Dear Paul,
Direct blows to the ribs may bruise or break the ribs or injure the rib cartilage. The ribs may tear away from the cartilage that attaches them to the breastbone. This tearing away from the cartilage is called a costochondral separation and can be even more painful than a break or fracture.
Rib injuries usually result from a direct blow to the chest wall. Breaks usually occur in the curved portion of the outer part of the rib cage. A costochondral separation may occur from trauma, when you land hard on your feet, or even when you cough or sneeze violently.
A rib injury causes pain and tenderness over the place of injury. You may have pain when you breathe, move, laugh, or cough.
To help your injury heal quicker, try doing the following:
(1) Rest.
(2) Put an ice pack over the injured rib for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours for 2 to 3 days or until the pain goes away. (3) Take an anti-inflammatory or other pain medicine.
(4) Wear a rib belt, which your health care provider may suggest for very painful injuries. The belt works as a girdle for your chest and helps support your ribs. It limits movement of your ribs when you cough, breathe, or move your body in other ways. This helps decrease pain. If you wear a rib belt, your provider will give you breathing exercises to help you avoid lung complications.
You can continue to use ibuprofen for pain relief.
Bruised ribs and a costochondral separation usually take 3 to 4 weeks to heal. Broken ribs take 6 to 8 weeks to heal. Healing can be hampered for much longer if the injury is continuously aggravated by over-use and straining.
The area you are describing is not an area where a hernia would commonly occur.
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