Hey Everyone,
My friends and I were goofing off until he elbowed me in the chest. I heard a mild crack it hurt pretty badly for a little while, put the pain subsided really fast. I am currently experiencing really mild pains only if i move around a bit and it doesn’t really hurt when i cough or laugh. Did I break any bones by any chance?
Thx
Now that I start walking around a little, there is some mild pain when i laugh/cough but not much. I think i’m overreacting, but what is your input?
You should ask a doctor.
Ouch! You probably bruised it, but you also could have broken it or cracked it. Believe it or not, I’ve heard that bruised ribs are more painful and heal at a slower rate than broken ribs 
so maybe you should hope you broke it. I am a ballet dancer (and hopefully a future doctor) and I’ve bruised my ribs while doing some heavy duty lifts with a partner. If it’s any comfort, hurting a rib is like breaking a toe; there is not much you can do for it. It can be pretty painful, but know that resting it for a couple weeks to a month is really the best you can do for it. Don’t be discouraged if the improvement is slow.
One of the things you have to watch for with bruised ribs is increased risk of pneumonia. This happens when your breathing is constricted. Thus, you should do your best to breathe normally. If you are unable to breathe normally, then you should see your GP.
Otherwise, just give it a few weeks. If the pain doesn’t start to subside within 2 weeks, then you should definitely go see the doctor.
Hope you feel better! Keep us posted.
There is no way that strangers on the internet can make a diagnosis.
If you think you hurt yourself, please see a doctor.
Either you spend a co-pay to find that it’s nothing, or you spend a co-pay to find that you’ve hurt yourself and he tells you what to do.
But he’s got to look at it to tell.
Why did you ask this on here anyway?
Why are you asking why he/she asked, @awesomepolyglot?
Curiosity.
I should have said this in my first post, but I was in no way trying to provide a diagnosis. I was simply stating some details I’ve gained from my experience. In all honesty, I was just trying to give the OP some information because I know what teenagers are like…they will do anything to avoid a visit to the doctor (or anything to avoid having to tell Mom and Dad why they need to visit the doctor). Many times, I have been the person frantically searching the Internet for people that are willing to offer unofficial advice that could save me a trip from the Dr. I thought he should at least know the important details about risk of pneumonia. But do not take my word for law, OP. If you think you hurt yourself, see a doctor. There still might not be much that the doctor can do, but he can at least give you peace of mind–and save me from a lawsuit
Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the input. My chest actually feels a lot better now, it doesn’t hurt as much when i cough or laugh. It just feels like when I breathe deeply, something is lightly pushing back, so i’ll just let my chest heal by itself. Oh and danceologist, thanks for your comments especially your last one.
Hey @dncn888 ! How’s that chest feeling? By now you should know if you are going to die
Hey! Update: I’m fully recovered and wait for it…. 1,2,3,4 Stayin alive! No broken bones but thanks for everything!
I would check with a doctor, as @dsi411 said above. Glad to hear it feels better though, but maybe to just check to see if there is any internal damage, which I highly doubt. @choirsandstages No need to contradict @awesomepolyglot she had a valid question. This site is more known for educational advice, not medical, so I see where she is coming from.
Go to your doctor. They will send you for an xray. Then you will see!
Oh man, I feel for you. I fractured a rib coughing in 10th grade… If that wasn’t bad enough, the sickness that caused it lasted for 5 weeks. No bueno.