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Is There A Treatment For A Fracture Of The Sternum Or The Rib?
a 92 year old female with severe osteoperosis has had a severe pain in the middle of her chest while bending to unplug a cord from an outlet. Her heart checks out fine so she thinks she has a fracture of the sternum or rib. Is there any treatment for fractures of this kind?
Mon, 7 Jul 2014
Hi..
Sternum is one of the strong bones in the body.
fracture of sternum or ribs without trauma even in an osteoporosis person is very unlikely, unless its a pathological ( like tumor induced) fracture.
it looks more like a muscular pain, i would suggest to take paracetamol 500mg for pain for 3 days and continue anti-osteoporotic medications. If the pain still persists get x-ray of chest and sternum lateral view and consult an orthopeadician.
if x ray shows fracture then treatment would be rest as rib/sternum fracture has no cast /immobilizer.
If x ray s normal consult a gastroenterologist also to rule out and Esophageal pathology and pulmonologist/cardiologist opinion.
Sternum is one of the strong bones in the body.
fracture of sternum or ribs without trauma even in an osteoporosis person is very unlikely, unless its a pathological ( like tumor induced) fracture.
it looks more like a muscular pain, i would suggest to take paracetamol 500mg for pain for 3 days and continue anti-osteoporotic medications. If the pain still persists get x-ray of chest and sternum lateral view and consult an orthopeadician.
if x ray shows fracture then treatment would be rest as rib/sternum fracture has no cast /immobilizer.
If x ray s normal consult a gastroenterologist also to rule out and Esophageal pathology and pulmonologist/cardiologist opinion.
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