They can also occur as a consequence of diseases such as cancer or rheumatoid arthritis. While for elderly individuals a fall can cause a rib fracture, in adults automobile accidents are a common event for such an injury. Diagnosis
Signs of a broken rib may include:
Pain on inhalation
Swelling in chest area
Bruise in chest area
Increasing shortness of breath
Coughing up blood (rib may have damaged lung)Plain X-rays often pick up displaced fractures but often miss undisplaced fractures. CT scanning is generally able to pick up both types of fractures.Because children have more flexible chest walls than adults do, their ribs are more likely to bend than to break; therefore the presence of rib fractures in children is evidence of a significant amount of force and may indicate severe thoracic injuries such as pulmonary contusion. Rib fractures are also a sign of more serious injury in elderly people. Treatment
There is no specific treatment for rib fractures, but various supportive measures can be taken. In simple rib fractures, pain can lead to reduced movement and cough suppression; this can contribute to formation of secondary chest infection. Flail chest is a potentially life-threatening injury and will often require a period of assisted ventilation. Flail chest and first rib fractures are high-energy injuries and should prompt investigation of damage to underlying viscera (e.g., lung contusion) or remotely (e.g., cervical spine injury). Spontaneous fractures in athletes generally require a cessation of the cause, e.g., time off rowing, while maintaining cardiovascular fitness.
References
External links
 Media related to Dimenhydrinate at Wikimedia Commons
"Diphenhydramine". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine. "8-Chlorotheophylline". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.