[Closed] Medical opinions sought following crash

Docs give better opinions but with any impact to the ribs there is a risk of a collapsed lung, it's not something to treat lightly. Happened to my brother playing rugby and he had similar symptoms left it a few days and got a massive telling off when they worked out what it was. So in the end of the day worth getting checked out at the worst everything is just sore and you get some better drugs.

Hard to make any kind of judgement without knowing more details of the crash and without examining, but if you're getting short of breath, I would get yourself to the ED.

Have you taken any painkillers, by the way?

Have you got a minor injuries unit near by? They can be pretty good with these sorts of things without resorting to A&E.

IANAD but having suffered broken ribs and torn rib cartilage in the past I'd be heading to the docs sharpish to check that nothing else is wrong. The A&E depts. there for a reason, best get it checked now rather than make it worse by trying to ignore.

Have you got a minor injuries unit near by? They can be pretty good with these sorts of things without resorting to A&E.

I think in this case, he'd be better served by going to a proper ED. There are lots of reasons why he might be short of breath following bruised/# ribs, and a minor injuries unit won't be able to deal with many of them.

Shortness of breath and rib pain following and impact = collapsed lung until proven otherwise. You need a chest x-ray so get yourself along to A&E. Nobody there will think you're wasting their time.

Ok cheers. Am currently en route to a course in Westminster so looks like a detour to St Thomas's.

As for painkillers - most definitely. But bog standard paracetamol and ibuprofen.

But am also getting shortness of breath - even noticeable just walking up one flight of stairs.

A&E.

But bog standard paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Ok - that's a good starting point. Make sure you take them regularly - even if you don't feel you need them, with this sort of thing it's better to have background analgesia rather than waiting until it's sore.

[/nagging]

Ok - that's a good starting point

Except for the Ibuprofen.

Except for the Ibuprofen.

How so?

Anticoagulaent. If you have a puncture, then it will still bleed (I assume).

Mind you, IANAD.

Anticoagulaent. If you have a puncture, then it will still bleed (I assume).
Mind you, IANAD.

Balance of risk, though. I routinely give pretty much everyone (who is under 70, doesn't have significant CKD or NSAID-sensitive asthma etc.) fairly sizeable doses of ibuprofen regularly for perioperative pain.

Anticoagulaent. If you have a puncture, then it will still bleed (I assume).

Pretty mild anticoagulant in the grand scheme of things, IIRC.

IANADeither.

Pretty mild anticoagulant in the grand scheme of things, IIRC.

Aye, that too.

Thanks for the advice. Currently in A&E waiting for fluid drain as the X-ray showed collapsed lung and fractured ribs. Joy.

Sounds like a worhwhile diversion. Hope you are on the mend soon.

Just to keep with the STW norm for medical threads, you should also get them to check you for cat aids while you are there, just in case.

Oof. Healing vibes.

Q. for the medicos about collapsed lung. Just curious.
Does it usually happen more or less at impact or is a consequence of swelling later on?

It's something I'm very aware of after what happened to my brother, he was told if he ever got symptoms to call an ambulance, next time it happened was after a hurricane in the states when on holiday and spent a week or so in hospital before flying home with a doc in attendance. All from one rugby tackle.

How so?

There's evidence to suggest that in the earlier stages of injury it hinders healing.

Does it usually happen more or less at impact or is a consequence of swelling later on?

Soon or days after just depends on the injury.

Currently in A&E waiting for fluid drain as the X-ray showed collapsed lung and fractured ribs.

Fairly low doses of Ibuprofen cause me fluid retention, once it was serious enough to apparently cause me chest congestion, I assume the build up of fluid in my body created excess levels in my lungs.

Obviously with a collapsed lung your situation is totally different, I'm merely making the observation with regards to the Ibuprofen debate.

Good luck and get well soon 🙂

Does it usually happen more or less at impact or is a consequence of swelling later on?

Can vary depending on teh severity...
Also the significance depends on whether the 'leak' is 'one way' or 'open'...
The natural state of our lungs is 'collapsed', so anything that 'breaks the seal' causes them to shrink down as they are spongy, and the lung cavity becomes 'atmospheric pressure'.
If the leak is one-way, then you get a build up of pressure within the lung cavity. This is bad.

Plus you've probably got cat AIDS and gnarovirus.

DrP

Ouch!! Glad you decided to go and get things seen to. Get well soon!

Also, be glad IANAD...

There's evidence to suggest that in the earlier stages of injury it hinders healing.

Yes, [b]but[/b] being in pain with rib injuries means you don't breathe deeply enough, which puts you at increased risk of a pneumonia.

Like I said - balance of risk.

Yes, but being in pain with rib injuries means you don't breathe deeply enough, which puts you at increased risk of a pneumonia.

Paracetamol for pain eliminates the risk or Co-codamol for a bit of extra boost.

Paracetamol for pain eliminates the risk or Co-codamol for a bit of extra boost.

Normally, I'd prescribe both paracetamol and an NSAID as they're more effective in combination; codeine is a bit problematic as just under 10% of the population can't metabolise it to the active form.

Hmm makes me wish I'd banked more tramadol when I could...