Bruised ribs after a fall

When I broke my ribs I could use my arms and hands to pull myself up in bed.

I tied a stout clothes rope to the foot of the bed , long enough for me to reach the looped rope from my lying -down on back position. I then used the rope to haul myself up. Sitting up and swinging legs over the side of the bed was then one easy movement. Not as good as a handle hanging from above would be but it served.

Maybe local services can lend you something better for levering yourself up. I wouldn't know. People in hospital can have a stirrup -shaped handle that hangs over the bed, and is for the patient to haul herself up, but that requires a hefty apparatus to suspend it from.

I broke several ribs and had a pneumothorax (amongst other things!) when I had an accident last year. I was in hospital for two weeks but although the ribs were considered a minor injury they did take the pain they caused very seriously as I was struggling to breathe and cough. Please take enough pain relief to ensure you can cough and keep your chest clear. I was given a heavy duty antibiotic, which really upset my stomach but the last thing anyone needs with broken ribs is a chest infection. I slept propped up on pillows for several weeks but everything will heal in time.

Stepping down into my bathroom, I slipped and bruised my back on the edge of the step. A visit to my GP revealed 'only' bruising, but it wasn't easy to lie down in bed. All you can do is take painkillers as needed and take it easy. And don't breathe too deeply!

Sleeping with cracked or bruised ribs is really difficult. It hurts to breathe and toroll over.
Getting in and out of bed brings tears to your eyes.
Apart from painkillers, the most useful sleep help I found was a soft pillow to rest my chest on so that I could side sleep, and the handle on my bedside cupboard, which helped me set up, because I could no longer just sit up and swing my legs out of bed for a night time loo visit.
It took about 6 weeks of no gym, which was where I fell. The pain eased gradually.
Hope you’re feeling better soon.

Maximum dose of paracetamol does help but must be taken regularly - ie 2x 500 mg tablets every 6 hours. Safer than some of the other painkillers as doesn't irritate stomach. I bruised ribs in the summer- it does take some time to heal- and paracetamol did help.

You’re really not making a fuss Ormond, just seeking advice and comforting words from wise people on this forum. Move gently, rest as comfortably as possible and maybe your GP will prescribe stronger pain relief to help you sleep. 💐

Poor you .
I'm sorry.
It's so painful .
I did it once ,but not from a fall .
I was carrying a chair when someone opened a door .Before I could step away the chair was forced onto my rib cage .
I took painkillers. I can't take Ibuprofen so it was Codeine and therefore the side effect of constipation.
I spent as much time as I could resting . I lay in a hot bath for as long as possible.
Moving was painful.
I dreaded going to the loo !
I think that it's passed off after about six weeks .
I don't have any advice apart from advising you to rest as much as possible.
It will pass .
Get well soon.

Thankyou so much for your replies. I feel I’m making such a fuss about the pain when other people have much worse to contend with. Waiting for a call back from my doctor now so hopefully will be helpful information to get sleep at night and just have to let nature do its best.

Finding the right painkiller is essential and I'm surprised they didn't give you any at the hospital.

Head pads around your chest may also help.

There are also analgesic creams you can apply too.

It will get better.

I have had bruised ribs too and they are very painful. I took co codamol for a few days then paracetamol. Getting out of bed was agony so if DH has offered to help then take the offer for a few nights.

They take a long while to ease, I too have fallen backwards (what’s this backwards business about) on the second to last step of my staircase my back ribcage crashed into the stair edge above
It’s just painkillers and time I m afraid Paracetamol and Ibrufen alternately and wait… it is about 6 weeks to heal

I,too,have had bruised ribs after a fall. I have no real advice other than move carefully. Take painkillers to help. My ribs took six weeks to heal and getting out of bed and turning were the worst. You have my sympathy.

What pain relief are you on? I have had several falls and my daughter who is a nurse told me it was important to get on top of the pain right from the start. I would have thought the hospital would have given you something. I was using a two step ladder and thought I had stepped down onto the floor but fell back onto a washing machine and the edge of a cupboard. The pain was coming in waves until like you I had sat for ages in A&E. I was given some pain killers and told the GP would give me more after a few days which she did but was hesitant about. About three months ago I fell backwards again
onto a wall which is stippled and a skirting board. Again it was a matter of handling the pain with pain killers as advised. Ibrufen contains an anti-inflammatory which I couldn’t take because of other medication I am on. There are different strengths of co- codomal but you must never exceed the 500% of paracetomal which it contains so not paracetomal with it. Important to have proper guidance on this. I so sympathise with you as it takes time for internal bruising to heal. It is the pain that you get when lifting yourself up from lying down that I remember as the worse part so I can imagine what you are going through. Sorry not to be able to offer anything but sympathy.