Most sternal fractures heal on their own without splinting or any other treatment. Complete recovery – when all pain is gone – usually takes 8 to 12 weeks.

Sternum pain can result from many causes. These range from medical conditions, such as acid reflux or costochondritis, to fractures.

A sternum fracture, or break in the breastbone, is usually caused by direct trauma to the bone. The swelling of the joints associated with sternum fractures can cause popping in this area as well.

Sternum fractures can be very painful and may cause other symptoms, such as difficulty breathing and swelling in the chest. In some cases, the injury may also affect the lungs and heart.

Heche also suffered a sternal fracture due to blunt trauma, the office said, but it did not attribute this as a cause of her death. USA TODAY has reached out to the Los Angeles County Medical ...

Anne Heche died from smoke inhalation, burn injuries and a sternal fracture, according to a Los Angeles County coroner report. Heche, 53, drove her car into a Los Angeles home on Aug. 5, sending bo… ...

The report cited a "sternal fracture due to blunt trauma" as another "significant condition" contributing to her passing. Anne Heche's Cause Of Death Revealed By Coroner - Report ...