How to Treat Broken Ribs
Things You'll Need
- Over-the-counter pain reliever
- Ice
Instructions
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Relieve pain. Use over-the-counter pain relievers to help decrease pain. Options include ibuprofen, naproxen and acetaminophen. Ask your physician for prescription-strength pain relief medications for severe pain not relieved by over-the-counter options. Use an ice pack, applied for 20 minutes at a time several times a day, to help numb the area.
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Breathe deeply. Take deep breaths to help prevent pneumonia, a serious complication possible in those suffering from broken ribs.
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Seek medical attention. Talk to your physician concerning the possibility of utilizing nerve blocks to help alleviate pain. Nerve blocks are injections of anesthesia used to treat severe pain.
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Avoid compression wraps. Refrain from wrapping your chest in a compression bandage. Compression bandages will prohibit your ability to breathe deeply and increase your risk of developing pneumonia, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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