Re: i think i may have cracked a rib
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thanks to my idiot brother trying to prove he could squeeze the life out of me.
problem is, i have no clue how to tell for sure or if it's just a deep bone bruise or something. i don't have insurance, so i'd rather not get an x-ray
this is what i know: it hurts like hell now, but didn't for a couple of days after it happened. there doesn't seem to be any discoloration on the surface.
so, experts of everything at OOT, what's wrong with my rib?
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Diagnosing a cracked rib in itself is not always achievable by conventional rib X-rays so in my opinion, they're kind of low-yield in general. Management usually is not affected by ruling in or out this diagnosis anyway, and as someone else mentioned, mostly involves analgesics.
Medical emergencies to worry about however include flail chest (google or wikipedia it) and any lung issues such as pneumothorax (i.e., "collapsed lung"). I doubt you have either of those two as they usually require some serious trauma. In addition, if this happened a few days ago, you'd probably be too sorry of a shape to be typing in this forum (depending on your level of dedication).
If you're worried about it enough, see a doctor. Finally, look to get some sort of health insurance sooner rather than later.
dizong
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