Treatment of coccyx fracture

Any therapy begins only after a diagnosis has been made. Treatment of a coccyx fracture is symptomatic and largely depends on the type of disorders that occurred after the injury. But there are a number of recommendations that must be followed in any case. This will prevent the situation from worsening.

If you or one of your relatives or children receives an injury, the victim should be given first aid, adhering to certain rules.

• If an injury has occurred, or parents observe symptoms in their child described in the article " Symptoms and consequences of a coccyx fracture ", then it should be remembered that you should never palpate the affected area yourself. It is even more dangerous to correct a dislocation yourself.
• The first thing to do is to lay the victim on his side so that the sore spot does not touch the surface - this will reduce the intensity of the pain and at least slightly improve the patient's condition.
• To reduce swelling and the extent of bleeding, ice should be applied to the site of the blow.
• To reduce the pain intensity, you can take an analgesic. If trouble happens to a child, the medicine and its dosage should correspond to the age of the little patient. Therefore, before using it, you need to read the instructions for the drug very carefully.
• After this, you should call an ambulance to your home or take the victim to the emergency room yourself. In this case, the patient should be transported in a lying position on his side.

The following can be used as analgesics: aldolor, spazgan, maxicold, paracetamol, sumatriptan, analgin, solpadeine, citramon, tramadol, bralangin, tramal, panadol, efferalgan and others.

If a child is injured, then, for example, Efferalgan will do just fine. The drug can be taken with milk, juices and plain water. Its dosage directly depends on the age and body weight of the little patient. It is prescribed at the rate of 10-15 mg per kilogram of the little patient's weight, divided into three to four daily doses. The maximum possible daily dose of the drug corresponds to a figure of no more than 60 mg per kilogram of weight. The interval between injections should be maintained within four to six hours.

Contraindications to taking Efferalgan include severe renal and/or hepatic dysfunction, individual intolerance to the components of the drug, including paracetamol, in the case of blood disease, and a history of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Analgin can be taken either orally or by injection into a muscle or vein.

It is administered orally before meals. The starting dosage for adult patients is 250-500 mg, taken two to three times a day; for small victims, the drug is prescribed at a rate of 5-10 mg per kilogram of the small patient's weight, divided into three to four daily doses.

In case of severe pain, it is advisable to administer the medicine intramuscularly or intravenously. The adult dosage is 1-2 ml of 25% or 50% solution twice or three times a day, but not more than 2 g per day. For small children - at the rate of 0.1-0.2 ml (50% solution) or 0.2-0.4 ml (25% solution), taken for every full 10 kg of the child's weight. The drug is not administered subcutaneously due to the high probability of developing an allergic reaction. Analgin is contraindicated in case of increased sensitivity of the patient's body to its components, as well as in the case of the presence in the patient's history of narrowed bronchial lumen (high risk of developing bronchospasm).

As noted earlier, therapy in this case is symptomatic. If a dislocation is diagnosed, the doctor, having provided the patient with a sick leave, treats the patient on an outpatient basis.

If a coccyx fracture is diagnosed, this is a direct indication for hospitalization and bed rest. It can last, depending on the severity of the pathology, up to two to three weeks. In this case, the patient has to lie only on his side or stomach. If the patient needs to sit down, a rubber ring is used for this purpose, which is placed under the buttocks.

The painkiller can be taken in various forms. It can be an oral tablet, a medicated rectal suppository, or a solution administered intramuscularly or intravenously.

In case of trauma with displacement, an injection of novocaine is given to the affected area.

The local anesthetic novacoin is used in this case as a 2% solution and is administered in a dose of 5-10 ml. Only after this is repositioning (returning the displaced bone section to its place) performed through the rectum. In this case, the specialist does not allow any sudden movements, his actions are soft, sparing for the patient's body. During this procedure, the doctor must be very careful not to injure the back wall of the rectum.

Mostly, such actions are enough for further healing to proceed correctly. But there are also cases when the broken-off area does not hold the correct position. If, during repeated radiography of the affected area, the image shows another displacement, the traumatologist prescribes surgical treatment for the patient. Usually, the essence of the operation is the removal of the distal (distant from the whole bone) part of the coccyx.

During therapy, it is also possible to use special ointments, but it is necessary that the skin of the treated area is not damaged. But it should be remembered that self-medication is fraught with multiple complications and deterioration of the patient's condition. Therefore, the prescription of the necessary drugs for treatment is the prerogative of a qualified specialist, in this case, the attending physician. Only with his permission can such ointments be used. Their use is especially dangerous in the case of an open fracture or in the presence of a local purulent fistula in this area.

The treatment protocol also includes calcium supplements for the victim.

Calcium gluconate is taken orally immediately before a meal or an hour and a half after a meal. It is better to take the tablet preparation with milk, but water will do.

The starting single dose for adult patients and adolescents over 14 years of age is prescribed in the amount of 1 - 3 g, which corresponds to two to six tablets. For young patients, the single dose depends on age:

• For children aged three to four years – 1 g, which is equivalent to two tablets. They must be crushed and given to the child.
• From five to six – 1 - 1.5 g, which corresponds to two to three tablets. They can also be crushed.
• From seven to nine years old – 1.5 - 2 g, which corresponds to three to four tablets.
• For teenagers aged 10 to 14 years – 2-3 g, which corresponds to four to six tablets.

The drug is taken two to three times a day. The maximum daily dosage for elderly patients should not exceed 2 g, and, accordingly, four tablets. The duration of the treatment course is determined by the attending physician individually, based on the disease picture and the patient's condition.

During the first days of the disease, the patient is given an enema to allow defecation. The method of removing feces is justified by the need to avoid displacement of damaged bones during the first few days.

After the acute period has passed, the patient is prescribed restorative therapy, which includes:

1. Therapeutic and physical training complex.
2. Electroanalgesia – an electric current of a certain strength is applied to the affected area, reducing pain sensitivity.
3. Therapeutic massages.
4. Hirudotherapy is a therapy using a medicinal leech. By sucking blood from the affected area, it allows for faster removal of hemorrhage and improvement of local blood flow, which increases the activity of healing.
5. Physiotherapy.

Surgery for a coccyx fracture

In most cases, the broken bone fragment is perfectly repositioned, after which it heals correctly and the patient subsequently recovers.

However, situations are not so rare when the fragment does not stay in the right place and a repeated X-ray shows another displacement. Surgery for a coccyx fracture is prescribed precisely when such a clinical picture is obtained.

The essence of the surgical intervention is the removal of the broken off appendix, if the rudimentary appendix is severely fragmented, it is removed completely. They can also resort to such a procedure if the process of defecation is difficult due to compression of the colon. The operation is performed under general anesthesia.

Coccygectomy (excision of the coccyx) is also recommended if, after undergoing a treatment complex, the patient continues to experience local pain, which eventually leads to disability. But to the delight of doctors, they resort to such a procedure quite rarely.

As statistics show, treatment, which includes surgical intervention, takes a person three to four weeks on average, after which he returns to his usual way of life. In some particularly severe cases, rehabilitation can last for several months.

To shorten the recovery period, the doctor prescribes physiotherapy procedures for the victim.

In the future, such a patient is not recommended to ride a bicycle, sled, or engage in sports that may lead to re-injury; heavy physical exertion is also excluded.

Osteosynthesis for coccyx fracture

Medicine does not stand still, introducing various innovations to help doctors. Recently, traumatologists increasingly use osteosynthesis, when the coccyx is fractured, - matching bone fragments surgically to ensure the most effective fusion of fragments. In this case, various specialized fixing structures are used, providing long-term immobilization of fragmented biological material.

Treatment of a coccyx fracture at home

Recovery from injury is a fairly long process, and you will have to take care of yourself for the rest of your life. A particularly difficult case is if a pathology with displacement was diagnosed. However, there are still a number of recipes that can be useful during the rehabilitation period.

It is only important to remember that treatment of a coccyx fracture at home should be carried out with the permission of the attending physician and under his supervision.

• The victim can apply dry heat to the sore area at home. This could be a dog or camel wool belt, a blanket, or a quilt.
• A healing ointment based on comfrey has proven itself to be excellent. To prepare it, you will need a glass of crushed leaves of the plant and the same amount of vegetable oil. Mix everything and boil over the fire for half an hour. Then let the broth cool slightly and strain. Then add vitamin E (easily available at any pharmacy) and 50 ml of beeswax to the medicine. Let the ointment completely come to room temperature. The drug is applied to the sore spot twice a day. The procedure takes from half an hour to an hour. In order not to stain your underwear, it is better to put a bandage on top during this time.
• Compresses based on medicinal herbs that have pain-relieving and healing properties are suitable. In such a situation, tinctures and decoctions from the following plants are suitable: mullein, knotweed, parsnip, red clover, calamus, basil, cornflower, chamomile, stone bramble, belladonna, sage, flax, eucalyptus, rosemary, linden, hops, lemon balm, juniper, peppermint, sea buckthorn, plantain, violet, wormwood and others.
• Geranium is also actively used. To prepare baths, brew two tablespoons of plant leaves in a liter of water. Boil the mixture for five minutes. Then strain. If compresses are used, the method for obtaining the mixture is similar, only the ratio of the plant component and water changes: one tablespoon per glass.
• Mumiyo is also used, used in the form of a homemade ointment. To make it, you will need 0.5 g of the organic-mineral product and a small amount of rose oil. Mix the ingredients and rub them into the skin of the affected area with extreme caution.
• A vitamin mixture prepared from the following ingredients is very nutritious: lemon, dried apricots, walnut kernels, honey and raisins. It is desirable that all components are taken in equal proportions, so it is better to start from the weight of the purchased lemon. Rinse and dry the lemon, dried apricots and raisins. Pass all ingredients through a meat grinder and combine with honey. Mix well. Eat a teaspoon three times a day after meals. For prevention, one teaspoon on an empty stomach once a day, in the morning. This vitamin "bomb" is useful not only for fractures and bruises. It can be eaten by heart patients and simply healthy people.
• You can prepare an application based on raw potatoes. Wash the tubers, chop them into small pieces. Apply to the bruised area and fix on top. Such compresses have pain-relieving properties.
• You can make another ointment at home. To do this, take 20 grams of spruce resin. Add one medium onion, ground in a blender or on a grater. Add 15 grams of copper sulfate and 50 grams of olive oil. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, bringing them to a homogeneous state. Then put it on the fire, heat it, but do not bring it to a boil. Apply to the sore spot.
• Many people know that eggshells are rich in calcium, but not many use them for treatment. In our situation, it should be washed thoroughly, freed from the inner film and ground or crushed into a fine powder. This storehouse of minerals can be mixed in small quantities into any food, or you can do it differently: take half of the powder in a teaspoon, sprinkle with lemon juice and swallow, washing down with the required amount of water. It turns out that in an acidic environment, calcium is absorbed by the body in greater quantities. In this case, it is advisable to take the shells of homemade eggs, but factory-made ones will do.
• A plant such as golden rose can relieve the victim from swelling and pain, which are an integral part of a bruise and fracture. Take 200 ml of boiling water and add one tablespoon of the crushed plant. After combining the ingredients, the composition is infused for about two hours, then boiled over low heat for about three minutes. After this, let it settle and filter. When warm, use it as a compress.

Here we should also add those products that must be present on the victim’s table:

Rich in calcium:

• Milk and dairy products
• Cottage cheese and hard cheeses.
• Soybeans and green beans.
• Fish and nuts (especially sesame).
• Green vegetables.
• Seafood.
• Fruits: oranges, persimmons.

Rich in silicon:

• Lingonberries, currants and strawberries.
• Legumes and olives.
• Nuts and whole grains.
• Chicken and quail eggs.
• Different types of cabbage.
• Turnip and radish.

It is worth noting that these recipes are time-tested, but self-medication should not be done. Before introducing any folk method into therapy, it is worth consulting a specialist.

Orthopedic pillow for coccyx fracture

In the pathology under consideration, the victim is prescribed bed rest and a minimum of movement. During recovery, he should not sit down under any circumstances, so as not to further injure the coccyx. But craftsmen have found a way out of this situation. An orthopedic pillow for a coccyx fracture was invented, allowing a person to sit, having the problem considered in this article.

It allows you to minimize the load on the injured area, reduce the tone and tension of the muscle tissues of the perineum.

This product is distinguished by its variety (in shape and material), which allows you to purchase a convenient product at an affordable price.

Pillows are produced in the form of a ring. The central hole allows you to avoid pressing on the sore area when landing. At the same time, the weight load is systematically distributed over the entire surface of the pillow. It is very important that when landing, the ischial tuberosities touch the circle, and the rudomentous process and perineum get into the center of the void. It should also be remembered that this product should be placed on a hard surface. These pillows are made of two types of material: polyurethane foam or ordinary rubber.

If you compare these two materials, polyurethane foam wins noticeably. It is durable, has an optimal density, which allows it to withstand significant loads in the form of the patient's body weight. At the same time, they do not have to be pumped up like rubber ones.

Rubber material has other disadvantages. Rubber can cause a local reaction: rash, irritation, hyperemia. The only advantage of such a product is that it is cheaper than polyurethane foam.

The product is in the form of a rectangle. In case of landing, the perineum and the affected area should be placed so that they fall into the central void. The weight, as in the first case, is also distributed evenly around the perimeter. Most of these pillows are made of polyurethane.

Recovery from a tailbone fracture

Immediately after the injury, already on the second day, the attending physician - traumatologist prescribes a set of therapeutic physical training (LFK) to the victim. In this case, recovery after a coccyx fracture is conventionally divided into three periods, the selection of exercises and their intensity during which changes.

During the first period, which lasts three to four days, the patient is prescribed breathing exercises, gymnastic exercises for the upper limbs and neck, and isometric exercises for the pelvis. The number of exercises should correspond to six to eight approaches, three to four times a day. During this time, it is necessary to increase the overall tone of the body, activate and normalize bowel function. The first period ends when a person is able to independently raise the lower limbs above the orthopedic pillow.

The second period is carried out to strengthen the back and pelvic muscles. It ends when the victim is able to get up on his own. The transition to the third stage of rehabilitation usually occurs on the eighth to tenth day after the injury. During this time, the muscles of the lower extremities are strengthened. The number of exercises should correspond to eight to ten approaches, three to four times a day.

The third stage of the recovery period usually lasts up to 16-21 days from the moment of injury. During this period, a set of exercises is aimed at restoring normal gait. The main exercises of this set are push-ups, walking on toes and heels, bends, swinging movements of the legs, squats, circular movements of the hip joints.

During this period, as well as in the future, you should avoid cycling, sledding and using specialized shovel for sliding down hills, intense sports and increased physical activity.

Is it possible to wear heels if you have a tailbone fracture?

Often, for many women, beauty comes first. And, wearing high heels, the fair sex does not even think about how dangerous it is for their health. After all, a heel is a very unstable structure and a woman, putting on model shoes, risks losing her balance, falling and getting injured.

As statistics show, women, mostly wearing high heels, end up in the emergency room more often than men. And it is they who break all records for fractures and bruises of the sacrococcygeal region.

Perhaps everyone can easily answer the question: "How much does it take for a representative of the fair half of humanity to fall while wearing high heels?" Not much. A light frost with snow or uneven asphalt is enough and the risk of injury quickly rises.

In view of the above, the answer to another question: "Is it possible to wear heels with a coccyx fracture?" is self-evident - absolutely not.

Exercises for a fractured coccyx

In this article, we are ready to offer a number of exercises for a tailbone fracture that should support the body, improve its condition and lead to a faster recovery. But it is worth remembering that in order not to harm the health of the victim, the set of exercises recommended at this stage should be prescribed by the attending physician, and the doctor - exercise therapy should conduct and monitor the result.

Among the most effective, at the early stage of rehabilitation, are the following:

• To perform this exercise, you need to take a rubber ball. Lay a mat or a sleeping pad, lie on your back, stretch your legs, arms along the body. The ball is fixed between the feet. Press your feet on the ball for five seconds, then relax the tension in your legs. Take a break for 10-15 seconds and repeat this exercise again. In one block, you should do ten such approaches.
• The starting position does not change, only the legs should be bent at the knees. Raise the hips and spread the knees to the side. When doing this exercise, you should tense the gluteal muscles. Fix in this position for five seconds, then return to the starting position. In one block, you should do ten such approaches.
• This exercise is again performed using a rubber ball. It should be clamped between the knees. Raise the buttocks, straighten the stomach and tense the muscles, begin to squeeze the clamped ball with the knees, hold for five seconds. Return to the starting position. In one block, you should do ten such approaches.
• Do a similar exercise, but without the ball. Press one knee on the other. At the same time, you need to watch your stomach carefully. It should not stick out. Do ten such approaches with 10-15 second breaks.

Such simple exercises will help reduce pain and strengthen a certain muscle group. But it is worth remembering that therapeutic exercise must be started with the doctor's permission. Any body movements immediately after an injury can be dangerous.

Gradually, as the injury heals, the set of exercises changes, other muscle groups are included, the load becomes more serious. If pain occurs while performing any exercise, it should be excluded from the set for some time, adding it at a later date. You should also limit sudden movements, maintaining a smooth, measured pace.

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Yoga after tailbone fracture

This oriental gymnastic complex with its philosophical subtext is increasingly entering the lives of many of our compatriots. Therefore, having received such an injury, the interest in whether yoga will harm after a tailbone fracture arises quite legitimately.

The issue of physical activity and a set of specialized exercises has already been raised in this article. Therefore, it can be said unequivocally that immediately after an injury, one should not resort to exercise. Subsequently, a number of exercises should be removed from the daily set, for example, those performed in a sitting position.

Over time, some yoga asanas can be included in daily gymnastics, but this can only be done with the consent of the attending physician, and the selection of effective and safe asanas should be left to a specialist.

Many people are simply panicky afraid of doctors, but most still adequately perceive a visit to, for example, an otolaryngologist or gastroenterologist, but if the pathology concerns intimate places, then the person falls into a stupor and embarrassment. He delays and gathers his courage to pluck up the courage to contact a specialist. Such a delay can cost a serious deterioration in health. It is necessary to remember the main thing, there can be no "shame" if the question is about your health. This is especially true in the case of the disease discussed in this article. The earlier the treatment of a coccyx fracture is started, the more effectively and quickly the problem will be stopped, and the fewer complications threaten the patient's body. Therefore, you should be more attentive to your body and no embarrassment should stop you in the fight for its health!