Broken ribs

Unfortunately, you can't do much about broken ribs except control the pain until the fracture heals. Broken ribs are a common injury, usually caused by trauma to the chest. Signs and symptoms include:

• Pain with a deep breath
• Pain with pressing over the area of injury

Pain medications may help relieve discomfort. Doctors typically don't recommend compression wraps for broken ribs unless absolutely necessary for pain. This is because compression wraps can keep you from taking deep breaths, which can increase the risk of lung infections. Broken ribs usually heal completely in about two months.