Being involved in a car accident can result in a wide variety of injuries, including broken ribs. This type of injury occurs when one of the bones in your rib cage either cracks or breaks completely. Chest trauma, such as that which occurs in a car accident, is the most common cause of broken ribs.
Dangers of Broken Ribs
In most case, when a rib is “broken” it is actually only cracked. While a cracked rib is still very painful, it is not as dangerous as a rib that is actually broken into separate pieces. This is because a rib that is broken and separated creates a jagged edge that can damage major blood vessels or even internal organs, including the lungs. Treatment of a punctured lung is a far more serious medical condition than a rib that is broken or cracked.
Treating Broken Ribs
In most cases, a broken rib will heal on its one in a month or two. Pain control will likely be a necessary part of the treatment. In this way, you can continue to breathe deeply despite the broke rib. Deep breathing is essential in helping to prevent lunch complications, such as the development of pneumonia.
When your pain is under control, you may need to complete prescribed breathing exercises in order to prevent pneumonia. Compression wraps, which were once commonly used to treat broken ribs, are no longer recommended because they restrict the ability to take the deep breaths that are necessary to prevent pneumonia from developing. To learn more about broken ribs and how to treat them after a car accident, contact Advanced Spine & Rehab today!