Is pain while sneezing due to hematoma after sternum injury?
Patient: I received a Sternum contusion 6 weeks ago during an elbow to the chest collision playing indoor soccer and it still hurts when I laugh, cough, or sneeze. It hurts most when I sneeze. I got an X-ray the day after the injury and it was not a sternum fracture. Is the pain I feel during a sneeze possibly a hematoma that is situated somewhere behind the sternum? And if it is possibly a hematoma, how long before the hematoma goes away? Thank you! Doctor: Hi ..thank you for posting your question on HCM.Yes it is a possibility that a haematoma has had formed at the costostrenal junctions ..it takes 2-3weeks for this site contusions to resolve.I would treat it with ice packs and then hot packs .Palpable contusions can be managed by antibruising ointments application.Wishing you speedy recovery