Ever had broken ribs?!


Question:

Ever had broken ribs?

some 3 years ago i was kicked on my left lower ribs in a soccer match and they hurt like hell for some 2 to 3 weeks. The pain then disappeared, so i forgot about them. Last week, I had X-rays for a non-related issue and was told that there was a subtle expansile appearance on my ribs. (these are the same ribs as far as i can remember). Could this appearance be due to that incident?. The doctor seems to suggest some possible disease (in fact the reason i went to see the doctor was pain in a different spot) but I am thinking it could be what i had 3 yrs ago. Can i be correct?


Answers:

Old fractures look similar to darkened lines on an x-ray, which is not an expansile appearance. That term means the bones show areas where the bone expands outwards, larger than the other sections of the rib. The reading of the x-rays should have come from a radiologist, anothe doctor, but one who is trained to read x-rays. Your doctor would have been told by the radiologist about the findings, which he then told you. There are several reasons why those ribs have that sort of appearance, and most of them are the result of some sort of disease process as a general rule. The radiologist would be able to tell the difference between an old fracture site and what he is seeing on the x-rays. You need to have more workup studies done to determine exactly what is going on in the area. It may turn out to be nothing, but if not, it is better to find out and get it taken care of than it is to let it go. I would rather not try to second guess your doctor, and you would do best to trust him and get things checked out. It may be nothing, but for your peace of mind and health, it would be better to go ahead and find out. What you don't know can hurt you. While I don't suggest you panic, I don't suggest you blow it off either.




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