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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Sternum fractured years ago and still hurts. Normal?
Answered by
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Sternum fractured years ago and still hurts. Normal?
by pcumming, Jun 01, 2004 12:00AM
I am a male, 40's and was in a car accident in 10/2000.
The seat belt caused my sternum to fracture.
It was fractured about 4 inches down from my throat.
The Thoracic doctor whom I visited several times with several sets of X-Rays said all pain should go away within 6 months.
Well almost 4 years later I still have pain now and then.
Not sure what brings it on. I does not affect my breathing. It is sore to the touch but I will not scream or anything. I may say out-loud "Ow..."
I do not exercise but am trim.
Should this pain which occurs a few times a month be something I will live with the rest of my life?
I can accept that, but want to know.
The Thoracic doctor I have not seen in years but the xrays did not show any great fragmentation and there was just a normal healing process with no bandage, surgery, brace, etc..
Thanks.
Peter
The seat belt caused my sternum to fracture.
It was fractured about 4 inches down from my throat.
The Thoracic doctor whom I visited several times with several sets of X-Rays said all pain should go away within 6 months.
Well almost 4 years later I still have pain now and then.
Not sure what brings it on. I does not affect my breathing. It is sore to the touch but I will not scream or anything. I may say out-loud "Ow..."
I do not exercise but am trim.
Should this pain which occurs a few times a month be something I will live with the rest of my life?
I can accept that, but want to know.
The Thoracic doctor I have not seen in years but the xrays did not show any great fragmentation and there was just a normal healing process with no bandage, surgery, brace, etc..
Thanks.
Peter
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Jun 11, 2004 12:00AM
, Jun 11, 2004 12:00AM
Your continuing pain and tenderness suggest that your sternum has not healed. This occurs in a small percentage of all sternal fractures. If the fracture has not healed this may be seen on a chest x-ray. Sometimes the chest x-ray doesn’t show enough detail. Then a chest CT scan would be needed to see that the fracture has not healed. The sternal fracture can be fixed with surgery. However there would be no guarantee that your pain would be completely relieved. The surgery should be done only by a surgeon with a lot of experience with this condition. Another option is to be treated without surgery by a rheumatologist.
