Is anyone doing research on treatment for broken ribs?

Sounds like what they did for me.

Probably not. I had a really bad rib injury a few years ago and it’s never healed. I battle dealing with the pain it causes me daily and no single doctor has ever really known what to do to fix it. The only thing that ever helps (temporarily) is seeing a chiropractor and having it shoved back into place. I also started seeing a physical therapist and doing specific exercises, but so far none of them have helped.

They’ve apparently done enough research to discover that taping them doesn’t help much and can actually be detrimental because it can restrict breathing and then you can end up with pneumonia. At least that’s what the Dr. told me a few years ago when I slipped on the ice and cracked a few ribs. And he was a pain specialist.

So, yes, they’ve at least done that much research.

But, honestly, I got more practical help here on Fluther from fellow Jellies than I did from medical science when I asked a Q about it.

Nope too busy at the moment….But I don’t like sounding like a broken rib record but I herniated a disc in my back (T10/11) that all the Kings Horses and all the Kings Men could not put Humpty Cruiser back together again. I white knuckled my way through Pilates and Yoga classes and 14 years later I still am ache free. Your relief you seek is either in a pill (temporary) or a life change such as a commitment to body therapy such as yoga or Pilates…or some other therapy that suits your ability to deal with your rib probs…as usual…good luck.

Yep, sounds like you got the best guess for treatment. What else can you do? Wrap them in a bandage around your torso? Maybe, but what good would it do.

I broke three ribs against a goalies’ head back in my thirties. Hurt like hell to breath. Here, take these pain meds and anti inflamatories and go home like a good boy. Um, don’t play soccer for a few weeks.

Only good thing is I now have a fairly accurate gauge for upcoming weather changes.

Broken bones knit themselves back together in about six weeks. Ribs can not be put into a cast because of their position and as stated already, taping restricts breathing. A broken bone hurts and will continue to do so while healing. The spine is a lot more complex because of the spinal cord. Ribs break all the time. Then they heal, and they will do so with or without being seen by a doctor. There was really nothing more to be done and when you say “nothing helped” I don’t understand what you mean. Do you mean that it still hurt when you left the doctor’s office? Then next day? The following week? Please help me to understand what your expectations were.
Did you expect to be pain free? The doctor doesn’t want you to be completely pain free with a broken rib. You need to hold still and remain aware of your injury so your body can have time to heal itself and you can avoid doing something to further exacerbate it, like puncturing a lung.
T3’s take the egde off and still allow you to function. No further “treatment” is needed, and the research has already been done.

I broke one of mine when I hit a deep rock while using my rototiller and the handle hit me.
I was told to take it easy and let it heal. I went to Goodwill and bought a smaller size sweater vest (for 50 cents) and wore that for a while. It felt great!
And I tried not to cough!

What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

Not to sound too cynical, but how would we know? I don’t think there are any millionaires among us.

Years ago then-governor Schwarzenegger broke his leg in an accident. He was rushed to surgery, and back on his feet the following day.
I thought “WTF? Surgery for a standard broken bone?”
Since then I notice that it’s common practice among the rich and famous. Think about it. When’s the last time you saw a celebrity appear wearing a medical appliance that commonplace among the rest of the rift-raft? Decades after Arnold was up-and-running in under 24 hours, knee walkers are the rage for the rest of us.

For all we know there’s a polymer that can be bonded to your ribs so you can be back in comfort on your private jet the next day.

Reality check: I realize that Arnold paying a couple of million to be back in service within 24 hours is what pays for the research and development of new procedures. In this case, however, I think the technology is there for all of us, insurance just doesn’t value our time enough to pay for it.

I am guessing that for most celebrities, if they injure themselves, they’ll stay out of the spotlight. How often do we see photos of celebs who had plastic surgery (obvious because we see the before and after photos), but their recovery was probably in some private apartment with maid service or on a Caribbean island.

@ibstubro It appears even the famous and Uber rich still have to heal and use crutches like poorer mere mortals.

“Schwarzenegger will remain in the hospital for three days and will take approximately eight weeks to heal, said Ehrhart, who predicted a full recovery. The governor is not in a cast and will use crutches while his leg heals, he said.”

My point, @Cruiser, was that it sounded like a fairly average break, and at the time of Schwarzenegger’s accident surgery for broken bones was largely unheard of, or confined to major trauma. He was able to resume his (not inconsiderable) governor’s duties the next day.

Maybe John Kerry, who, at the age of 72 was able to resume the duties of Secretary of State 2 weeks breaking his leg, would be a better example. Attended to by his personal physician, who was traveling with him.

A poorer lesser mortal could have ended up in extended care indefinitely.

I think the main difference between the rich man’s recovery and the poor man’s recovery is that the rich man will have an aide, a chauffeur or taxi drive him door to door, someone to carry his bags, and in general, be catered to. A poor man will be unable to get to work because nobody will be driving him, or he’d have to park in the garage and walk to the office which may be impossible for him, plus carrying his bags, his lunch, etc. Another poor man may be a carpenter or plumber and simply not be able to do such work while he has broken limbs. A rich man will be able to do much from home, and be “hooked up” in such a way that he can do much work from home base. A poor man’s job is not going to be so generous. The rich man will have aide taking care of cooking for him, helping him bathe and toilet, and in general, waiting on him hand and foot. A poor man may get a few hours of an aide paid for by his insurance, or not. He will be limping around his apartment unless he has a spouse who will then herself be trying to cook, clean, maybe work outside the home and then taking care of the needs of the spouse.