural cavity. When the fracture is open, it is external air (open pneumothorax), when closed, the lung can be injured with bone fragments and then air from the lung (closed pneumothorax) enters the pleural cavity. The main symptom is shortness of breath. There is also a dry cough, pale skin, high blood pressure. Pneumothorax is dangerous for the onset of heart failure, so the ambulance should be called immediately.
2. Subcutaneous emphysema - getting air under your skin. Emphysema is determined by the swelling of the skin, a characteristic crunching sound occurs during the palpation - crepitation - similar to the sound of bursting small bubbles. Most often it passes by itself.
3. Hemotorax - the ingress of blood into the pleural cavity. Externally is characterized by a growing pallor of the skin, shortness of breath. The final diagnosis can be made at inspection by the qualified expert and by results of roentgenological research of a thorax
4. Injuries of internal organs. Most often there is damage to the lungs: a sharp edge of bone fragments, marginal tears, bruises. Damage to the lung can be suspected by the blue lips, fingertips, hemoptysis, subcutaneous emphysema. In addition, there may be ruptures of the diaphragm with protrusion into the chest cavity of the abdominal cavity organs (stomach, intestine). By appearance of the patient, damage to the diaphragm is difficult to suspect, there are no symptoms specific to this condition. Requires an x-ray of the breast. A very formidable complication is aortic injury in the fracture of the upper pairs of ribs. In this case, the account is for minutes, only qualified medical personnel can provide assistance. With a chest injury, heart damage can occur, more often in the form of bruises with a hemorrhage in the myocardium. In addition, often there are lesions of the abdominal cavity: less often the liver and spleen, more often - kidney and adrenal glands
5. Infectious diseases of internal organs. The painful sensations after a fracture restrict the respiratory movements, so there is not enough ventilation of the lungs, so an infection can join. The result can be the development of pneumonia.

Important! Complications of a fracture can cause more damage to health than direct damage to the rib. Therefore, you must always go to the hospital.

Ribbed cracks

A crack is a slight violation of the integrity of the rib. Unlike a full-fledged fracture, this phenomenon usually does not lead to serious consequences. There may be discomfort, a little pain, but they pass by themselves, more often at home.

However, with any injury to the chest, even a crack, you need to see a doctor. Anxiety symptoms may include:

• increased body temperature;
• constant pain, increasing with time;
• intensification of painful sensations during inspiration; feeling of lack of air
• dry cough.

With the usual fracture, there may be complications: internal diseases, infectious diseases, other problems.

First aid for the victim

The main condition for providing first aid to the injured as a result of fracture of the rib is to call an ambulance, since it is impossible to do without medical diagnostics. It is also important to know what to do while waiting for experts.

With a closed rib fracture, it is possible to reduce the movement of broken ribs during breathing, thereby easing the pain, by simply pasting several bands of the adhesive patch to each other. You can not allow the victim to go to bed, he will try to take a comfortable position, but the fragments can damage the internal organs. A person can be given a sitting or semi-sitting position.

When an open fracture is necessary:

• to immobilize the victim, it is advisable to leave him in the position in which the injury was received;
• if time has passed, it must be placed in a semi-sitting position, if the fracture on the right, the slope should be to the right, if left - to the left;
• if the skin is damaged, treat it with an antiseptic.

With the closed form it is necessary:

• place the victim in a sitting or semi-sitting position;
• apply a cold compress to the place where the pain is felt;
• give an anesthetic drug;
• make a tight bandage, fixing the chest before the arrival of specialists. The dressing is necessary in order to limit the movement of the ribs during breathing. The patient thus begins to breathe diaphragmatic breathing - with the participation of the muscles of the stomach.

Important! A person who has experience can impose a bandage. If you do not have confidence in your abilities, it is better not to do so, as there may be additional injury to the rib, cartilage, internal organs, which will aggravate the problem.

Treatment of fractured ribs

To cure a fracture and complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately after the injury. In older people, the duration of treatment usually takes longer than in a teenager or child. There are cases when broken ribs do not fuse at all, to speed up this process, physicians may later be prescribed physiotherapy procedures.

The first thing the doctor does is to examine and probe the damaged area and also the entire thorax. Then the victim is sent to X-ray. If necessary, some tests may be prescribed, especially if there is a suspicion of damage to the internal organs.

With a slight fracture, a bandage is applied for a certain time, and an anesthetic medication is prescribed. If the doctor thinks that the bandages will not be enough, he can impose a cast, appoint a corset.

With open fractures of the ribs, the question of the appropriateness of performing a surgical intervention is always considered. It allows you to treat the edges of the wound, to bandage the damaged vessels. In complicated traumas with pneumothorax or hemothorax, punctures of the pleural cavity are performed.

After the operation, therapy is prescribed, often including the measures used in the usual fractures: bandage, gypsum or corset, taking painkillers. If there was a pneumonia, a course of antibiotics is prescribed.

Important! Treatment after the fracture is necessarily supplemented by adherence to recommendations regarding the posture and place for sleep. They should be given by a doctor who prescribed medication.

Thus, there are many varieties of rib fractures, which are classified differently. Self-medication is dangerous for anyone, because complications can affect many internal organs, provoke a malfunction in their work, in severe cases, lead to death. Treatment consists of taking pain medications, wearing special equipment. If necessary, surgical intervention is required with subsequent rehabilitation.