The tailbone is one of the most vulnerable parts of the spine, so a large number of injuries fall on it. Subluxation is the most common of these. But what is he like? Symptoms and treatment of coccyx subluxation, features of first aid, as well as possible complications are described in the article.
Definition
Subluxation or dislocation of the coccyx is a condition in which the joints of the coccyx and sacrum are partially or completely displaced in relation to each other. In this case, only the tailbone is shifted. The sacrum remains in the anatomically correct position.
Receiving such an injury in a person, the quality of life significantly worsens, subluxation of the tailbone causes pain and discomfort with each movement. If this pathological condition is not treated, then it can drastically limit a person's motor activity.
Causes of occurrence
Contrary to popular belief that a coccyx subluxation can happen only when it falls to the ground, there are actually more reasons for this kind of injury:
- Heavy labor, especially if the fetus is impressive in size.
- Beat with a blunt object in the sacral region.
- Excessive loads in sports training or professional injuries in competitions.
- Poor depreciation in transport.
- Violations of the depreciation function of the knee joints.
Similar injuries can also occur in older people, when the muscular back corset is weakened or even atrophied.
Symptomatology
To determine whether it is a coccyx dislocation or a subluxation, only a traumatologist can. Since their symptoms are very similar:
- If the tailbone is injured during a fall, then sharp pain is immediately felt in the sacral region. Over time, pain only intensifies, and their nature may vary depending on the position in which the person is.
- If the injury was received a few days ago, then the person feels not so sharp pain, however, painful sensations and discomfort prevent him from sitting normally, moving.
- With chronic injuries, a person may not feel pain until a certain careless movement.
- Discomfort can also be felt in the perineum and in the anus. In this case, the person feels shooting pain during bowel movements.
- Palpation of the sacral spine hurts a person.
Also, during a visual examination of the injury site, swelling, redness of the skin and even bruising can be noticed if the bruise was strong enough.
Diagnostics
If you fell on the tailbone, it hurts, what should I do? In order to understand the cause of discomfort, you need to consult a traumatologist. He will conduct such diagnostic measures:
- Anamnesis, during which the process of injury is specified.
- Visual examination and palpation, which are necessary to determine the degree and type of damage to the tailbone.
- A rectal examination during which the doctor through the rectum has the ability to feel and determine the level of inclination of the coccygeal bone. The procedure is rather unpleasant. But this is how it is determined that a subluxation of the tailbone happened in or out.
- X-ray examination is necessary in order to confirm the fact of the presence of injury, to understand its nature, severity. Also, an x-ray of the coccyx subluxation is necessary in order to distinguish this pathological condition from a fracture or crack in the bone.
- Magnetic resonance imaging for such injuries is rarely used. However, it allows you to assess the condition of not only the coccyx bone, but also the ligaments around it, which could also be injured.
Based on the data obtained during the medical examination, the doctor prescribes adequate treatment.
First aid
If you fell on the tailbone, it hurts, what should I do? The first step is to provide feasible first-aid care:
- The patient should try to lie on his stomach. If he himself cannot do this, he needs to be carefully helped. In this case, you can not make sudden movements, they can aggravate the injury.
- In order to relieve pain, you can put a cold compress from any materials at hand on the sacral region of the back. Compress should be applied only through dense matter, in order to avoid frostbite on the skin.
- It is also acceptable to offer painkillers to the victim. In this case, he needs to clarify the presence of an allergy to certain tablets.
After completing these measures, you need to deliver the victim to the emergency room. It is better to call an ambulance for this, as the patient must be delivered in a supine position. It is not recommended to take the victim to the hospital alone or call a taxi.
Therapy
Treatment of coccyx subluxation is similar to therapy for dislocation, it can be performed on an outpatient basis, since there are no indications for hospitalization in a hospital in most cases. The treatment consists of the following points:
- Direction of the joint in place. It is carried out by a surgeon or traumatologist under local anesthesia. For these purposes, the drug "Novocaine" is used if there is no allergic reaction to it.
- With severe pain, the patient may be prescribed analgesics or other painkillers, for example, Baralgin, Ketanov.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are needed to relieve swelling and inflammation. The most commonly used drugs are Movalis, Diclofenac. They can be either in the form of injections, or in the form of ointments or gels.
- Papaverine-based drugs are prescribed for children and pregnant women to relieve inflammation in the form of rectal suppositories. Also, pregnant women need to consult a gynecologist in order to make sure that the fall did not harm the fetus.
In addition, the patient for two weeks is shown compliance with bed rest. In this case, you need to lie solely on the abdomen in order to prevent joint displacement. After this, the patient is allowed to sit for a short period of time. If at the same time the patient feels pain, then it is recommended to use an orthopedic pillow.
These difficulties are associated with the inaccessible location of the coccyx. Therefore, you can’t just apply gypsum or an elastic bandage to fix it. Treatment of chronic coccyx subluxation is limited to local anti-inflammatory drugs.
Rehabilitation
The recovery process after an injury lasts about 1 month. In this case, the motor activity of a person is significantly limited. This factor negatively affects muscle function, so rehabilitation is required after treatment. It consists in performing special physiotherapy exercises under the supervision of a doctor, as well as performing certain physiotherapy procedures, such as electrophoresis, darsonval and ultrasound treatment.
It is also very important to follow a diet rich in vitamins, proteins, calcium. To restore joint tissue, it is proposed to include in the diet products such as jellied meat, soy products, olive oil, green tea.
During the recovery process, bowel problems may occur. In such cases, the use of the mild laxative drug Dufalac is indicated. It is allowed even for children and pregnant women. It is also very important to drink plenty of water daily.
Effects
Any injury adversely affects the condition of the body. A subluxation of the coccyx is no exception. He needs the attention of not only the patient, but also the doctor. In order to avoid the unpleasant consequences of coccyx subluxation, it is necessary to provide timely treatment. If this was not done, then the following complications may arise:
- Deformation of the coccygeal bone.
- The inflammatory process in the soft tissues around the coccygeal bone.
- Violation of the integrity of the ligaments.
- Difficulties during childbirth in the future.
- Disorders of the coccygeal bone.
- The formation of bone marrow, which can interfere with sitting and lying. Sometimes such a pathology requires surgical intervention.
Also, in the absence of timely assistance, chronic pain syndrome may develop, which will significantly worsen a person’s quality of life.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely prevent the occurrence of a coccyx subluxation, however, if simple rules are followed, risks can be minimized:
- Abandon high-heeled shoes in favor of medium or low. This will reduce the risk of falling.
- In winter, be careful on ice.
- If large sizes of the fetus are noted during pregnancy, then with a narrow pelvis it makes sense to replace the natural birth with a caesarean section.
To strengthen the muscle corset and it is useful to play sports with moderate loads. It is important to observe safety precautions when performing certain exercises.