Wellness

[hckynutjohn]

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@gardenman wrote:

Broken ribs just take time to mend. Four to eight weeks seem to be the norm. If you're breathing normally, then you're unlikely to have a punctured lung. OTC pain meds tend to help with the pain. They will heal and feel better over time. 

@gardenman 

Before my latest fall, with 4 broken ribs, my prior incident was 1 broken rib, also on my Left Side.

Ice skating was the cause of all of my injuries dating back the last 5-6 years. I have broken enough ribs to know when they are broken(9 total).

This particular time I fell, and knew my rib was broken. Still able to skate my style the hour left skating. This skating included higher speed intervals between the Red/Blue and Goal Lines. Higher heart rate, obviously, and painful to breathe, which is what comes with fractures ribs, even at a Resting Heart Rate.

I always go to the ER when I know I have broken a rib, the lungs being the very reason I do so. This incident was no different, except! Upon the normal Xray that is always taken, the ER Doc told me I had a Pneumothorax, which is a hole in my left lung. He said "you will not be going home this time".

Spent 3 days in the hospital with them checking all my oxygen and Pulmonary functions. Did another Xray during the 2nd day, and told me it was mostly closed. Advised me to try not to fall on it my next day ice skating.

At no time did I have any problem breathing normally, or at a much higher than normal heart rate. In other words, because I didn't have trouble breathing "normally(other than pain, which is with any fractured rib)", it did not mean I did not puncture my lung.

Thought I would mention this so others that think they may have broken a rib, do not base their ability to breathe normally(painful breathing is not normal), that they do not have a Pneumothorax(hole in the lung).

hckynut 🇺🇸

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