Fell Down And Bruised Ribs. Having Cough, Soreness Under Left Arm And Breast. Any Chances Of Lung Injury?

Posted on Mon, 4 Nov 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 4 Nov 2013 Answered on

Mon, 25 Nov 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Hello Dr. Grief- Wow, what a wonderful service you provide. I fell playing tennis today and may have bruised my ribs. I bandage myself up to finish the match- we were in sectionals:) It hurts to breath deeply, cough- I have soreness under my left arm and breast. I iced it earlier and am taking Advil. How might I tell if I punctured the lung area?? Thank you- XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Vaibhav Gandhi (5 hours later)

Brief Answer: X XXXXXXX or HRCT will help in diagnosis Detailed Answer: Hello XXXXXXX Thanks for writing to us, I have studied your case with diligence. As per your history of trauma there is possibility of rib contusion. Rib contusion is not always visible on X XXXXXXX .You may need to do MRI or HRCT to see details of injury and to see for any lung puncture. If there is lung injury then there will be increasing pain with every breath. Medication like muscle relaxant and analgesic will reduce pain along with it use rib support belt. You may consult physiotherapist for pain management. He may start TENS, or ultrasound which is helpful in your case. You may need to take rest for early healing. Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries. If you find this answer helpful do not forget to give rating at end of discussion. Wishing you good health. Take care Regards Dr Vaibhav

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar