I have watched a lot of videos on how to sleep after an operation I had last week and this is probably one of the most helpful I have found yet. You explained it in very simplistic terms that made it so easy for someone who needs that like myself to understand and make sure that we protect ourselves and Not hurt ourselves after an operation. Thank you!
I should have gotten the wedge. I slept upright for the first month after my bypass cab surgery. I highly recommend this position. Sleeping for 2-4 hours at a time was a small miracle. All this isn't discussed post surgery and needs to be. So please follow her rules as they are very helpful.
Greetings from Europe Lindsey. Where can we order the exact Wedge you are demonstrating with? We find it ideal for my mother-in-law who just last night broke her sternum. She, unfortunately, has been suffering from osteoporosis. "Thanks for all in advance".
OMG! Thank you thank you thank you. When I left the hospital they didn’t tell me about the chest pillow and coughing and sneezing has been a nightmare. Thanks again so much.
You are so Correct. Suffered a sternum break 4 weeks ago, falling against a sharp counter edge. Thank you for your advice. My pain is horrific, especially laying back.
Thank u ..I recently fractured my sternum while snowboarding... This was extremely helpful! I've been using a bunch of pillows to stay elevated.. Didn't know about this product! ❤️
Great video. I just want to add that a breast feeding pillow is also a great option in this case. I’m recovering from open heart surgery and using that particular pillow. So just in case if someone can’t find the exact thing shown in this video, do check for this pillow as well and wish you fast recovery.
Hi there and thank you so much for your clear concise video. I would like to ask the brand name of the wedged pillow that you have I would like to get that exactly same. It's perfect for I've been searching for . Do you have measurements the size .
Appreciate this video. I went through all comments to see if some of my questions were already asked and saw some were. So the “acute” stage is 10-14 days. I am in the position of caring for my special needs (profoundly autistic) adult son who somehow cracked his sternum when his outdoor bench swing broke on him. I don’t know the severity of the fracture or even the exact location, just that it showed up on one of the X-rays they took. A 5 day scrip of some pain med and sent on our way. We believe he also has a higher pain tolerance than a lot of people do too. It’s been extremely difficult to determine what to do and when but we’ve been doing our best and are allowing him to lead-with caution. It’s been 16 days and he’s indicated he wants to sleep in his bed instead of the recliner. He seems to sleep okay BUT-he asked for Motrin the next day. He hadn’t had pain meds in a week or so. It’s so hard to tell what to do and when, and not know what he can and can’t do and when so as not to further add to the damage already sustained. Your video is the closest I have found to answers I need as no one I’ve asked has ever had this type of injury so I’ve no idea how he feels, only one physical sign he may be feeling pain while getting up and down (tight lips hah, which I hadn’t seen for a few days so I granted his wish to sleep in bed), but honestly there is such a lack of guidance for caregivers like myself in these situations. There’s so many of us and we’re all flying blind out here. What sort of specialist should we be following up with? Or should we? After what period of time should we be concerned he still seems to be having issues or even if he doesn’t show that he’s still in pain should we get another set of X-rays to verify it’s healed, will that show up on X-ray and how would it look? I have so many questions but those are just a few. If he asks for Motrin again I’m going to assume there’s a connection between sleeping in bed and increased pain (he’s a side sleeper most times) and try to convince him to sleep in the recliner again for a while. He’s 29 and 160 lbs, if he truly doesn’t want to do something…well, he just won’t. But I’m going to try and hope for the best! 🤞
"THANK YOU" very much for posting this video !!!! I am 3 days out of the hospital where I had a Bypass surgery, and it has been extremely rough to get ANY measurable period of sleep ... (I am a side sleeper. so THAT is out of the picture for a month or more ).... I just bought a large Wedge foam that should do the trick nicely !! Again "Thank you" kindly !!
Thankyou ! It’s my fourth day, after a car accident and the sternal advice is great . I also have a broken clavicle. So is there a good combination I can use because if one isn’t hurting the other is.
This is just the sort of infomation I needed, to the point and very helpful. I was given a rolled towel held with surgical tape,to hold to my chest from day 1 after huge sternotomy thyroid surgery(I've been using towel like a support since surgery). First night home last night after after 9 nights in hospital, it was daunting to say the least. I'm going to try with pillows supporting under arms tonight, It looks like it will add more stability and comfort too. It really is surprising that so little infomation is given about more comfortable sleeping positions after a sternotomy. Thanks for this video!
Power recliner is the best option. I am 5 weeks in on recovery from heart surgery. I am far more comfortable in my recliner than I was in the hospital bed. Standing only involves your thighs. Other issue is I can quickly adjust chair if I have a sneezing or coughing event.
I’m sorry it’s called a power recliner. I also need to order this pillow ASAP and I really wish they would’ve given us a list of things to get ready for surgery because I am not comfortable.
Fabulous video! Going to be a big help. Where can I find that pillow? Most that I have tried are too steep. As a sleep apnea side sleeper (now using Inspire Implant), the right pillow(s) are critical for me.
Comminuted fracture of sternum. Airbag / seatbelt blunt trauma. This information is what I figured out. Wish I knew from day one. You’re right on target ma’am.
Sternal fractures are one of the most common automotive accident injuries and also something that gets way too little attention! Hope your healing is quick and complete!
I’ve been having pain in my sternum for over a month since I was taking out a case of Coca-Cola from my back seat of car holding it up against car while reaching for my keys in back seat with left hand , the case of cola came crashing down into my chest making a stone pendant jab my sternum (it felt like it went in between my rib bone , I thought my heart stopped) so I’ve been in discomfort for month 1/2 , it hurts mostly after getting up in morning. Could this be fluid buildup in chest (pleural effusion) ? I’ll try sleeping elevated . Thank you so much for video . Very much appreciated ❤🖐🎼
My sternum may have been bruised rather than broken, but getting in and out of bed was extremely painful before I started following the instructions in this video. This method of getting in and out of bed made all the difference.
Man this helped me. Slipped on a battery and landed squarely on the arm of a chair directly on my sternu. so far my doctor has done nada. she said she did not see a break, but the radiologist was going to look at it and the were supposed to call me back yesterday about what hey found. so far, not all. This video is more help than i have gotten from my ow doctor.
The took me to hospital by ambulance when I got out of the car crash with chest pain . Took me to hospital and did an xray. Told me I was 'lucky not to break anything '. So, for 6 weeks my physio had me stretching and swimming to help my bruised chest. After 6 weeks and my loud complaints of the pain, my doc sent me for a bone scan. My sternum was broken after all. (6 weeks of stretches and swimming with a broken sternum) At 12 weeks now and still hurts like hell.
I fractured my sternum May 18..everything the person in the video said was right on..in the beginning coughing was horrible..I could barely make little coughing sounds..thank goodness never had to sneeze!! Was told to keep my arms close to my sides like in a tube..since my fracture was to the left of the middle of my sternum I was told not to use my left arm..it has been several weeks..sternum is doing much better but l still have some pain with certain movements..
My physical therapy not mentioning all these information to me . What a waste of time from them and money. Up to now I’m still hurting even though it’s been 2 months from the day I got car accident. Thank u for sharing information. I learn something .
Thank you so much for these videos!! They are so helpful!! A series on stroke care (transfers, bed mobility, subluxed shoulder etc) would be really helpful! As well as balance training treatment ideas!
I am dealing with 3 fractured ribs on my right side & also bulging disc's at 3 different levels with one pushing on the spinal canal causing severe pain in my right arm & tingling & numbness in my fingers on my right hand!
I’d like to know if after one year post-surgery is it possible to perform chin-ups from a chin-up bar, or will this place too much pressure on a sternum?
Thank you for the information, have been rolling to the side and pushing myself up w/ my hands/arms to not rely on my sternum/torso for support in getting in/out of bed. Am a week into recovery, been doing the hot/cold packs. Fractured my sternum 2mm posterior "overdoing it" on a piece of exercise equipment, subsequently learning I had Osteoporosis, which I"d not been aware of prior. Dr saying we caught it early and now treating. Never having broken anything though it's been a daunting and scary process. Thx for the info again and normalizing my pain experience.
Just going through this today after a fall. I borrowed a wedge but I'm a side sleeper so even tho it's more painful I've been moving the wedge and using one pillow on my side in bed. Worried about the painful breathing and hoping it's not too bad I can't cough it's so painful I can barely clear my throat. Lord have mercy if I have to sneeze LoL. Thanks for the tips
I was the same sent home with no general information. I soon figured out that lying down wasn't an option. I didn't have a wedge but I did have stored away a large pillow that looked like the top of an armchair. Even had the two armrests. I just put a pillow in for the hollow of my back and it worked a treat. Those armrests kept my arms where they were supposed to be. I had a 'huggy', a rolled-up 3 I carried everywhere. I'm at the stage now just my hand works. I'm at 10 weeks now and starting back at work in dribs and drabs. Still on painkillers, just the SR, but hope to decrease these shortly and then cut them out completely. It's been a slow and steady recovery.
I have a fractured sternum from multiple myeloma. This looks like a good idea. I wish I saw this sooner. I’ve had the fracture for a while. I was sleeping on my side and it wasn’t comfortable at all. Sleeping on my back was ok. But I didn’t have pillows on my side
Also, may I ask how long until I’m fully recovered? I feel like It’s never going to get better. But I am able to sneeze and cough without feeling like I got a shotgun blast to my chest. It was so painful. I hope nobody goes through this , it was such a lesson , and I hope people will learn from this. I wish I never bought this case of cola that day. But it’s too late to do over. Thanks again. Ps. I didn’t go to doctor, since my breathing was okay. Just pain beyond belief , but ibuprofen was a lifesaver. I just don’t like that it’s hard in the liver. I never took painkillers in my life. Even for root canal., I took aspirin. 🖐
You mentioned that croisnging legs is OK however if the vein was hrvested from the leg i dont think this will be comfortable. Good video, should be shown at hospitals.
I somehow fractured my xiphoid last night while sleeping I woke up for a second and just shrugged it off as sharp chest pain and I took painkillers in the morning cos I woke up with a headache now trying to get to sleep it's just awful very uncomfortable and feels quite painful will go to the doctor tomorrow thankyou for the video I will use my recliner
You'll have phlegm problems most likely and you'll have to cough it out. It's best to squeese tighly on a folded T shirt onto your chest and lean over the back of a sofa to so that your head is upside down on the front side of the sofa. Squeez the folded shirt to your chest hard and lightly cough down (because the top of your head should be pointed down) that phlegm with small coughs or as hard as your pain will allow. As you get better and can lay on you side you might not have to hunch over a sofa to get the phlegm out.
My car accident was 2 weeks ago. I've been sleeping on my back, propped up. I'm now only getting about 4 hours of sleep at night. I rest and fall asleep in the daytime for several hours. Then, the pattern repeats. At least the pain is way less now unless I cough or sneeze. I have to take regular pain meds every 4-5 hours to feel minimal pain. Still can't twist, but I can carry a few things. Doors are sometimes a painful surprise. Pull! Now, I'm searching for a new car...
Hope you're all healed up! If you don't mind me asking how long did it take to heal I'm 5 days from a car accident with a severely bruised sternum and I am just over it and am wondering about the healing time.
thanks i used pillows and elevated myself last night got a nice sleep night before i went to bed took me some 30 mins to get up due to the pain so reclined chair or wedge like you said works well thanks had injury's in the past but not to the lvl you get with sternum fracture
A got a knee kick right on my sternum by mistake recently. It is not extremely painful, I only hurt during some particular movements. I only have one question. It becomes extremely painful when I sneeze, do you suggest anything for that? I also feel something like a small crack when I take deep breaths.
I had a huge impact on my chest just this afternoon after i was sent flying on a rock because of the play ground slide , i don't feel pain anywhere my ribs but my sternum hurts and i had a rough and difficult breathing as well as a slight cold sensation on my chest. I hope i heal well because it hurts when moving- even my arm pain dont match the painful pressure when i breath 😢
I have a broken sternum and find sleeping face down the best. Reason being, when I breathe, my back goes up, as the chest cannot move out. Not a much anyway. That said I am 8 weeks in and still feel like someone is standing one foot on my chest
I’m so pissed I can’t tell if it’s broken or not I was helping some little kids with the basics of wrestling for my step dad(because he’s a coach) and this 250 pound kid jumped on my back and pulled my arms back and shoved my chest into the ground and then I heard a crack in my sternum area and have had pain while breathing since. I can’t tell if it’s bruised , broken or what. But Im trying to get in shape for football and if I can’t do stuff with pulling and pushing this thill be terrible for the combined I have coming up.
Only an X-ray will tell for sure. It is more likely you popped a rib out of place next to the sternum. It hurts pretty bad but will usually resolve on its own.
Sternal fractures are horribly mis managed by most hospitals! I have worked with countless people in the same situation! I hope you are able to find comfort soon!
I wish I had seen this video sooner. I'm on the 9th day of recovery from a sternum break after a car accident, and sleeping has been a nightmare so far."
This my first time doing seach this kind of problem I just figured it out, i thought I'm the only one, i have this when i was in elementary 6th grade someone who's run into me and then he bumped me so hard after that i feel pain to my center of chest but i just ignored it. because i thought it was normal having this but no, and now it's still there for many years and i feel bad for this I'm 22 years old i don't know what to do because it's really annoying everytime you move you feel the pain, i want to go try lift to gym but i can't go becuse of this everytime you move you can feel it.😢
This works quite well.. but it feels painful when lying on the pillow.. also i feel much better when i just remain sitted while i support my chest against my curled up knees. And yes but why i feel much better lying when facing the pillow with my arms supporting the the bed. And yes it feels much better when i breath.
So glad I found this video! Was discharged with a sternal fracture with zero instructions on how to handle it! First two nights were awful!
I’m sorry to hear that! I hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly!
Same! Hope you have recovered well.
Me too! Nobody told me what to expect
Thank you. I have a fractured sternum from a car accident and it was extremely helpful
Glad it was helpful!
I have watched a lot of videos on how to sleep after an operation I had last week and this is probably one of the most helpful I have found yet. You explained it in very simplistic terms that made it so easy for someone who needs that like myself to understand and make sure that we protect ourselves and Not hurt ourselves after an operation. Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!
I should have gotten the wedge. I slept upright for the first month after my bypass cab surgery. I highly recommend this position. Sleeping for 2-4 hours at a time was a small miracle. All this isn't discussed post surgery and needs to be. So please follow her rules as they are very helpful.
Greetings from Europe Lindsey. Where can we order the exact Wedge you are demonstrating with? We find it ideal for my mother-in-law who just last night broke her sternum. She, unfortunately, has been suffering from osteoporosis. "Thanks for all in advance".
OMG! Thank you thank you thank you. When I left the hospital they didn’t tell me about the chest pillow and coughing and sneezing has been a nightmare. Thanks again so much.
You’re welcome! I’m glad to help. Good luck with the rest of your recovery!
You are so Correct. Suffered a sternum break 4 weeks ago, falling against a sharp counter edge. Thank you for your advice. My pain is horrific, especially laying back.
A very painful recovery that very few people talk about!
how i long did it take u to recover
Thank u ..I recently fractured my sternum while snowboarding... This was extremely helpful! I've been using a bunch of pillows to stay elevated.. Didn't know about this product! ❤️
Ouch! I’m glad to help!
Great video. I just want to add that a breast feeding pillow is also a great option in this case. I’m recovering from open heart surgery and using that particular pillow. So just in case if someone can’t find the exact thing shown in this video, do check for this pillow as well and wish you fast recovery.
Hi there and thank you so much for your clear concise video. I would like to ask the brand name of the wedged pillow that you have I would like to get that exactly same. It's perfect for I've been searching for . Do you have measurements the size .
Thank you for this video. I have a sternal fracture from a car accident and this is going to help me a lot.
My pleasure! I’m sorry to hear about your accident! Happy healing 🙌🏻
Appreciate this video. I went through all comments to see if some of my questions were already asked and saw some were. So the “acute” stage is 10-14 days. I am in the position of caring for my special needs (profoundly autistic) adult son who somehow cracked his sternum when his outdoor bench swing broke on him. I don’t know the severity of the fracture or even the exact location, just that it showed up on one of the X-rays they took. A 5 day scrip of some pain med and sent on our way. We believe he also has a higher pain tolerance than a lot of people do too. It’s been extremely difficult to determine what to do and when but we’ve been doing our best and are allowing him to lead-with caution. It’s been 16 days and he’s indicated he wants to sleep in his bed instead of the recliner. He seems to sleep okay BUT-he asked for Motrin the next day. He hadn’t had pain meds in a week or so. It’s so hard to tell what to do and when, and not know what he can and can’t do and when so as not to further add to the damage already sustained. Your video is the closest I have found to answers I need as no one I’ve asked has ever had this type of injury so I’ve no idea how he feels, only one physical sign he may be feeling pain while getting up and down (tight lips hah, which I hadn’t seen for a few days so I granted his wish to sleep in bed), but honestly there is such a lack of guidance for caregivers like myself in these situations. There’s so many of us and we’re all flying blind out here. What sort of specialist should we be following up with? Or should we? After what period of time should we be concerned he still seems to be having issues or even if he doesn’t show that he’s still in pain should we get another set of X-rays to verify it’s healed, will that show up on X-ray and how would it look? I have so many questions but those are just a few. If he asks for Motrin again I’m going to assume there’s a connection between sleeping in bed and increased pain (he’s a side sleeper most times) and try to convince him to sleep in the recliner again for a while. He’s 29 and 160 lbs, if he truly doesn’t want to do something…well, he just won’t. But I’m going to try and hope for the best! 🤞
"THANK YOU" very much for posting this video !!!! I am 3 days out of the hospital where I had a Bypass surgery, and it has been extremely rough to get ANY measurable period of sleep ... (I am a side sleeper. so THAT is out of the picture for a month or more ).... I just bought a large Wedge foam that should do the trick nicely !! Again "Thank you" kindly !!
You’re welcome!
Thankyou ! It’s my fourth day, after a car accident and the sternal advice is great . I also have a broken clavicle. So is there a good combination I can use because if one isn’t hurting the other is.
This is just the sort of infomation I needed, to the point and very helpful. I was given a rolled towel held with surgical tape,to hold to my chest from day 1 after huge sternotomy thyroid surgery(I've been using towel like a support since surgery). First night home last night after after 9 nights in hospital, it was daunting to say the least. I'm going to try with pillows supporting under arms tonight, It looks like it will add more stability and comfort too. It really is surprising that so little infomation is given about more comfortable sleeping positions after a sternotomy. Thanks for this video!
Oh my goodness, thank you so much. The is exactly what I needed. Recovery day 3. 🙏🏼
Hurts like hell
Yup. Third day is the worst.
Power recliner is the best option. I am 5 weeks in on recovery from heart surgery. I am far more comfortable in my recliner than I was in the hospital bed. Standing only involves your thighs. Other issue is I can quickly adjust chair if I have a sneezing or coughing event.
I’m scheduled for open heart August 22,2024. I have a power recliner and will be using that. Thanks for the heads up.
I wish you all the best. I know you will do well.
Where do we get the electric recliner to take home? I am miserable.
I’m sorry it’s called a power recliner. I also need to order this pillow ASAP and I really wish they would’ve given us a list of things to get ready for surgery because I am not comfortable.
@colleenfoy7573 Amazon for the recliner. Welzona was the brand. Very inexpensive and very comfortable.
Fabulous video! Going to be a big help. Where can I find that pillow? Most that I have tried are too steep. As a sleep apnea side sleeper (now using Inspire Implant), the right pillow(s) are critical for me.
I have a very active boy and he recently rammed his chest onto concrete wall while playing with his friends. This was very helpful. Thank you.
Ouch! Glad to help!
Comminuted fracture of sternum. Airbag / seatbelt blunt trauma. This information is what I figured out. Wish I knew from day one. You’re right on target ma’am.
Sternal fractures are one of the most common automotive accident injuries and also something that gets way too little attention! Hope your healing is quick and complete!
I’ve been having pain in my sternum for over a month since I was taking out a case of Coca-Cola from my back seat of car holding it up against car while reaching for my keys in back seat with left hand , the case of cola came crashing down into my chest making a stone pendant jab my sternum (it felt like it went in between my rib bone , I thought my heart stopped) so I’ve been in discomfort for month 1/2 , it hurts mostly after getting up in morning. Could this be fluid buildup in chest (pleural effusion) ? I’ll try sleeping elevated . Thank you so much for video . Very much appreciated ❤🖐🎼
My sternum may have been bruised rather than broken, but getting in and out of bed was extremely
painful before I started following the instructions in this video. This method of getting in and out of bed made all the difference.
I’m so glad it was helpful!
Man this helped me. Slipped on a battery and landed squarely on the arm of a chair directly on my sternu. so far my doctor has done nada. she said she did not see a break, but the radiologist was going to look at it and the were supposed to call me back yesterday about what hey found. so far, not all. This video is more help than i have gotten from my ow doctor.
Ouch! I’m glad I could bring a little relief!
The took me to hospital by ambulance when I got out of the car crash with chest pain . Took me to hospital and did an xray. Told me I was 'lucky not to break anything '.
So, for 6 weeks my physio had me stretching and swimming to help my bruised chest. After 6 weeks and my loud complaints of the pain, my doc sent me for a bone scan. My sternum was broken after all. (6 weeks of stretches and swimming with a broken sternum)
At 12 weeks now and still hurts like hell.
Took me 2 regular x-rays front view. Then week later 8 from different angles got XRAY TECHNICIAN to find it, after I left clinic.
I fractured my sternum May 18..everything the person in the video said was right on..in the beginning coughing was horrible..I could barely make little coughing sounds..thank goodness never had to sneeze!! Was told to keep my arms close to my sides like in a tube..since my fracture was to the left of the middle of my sternum
I was told not to use my left arm..it has been several weeks..sternum is doing much better but l still have some pain with certain movements..
How are you now please tell me
My physical therapy not mentioning all these information to me . What a waste of time from them and money. Up to now I’m still hurting even though it’s been 2 months from the day I got car accident. Thank u for sharing information. I learn something .
Thank you so much for these videos!! They are so helpful!! A series on stroke care (transfers, bed mobility, subluxed shoulder etc) would be really helpful! As well as balance training treatment ideas!
What a fantastic idea! I’ve been slowly outlining a stroke series and will be able to get it rolled out soon! 🤞🏻
@@EquipMeOT can’t wait!!!
My headaches more than my sternum. It is 5 days post op. I think i might go crazy.
This is helpful after open heart surgery
I’ve noticed sleeping on my right side makes the pain go away completely! Sitting up is extremely painful, and so is standing :(
Hey there, great video, thanks.
Do you have any recommendation on mattress hardness?
Soft mattresses may be more comfortable but it’s way harder for bed mobility. Something in the middle is best. Or an adjustable firmness mattress!
@@EquipMeOT Thank you very much for your reply! :) Have a great day.
I am dealing with 3 fractured ribs on my right side & also bulging disc's at 3 different levels with one pushing on the spinal canal causing severe pain in my right arm & tingling & numbness in my fingers on my right hand!
I’d like to know if after one year post-surgery is it possible to perform chin-ups from a chin-up bar, or will this place too much pressure on a sternum?
You should be able to do this after a year of healing, but always listen to your body and approach slowly.
After watching your video , I bought that wedge for my husband ( after he had his open heart surgery ) . He dosn’t like it ! So hard to rest on that !
Thank you for the information, have been rolling to the side and pushing myself up w/ my hands/arms to not rely on my sternum/torso for support in getting in/out of bed. Am a week into recovery, been doing the hot/cold packs. Fractured my sternum 2mm posterior "overdoing it" on a piece of exercise equipment, subsequently learning I had Osteoporosis, which I"d not been aware of prior. Dr saying we caught it early and now treating. Never having broken anything though it's been a daunting and scary process. Thx for the info again and normalizing my pain experience.
Sternal fractures are so common! I’m sorry you’re going through it, but I’m glad I could help make it a bit easier!
Just going through this today after a fall. I borrowed a wedge but I'm a side sleeper so even tho it's more painful I've been moving the wedge and using one pillow on my side in bed. Worried about the painful breathing and hoping it's not too bad I can't cough it's so painful I can barely clear my throat. Lord have mercy if I have to sneeze LoL. Thanks for the tips
I was the same sent home with no general information. I soon figured out that lying down wasn't an option.
I didn't have a wedge but I did have stored away a large pillow that looked like the top of an armchair. Even had the two armrests. I just put a pillow in for the hollow of my back and it worked a treat. Those armrests kept my arms where they were supposed to be.
I had a 'huggy', a rolled-up 3 I carried everywhere. I'm at the stage now just my hand works.
I'm at 10 weeks now and starting back at work in dribs and drabs. Still on painkillers, just the SR, but hope to decrease these shortly and then cut them out completely. It's been a slow and steady recovery.
I have a fractured sternum from multiple myeloma. This looks like a good idea. I wish I saw this sooner. I’ve had the fracture for a while. I was sleeping on my side and it wasn’t comfortable at all. Sleeping on my back was ok. But I didn’t have pillows on my side
Ouch! I hope you find some comfortable positions!
Also, may I ask how long until I’m fully recovered? I feel like It’s never going to get better. But I am able to sneeze and cough without feeling like I got a shotgun blast to my chest. It was so painful. I hope nobody goes through this , it was such a lesson , and I hope people will learn from this. I wish I never bought this case of cola that day. But it’s too late to do over. Thanks again. Ps. I didn’t go to doctor, since my breathing was okay. Just pain beyond belief , but ibuprofen was a lifesaver. I just don’t like that it’s hard in the liver. I never took painkillers in my life. Even for root canal., I took aspirin. 🖐
I have a lump on mine now should I go to the doctors and sleeping on my side is starting to hurt now
Wow! Thank you!!!
Great info. Thanks
I had my xiphoid process removed and this was the only way I could get comfortable.
Were can i get that tool?and what is it called
If you are referring to the bed wedge, it is available here:
amzn.to/3S4DYLN
Thank you very much this video I found in valuable I appreciate it
Glad it was helpful!
The recliner is my bff
You mentioned that croisnging legs is OK however if the vein was hrvested from the leg i dont think this will be comfortable. Good video, should be shown at hospitals.
Thankyou..Its helped so much..❤❤❤
How long does it take for the acute pain to subside following an ATV accident?
Thank you btw!! Great intel!
Acute pain usually starts to wane within 10-14 days but that is super dependent on number, type and location of injuries.
Thank you, this was one of my questions
I somehow fractured my xiphoid last night while sleeping I woke up for a second and just shrugged it off as sharp chest pain and I took painkillers in the morning cos I woke up with a headache now trying to get to sleep it's just awful very uncomfortable and feels quite painful will go to the doctor tomorrow thankyou for the video I will use my recliner
You'll have phlegm problems most likely and you'll have to cough it out. It's best to squeese tighly on a folded T shirt onto your chest and lean over the back of a sofa to so that your head is upside down on the front side of the sofa. Squeez the folded shirt to your chest hard and lightly cough down (because the top of your head should be pointed down) that phlegm with small coughs or as hard as your pain will allow. As you get better and can lay on you side you might not have to hunch over a sofa to get the phlegm out.
My car accident was 2 weeks ago. I've been sleeping on my back, propped up. I'm now only getting about 4 hours of sleep at night. I rest and fall asleep in the daytime for several hours. Then, the pattern repeats. At least the pain is way less now unless I cough or sneeze. I have to take regular pain meds every 4-5 hours to feel minimal pain. Still can't twist, but I can carry a few things. Doors are sometimes a painful surprise. Pull! Now, I'm searching for a new car...
Hope you're all healed up! If you don't mind me asking how long did it take to heal I'm 5 days from a car accident with a severely bruised sternum and I am just over it and am wondering about the healing time.
thanks, this really helped its almost 3 weeks
Glad it helped!
thanks i used pillows and elevated myself last night got a nice sleep night before i went to bed took me some 30 mins to get up due to the pain so reclined chair or wedge like you said works well thanks had injury's in the past but not to the lvl you get with sternum fracture
You’re welcome! Glad it was helpful!
Paul, mine was broken, sleeping in recliner with pillows worked for me. I actually got sleep!
Thank you sooo much ❤❤❤❤
A got a knee kick right on my sternum by mistake recently. It is not extremely painful, I only hurt during some particular movements. I only have one question. It becomes extremely painful when I sneeze, do you suggest anything for that? I also feel something like a small crack when I take deep breaths.
Hug a pillow! If you feel a cough or sneeze, a little compression should help ease the pain.
@@EquipMeOT Thanks! Pain is almost gone now, your tips helped me a lot with bed movement!
Awesome!
Don't cough if can & get a drink, clear your throat instead. That's what I was told.
This is what I've been doing day 3. Trying to clear my throat lightly instead of coughing because of the severe pain
Thanks.
I had a huge impact on my chest just this afternoon after i was sent flying on a rock because of the play ground slide , i don't feel pain anywhere my ribs but my sternum hurts and i had a rough and difficult breathing as well as a slight cold sensation on my chest. I hope i heal well because it hurts when moving- even my arm pain dont match the painful pressure when i breath 😢
Thank you so much for a great guide to recovering from this long hard journey😂
Would a bruised sternum show up on xray
Swelling shows on an x-ray, which can be assumed bruising, but soft tissue damage does not necessarily show up on a standard x-ray.
I have a broken sternum and find sleeping face down the best.
Reason being, when I breathe, my back goes up, as the chest cannot move out. Not a much anyway.
That said I am 8 weeks in and still feel like someone is standing one foot on my chest
OMG. 8 weeks! I haven't followed up with CT yet.
My sternum pains like burning sensation ,I did have open heart surgery.
What if u have no wedge or anything similar 😭
You don't sleep after open heart surgery unless you have good sleeping pills been there
Thx didn't break my sternum but I did bruise it in a fight this helps
Who did you fight?
Just had a dirtbike crash, road rash all up my arms and legs, didn’t feel the fracture until about 10 minutes after it happened
I’m so pissed I can’t tell if it’s broken or not I was helping some little kids with the basics of wrestling for my step dad(because he’s a coach) and this 250 pound kid jumped on my back and pulled my arms back and shoved my chest into the ground and then I heard a crack in my sternum area and have had pain while breathing since. I can’t tell if it’s bruised , broken or what. But Im trying to get in shape for football and if I can’t do stuff with pulling and pushing this thill be terrible for the combined I have coming up.
Greatly appreciated if you see this and say what you think
Only an X-ray will tell for sure. It is more likely you popped a rib out of place next to the sternum. It hurts pretty bad but will usually resolve on its own.
I had 3 ribs out, & bruised, only to hurt more then @urgent care 8 different x-rays later showed fracture sternum.
Nobody told me this stuff! I came home a few days ago and have been so incredibly uncomfortable and hating to go to bed.
Sternal fractures are horribly mis managed by most hospitals! I have worked with countless people in the same situation! I hope you are able to find comfort soon!
I wish I had seen this video sooner. I'm on the 9th day of recovery from a sternum break after a car accident, and sleeping has been a nightmare so far."
This my first time doing seach this kind of problem
I just figured it out, i thought I'm the only one, i have this when i was in elementary 6th grade someone who's run into me and then he bumped me so hard after that i feel pain to my center of chest but i just ignored it. because i thought it was normal having this but no, and now it's still there for many years and i feel bad for this I'm 22 years old i don't know what to do because it's really annoying everytime you move you feel the pain, i want to go try lift to gym but i can't go becuse of this everytime you move you can feel it.😢
This works quite well.. but it feels painful when lying on the pillow.. also i feel much better when i just remain sitted while i support my chest against my curled up knees. And yes but why i feel much better lying when facing the pillow with my arms supporting the the bed. And yes it feels much better when i breath.
Thank you, this was very helpful
You’re welcome!
Thank you! I am OT, Greetings from Turkey!
Greetings! Thanks for watching!
Sneezing sucks! I used to love a good sneeze…
👍🏻
your so pretty
Dang, there goes chest day for 2 months