
This test can assess for any blood vessel injury.

It is optimal for determining the number of ribs involved, the coverage of the injury, and can help diagnosis injuries beyond the ribs themselves.Īngiography: The position of the first and second ribs are in close proximity to vital blood vessels and may cause a vascular injury. Several underlying injuries can also be ruled out with this test, such as hemothorax, pneumothorax, lung contusion, atelectasis, pneumonia, and vascular injuries.Ĭhest CT: A more sensitive imaging test compared to an X-ray, a computerized tomography (CT) scan may be done as an additional test if the diagnosis is inconclusive. The following are such tests:Īnteroposterior (AP) and lateral chest X-ray: Great for looking at the structure of the rib cage and routinely assisting in diagnosis and ruling out fractures. Once your doctor takes a complete history of the events leading up to the injury as well as a physical exam, they may find it necessary to do some tests to see the extent of the damage and rule out any additional injuries that have also occurred. Symptoms that can be experienced with bruised ribs include tenderness or pain when the area is touched, extreme pain when breathing, shortness of breath, increased pain when moving, sharp constant pain, visible bruising, difficulty sleeping or laying on the affected area, and inflammation that results in chest pains. Knowing the cause of your bruised ribs can help you better treat them at home and can also help your doctor put you on a treatment plan.

As mentioned, there are several causes for bruised ribs, including an injury to the chest such as one resulting from physical sports, vehicular accident, or repeated coughing either from pneumonia, whooping cough, or bronchitis.
