Broken ribs

Diagnosis

During a physical exam, a healthcare professional may gently press on your ribs to check for pain or tenderness. The exam also may include listening to your lungs and watching how your rib cage moves when you breathe.

One or more imaging tests may be used to help find a broken rib:

• X-ray. X-rays use a small amount of radiation to show the bones. The images may not show a new break, especially if the rib is only cracked. X-rays also can show if a lung has collapsed.
• CT scan. A CT scan can find rib breaks that an X-ray may miss. It also shows injuries to soft tissues and blood vessels more clearly.
• MRI. An MRI can show damage to soft tissues and organs around the ribs. It also can help find small rib breaks.
• Bone scan. A bone scan is useful for finding small cracks, also called stress fractures. These can happen after repeated strain, such as long periods of hard coughing. A small amount of contrast material is injected into a vein. It collects in areas where the bone is healing and shows on the scan.

Treatment

Most broken ribs heal on their own in about six weeks. Resting and avoiding heavy activity can help. Putting ice on the injured area can reduce pain and swelling. Always put a thin towel between ice and your skin. Surgery may be needed to repair serious rib breaks.

Medicines

Pain control is very important. If pain keeps you from breathing deeply, this can raise the risk of pneumonia. Pain medicines taken by mouth are often used first. If these do not help enough, injections may be used to numb the nerves around the ribs.

Therapy

After pain is better controlled, your healthcare professional may suggest breathing exercises. These exercises help you take deeper breaths. Shallow breathing can increase the risk of pneumonia.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Preparing for your appointment

Car accidents are a common cause of broken ribs. Many people find out they have a broken rib in an emergency room, where there is no time to prepare. If a rib breaks from repeated stress over time, you may see your primary healthcare professional instead.

Here's information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

• Your symptoms and when they started.
• Recent injuries or accidents.
• All medicines, vitamins, and supplements you take, including doses.
• Questions you want to ask your healthcare professional.

If possible, bring a family member or friend to the appointment. They can help you remember the information you're given.

Questions to ask

• How long will I be in pain?
• What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
• How can I best manage this with my other health conditions?
• Do I need to limit my activities?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional may ask:

• Where is your pain?
• Does the pain stay the same, or does it come and go?
• How bad is the pain?
• Did an injury or event cause the pain?
• What makes the pain better or worse?