Do you think it's just a bruise?!


Question: possible bruised sternum....?

Playing basketball last night, I got hit in the chest.
Since then, it has hurt when I take in or let out a deep breath.

it also hurts when I push on it.
and the only pain I feel when pressing down on the area, is directly over the sternum....
but none of the pain is THAT bad.
So I'm assuming I just bruised the sternum.

the pain involved with breaking anything would be unbearable am I right?


any thoughts?


Answers: possible bruised sternum....?

Playing basketball last night, I got hit in the chest.
Since then, it has hurt when I take in or let out a deep breath.

it also hurts when I push on it.
and the only pain I feel when pressing down on the area, is directly over the sternum....
but none of the pain is THAT bad.
So I'm assuming I just bruised the sternum.

the pain involved with breaking anything would be unbearable am I right?


any thoughts?

You could have a cracked rib or (possibly) sternum. Odds are very good that it will just heal fine. Two weeks out you shouldn't feel a thing.

On the other hand, there is a small chance that it could be something more serious. You'll have to make up your own mind about whether the cost of visiting a doctor is worth the reduced risk to your health.

It's probably just a bruise. A fracture would hurt with every breath and I mean HURT!

Well, there is that little league coach that got hit in the chest with a baseball and he died later because of a bruise to the chest wall....I dont know what you got hit with (ball, elbow, etc), but you might want to go get an xray.
If you cracked your sternum, you wouldnt know it. According to my dad's cardiologist, there's no pain affiliated with the sternum (they cut it open when they do heart surgery and then staple it back together--no pain for patients, something about lack of nerve endings in the sternum).
Better safe than sorry, go to the ER.

I know you can have a broken rib and not know it.





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories