Chest Injuries can be split into two categories; minor soft tissue damage and organ damage. Soft tissue damage is classed as a minor chest injury and includes chest pain that is provoked by coughing, sneezing and breathing deeply, however it usually only lasts a few days. This type of injury is treated with rest and pain killers and can be the result of a minor road accident or a bad fall, for example.
On the other hand, organ damage is extremely serious and in some cases life threatening. A brake in the rib cage can be extremely painful and if it is pushed into the body when broken can puncture the lungs. This can occur after being hit with a blunt object hard in the chest or falling over awkwardly. Harder blows to the chest can create damage to the heart, large blood vessels, liver, kidneys or tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach, all of which can be fatal. All of these injuries can be recognized immediately as the victim will struggle breathing due to the pain it will induce.