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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
  
Location: Bastrop, Texas | cheryl makofka - 2016-10-15 12:07 AM
GLP - 2016-10-14 8:58 PM
cheryl makofka - 2016-10-14 8:56 PM
A girdle
You're kidding, right?
Nope it was the only way I could ride, cracked ribs, lacerated liver and bruised kidney. Still could only ride one horse till 6 weeks. And no I didn't wear it 24/7
You know better than that, Cheryl. | |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | dawnb - 2016-10-14 11:38 AM
Bear - 2016-10-14 9:24 AM
You should not "wrap" broken ribs, and here's why. First, if you wrap to "immobilize" ribs, that is impossible, unless you are dead. Your ribs are constantly moving so long as you are breathing. They move up and down like a bucket handle. Broken ribs can't be immobilized like an arm or a leg, and that's why it takes so long for them to heal....but the good news is they always heal.
The only thing wrapping does is decrease your "tidal volume".....the amount of air that you breathe in and out. If you restrict your breathing with wrapping and taping, you increase your chances of pneumonia. That's just a known fact. As much as it hurts to breathe deep, you need to be able to do that. Trust me on this.
The mainstay of treatment for broken ribs is analgesia. This is one area where your doctor needs to give you fairly strong pain medication for at least the first week or two. Hitting painful injuries like this hard with good pain meds early will make it more tolerable later on. Commonly it takes 4-6 weeks before you are real comfortable, sometimes longer.
Don't believe this nonsense that "wrapping" is a good idea. You will increase your odds of pneumonia, and trust me, if you think broken ribs are horrible, try adding pneumonia on top of it.
I did try to lightly wrap my ribs this morning and I thought I was being strangled. So the wrap is not happening.
Pain control is the issue. I'm finding out that I can't wait the 6 hrs in between doses and have to take it 30 minutes earlier and taking Tylenol more then every 6 hrs then the doctor said.
I usually prescribe hydrocodone 5/325 or 7.5/325. Take 1-2 every 4 hours. Hit it hard for the first 7-10 days. After that you can switch to just Tylenol, and usually that will be tough, but getting through that first week with a strong pain pill is the key. After the first 7-10 days, you'll still hurt like hell, but you can get through it. Pain pills are not evil. | |
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I keep my change in my pockets
Posts: 2985
 
Location: MN | Bear - 2016-10-15 8:57 AM
dawnb - 2016-10-14 11:38 AM
Bear - 2016-10-14 9:24 AM
You should not "wrap" broken ribs, and here's why. First, if you wrap to "immobilize" ribs, that is impossible, unless you are dead. Your ribs are constantly moving so long as you are breathing. They move up and down like a bucket handle. Broken ribs can't be immobilized like an arm or a leg, and that's why it takes so long for them to heal....but the good news is they always heal.
The only thing wrapping does is decrease your "tidal volume".....the amount of air that you breathe in and out. If you restrict your breathing with wrapping and taping, you increase your chances of pneumonia. That's just a known fact. As much as it hurts to breathe deep, you need to be able to do that. Trust me on this.
The mainstay of treatment for broken ribs is analgesia. This is one area where your doctor needs to give you fairly strong pain medication for at least the first week or two. Hitting painful injuries like this hard with good pain meds early will make it more tolerable later on. Commonly it takes 4-6 weeks before you are real comfortable, sometimes longer.
Don't believe this nonsense that "wrapping" is a good idea. You will increase your odds of pneumonia, and trust me, if you think broken ribs are horrible, try adding pneumonia on top of it.
I did try to lightly wrap my ribs this morning and I thought I was being strangled. So the wrap is not happening.
Pain control is the issue. I'm finding out that I can't wait the 6 hrs in between doses and have to take it 30 minutes earlier and taking Tylenol more then every 6 hrs then the doctor said.
I usually prescribe hydrocodone 5/325 or 7.5/325. Take 1-2 every 4 hours. Hit it hard for the first 7-10 days. After that you can switch to just Tylenol, and usually that will be tough, but getting through that first week with a strong pain pill is the key. After the first 7-10 days, you'll still hurt like hell, but you can get through it. Pain pills are not evil.
I'm a wimp about pain. That is why I only last about 5-1/2 in between pain pills ans taking extra strength tynelol about every 3 hrs. I know be kind to my liver but I don't do pain.
I'm 53 so I hope I heal fairly fast got some pills from T.H.E. To help the healing process.
Hate to say this and to bring it up but pain pills have really messed up my bowl movements. Only had one since the fall. Taking stool soften and a powder mixed in water hoping soon for that to happen | |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Try Miralax | |
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