Why does the rib become more painful 5 days after being hit, and what should I do?
Nov 08, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Chen Jian
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, if the ribs become more painful five days after being hit, it may be caused by soft tissue injury, costochondritis, pleurisy, pneumothorax, rib fracture, or other reasons. The patient needs to seek timely medical attention at a regular hospital to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment. In daily life, it is important to maintain good living habits, regular作息 (作息 should be translated as作息 rhythm or作息 habits, but since it's repeated, it's better to use "regular作息 habits" here), and ensure sufficient sleep time.
Generally, if the ribs become more painful five days after a collision, it may be caused by soft tissue injury, costochondritis, pleurisy, pneumothorax, rib fractures, or other reasons. Patients should seek timely medical consultation at a reputable hospital to determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Soft Tissue Injury: The soft tissues surrounding the ribs, including muscles, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels, may be injured due to impact. Initially, the pain might be relatively mild due to swelling and inflammatory response in the soft tissues. However, as the inflammation intensifies and the injured tissues begin to repair themselves, the pain may gradually increase. At this time, the patient may follow medical advice to relieve symptoms through massage, heat application, or other methods.
2. Costochondritis: Costochondritis may be directly caused by trauma, such as synovitis or bruising of the costal cartilage following a rib impact. In such cases, patients may experience pain during breathing, lying on the side, or applying pressure, and the pain may worsen over time. Patients can use medications such as celecoxib capsules, diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets, or etoricoxib tablets under a doctor's guidance.
3. Pleurisy: Trauma may lead to chest wall soft tissue injury or rib fractures, which can subsequently cause pleurisy. Inflammatory factors may stimulate surrounding nerves, resulting in chest pain. The pain is usually located on one side of the chest and may be accompanied by sharp pain or persistent dull ache. If not treated promptly, the aforementioned symptoms may easily occur. At this time, it is recommended that patients follow medical advice to use medications such as cefuroxime axetil granules, pyrazinamide tablets, or aspirin tablets for improvement.
4. Pneumothorax: After a rib impact, if a fractured rib punctures the pleura and enters the pleural cavity, it may lead to pneumothorax. When pneumothorax occurs, gas accumulates within the pleural cavity, compressing the lung and affecting normal ventilation function, thereby causing chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and other symptoms, which may easily lead to the aforementioned condition. At this time, it is recommended to promptly visit a reputable hospital for imaging evaluations such as X-ray or CT scan to determine the severity and extent of the pneumothorax, followed by treatment measures such as closed thoracic drainage or open-chest surgery.
5. Rib Fracture: Rib fractures refer to the breaking of ribs due to external impact or bending. Initially, symptoms may be mild due to local muscle tension and mild inflammatory response. However, as healing progresses and the inflammatory response intensifies, the pain may gradually worsen, manifesting as the aforementioned symptoms. At this time, patients should reduce physical activity and promptly visit a reputable hospital for treatments such as open reduction with internal fixation or thoracoscopic surgery.
In daily life, it is important to maintain good living habits, regular作息 (作息 means作息 time or routine, but it's repeated here), and ensure sufficient sleep to help maintain normal physiological functions. Additionally, it is important to engage in physical exercise to enhance personal immunity.
