How long can I take Ibuprofen for pain from broken ribs?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 65-year-old female, and I fell 10 days ago and broke one or two ribs. The only thing that brings any relief is 800 mg of ibuprofen.

I need to know how often and for how long I can take ibuprofen. I tried Oxycodone 10 mg, but it does not work that well.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Yes, Ibuprofen is a strong painkiller; it should not be taken often, as it has many side effects like gastritis and liver and kidney damage. But in the initial days of pain following a rib fracture, the pain is actually very severe. I suggest you try doing the following:

Tramadol 50 mg (milligrams) twice daily or Oxycodone twice daily. Take Ibuprofen only when pain is severe.
Local application of diclofenac-containing gel, like Volini gel.
Hot fomentation of the affected area.
Discuss with your doctor switching you to tablet Diclofenac sustained-release is for pain, as it gives long-term relief. It does have side effects, but you may not need to take it frequently if taken along with Tramadol or Oxycodone.

For the initial 4 to 6 weeks, your pain would trouble you. So, my advice would be to take Diclofenac or Ibuprofen, only when you have unbearable pain, as taking it daily for 4 to 6 weeks would cause you a lot of undesirable side effects. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss it with him or her, and start taking the medicines after their consent.

I would highly recommend the application of topical gel, as it gives you relief from pain for a few hours with minimal adverse effects, as its systemic absorption is low.

I hope it helps you.

If you have any further queries, please ask me.

Thank you,

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I wish you a speedy recovery. Good luck.

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Thank you.