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Broken Ribs, Bruises And Cuts On Waist Healing After Accident. Has Swelling In Waist Which Hurts. What Is It?
I was in a car wreck 9 days ago. I have 3 broken ribs on left side and transverse process fracture on L4. I had my seat belt on and have several bruises and cuts around my waist. Everything has been healing nicely, but two days ago I noticed a strange swelling on the right side of my waist. It doesn't hurt unless I touch it - then it hurts like a bruise - but it feels sorta solid - not squishy. It seems to have gone down in swelling since I first saw it, but it's still there. What is it?
Sat, 4 Jan 2014
Hello and welcome to HCM,
Multiple bony and soft tissue injuries are common after road traffic accidents.
The painful swelling on the waist could be due to soft tissue injury and subsequent hematoma formation.
A hematoma is collection of blood in soft tissues and it changes color with time.
Initially it is red and slowly changes to blue-green to yellow.
Hematomas clear away spontaneously without requiring any treatment.
If the swelling does not appear to be hematoms then you can get ultrasound of the abdomen to rule out any organomegaly or trauma to the soft tissues in the abdominal wall.
Further management will be decided by the result of the investigation.
thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
Multiple bony and soft tissue injuries are common after road traffic accidents.
The painful swelling on the waist could be due to soft tissue injury and subsequent hematoma formation.
A hematoma is collection of blood in soft tissues and it changes color with time.
Initially it is red and slowly changes to blue-green to yellow.
Hematomas clear away spontaneously without requiring any treatment.
If the swelling does not appear to be hematoms then you can get ultrasound of the abdomen to rule out any organomegaly or trauma to the soft tissues in the abdominal wall.
Further management will be decided by the result of the investigation.
thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
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