Fracture of the coccyx

One of the injuries that a man can get unsuccessfully is landing on the buttocks - a fracture of the tailbone. Most often such a result of the fall haunts people aged, young children and women whose pelvis, by virtue of anatomical structure, is somewhat wider than the male one. What are the sources that can provoke this trauma, how to diagnose it and stop it. We will try to answer all of these questions in this article.

ICD-10 code

This trauma is made by physicians into a separate disease in connection with which it has its own separate code on the μb in the International Classification of Diseases. This code corresponds to the code S32.2 - a fracture of the coccyx.

Causes of fracture of the coccyx

As already noted above, the source of the pathology under consideration is trauma, and this, first of all, is the result of external impact on the victim's body. Therefore, the causes of the coccyge fracture are different, but they have one thing in common - the nature of the effect on the coccygeal bone, which leads to such a deplorable result.

It should be noted immediately that in fact a full-fledged fault is rare. More often doctors state an incomplete fracture with a dislocation.

A number of medical workers consider this violation an age-related disease, as it is most often diagnosed in young children and the elderly. This fact is quite understandable physiologically, and is explained by the features of the formation of the spine in children and the age changes in it in the elderly.

In small patients, the spine is only actively growing, in parallel with it the ligamentous - muscular skeleton is formed. It is in connection with the still incomplete development of these devices and the risk of obtaining such a defeat becomes very significant.

In old people, the clinical background of pathology is somewhat different. Gradually, a person overcomes the peak of his activity, a number of age-related changes take place in his body. Including the level of calcium in bone tissues gradually decreases, which leads to their increased brittleness. The creation of such a soil and provokes bones to break more often, not always receiving a sufficiently high load.

By virtue of its physiological structure, it is the woman who is significantly ahead of the strong sex in the number of similar injuries received. In this case, the reason for this percentage advance in the amount of pelvic bones, because they are wider in women.

So what are the reasons that can lead to such serious consequences:

• Road accident.
• Accident, associated with the fall and landing "fifth point" from a great height.
• Hard traumatic vibrations during a trip are not in the form of a bicycle, snowmobile, sleigh rides, or shoulder blades to descend from the mountains or something like that.
• Trauma received during sports training or competition.
• Weak musculoskeletal framework.
• Increased brittleness of bone tissue (of various etiologies).
• Prenatal attempts and passage through the birth canal of a large fetus.

[1], [2]

Symptoms of a fracture of the coccyx

The considered pathology also has its own classification, distinguished by concomitant changes: with displacement, without it, with a dislocation. In any case, the symptoms of a fracture of the tailbone are quite similar and if the main pain symptomatology increases, you should immediately seek help from a doctor, try not to carry the damage "on your feet", let alone self-medicate. More details about these manifestations are possible in the article " Symptoms and consequences of fracture of the coccyx ".

Diagnosis of a fracture in the coccyx

If there is any discomfort or pain symptoms, you should make an appointment with a specialist and get his advice. If the doctor suspects that the patient has the pathology in question, he will prescribe an appropriate examination.

A certain differentiation of the diagnosis requires a number of diverse activities. Therefore, the diagnosis of a fracture of the coccyx usually includes:

• Vaginal or rectal examination, allowing to determine the presence of damage. The downside of this study is that it is quite uncomfortable for the patient.
• An X-ray examination is mandatory, which confirms or does not confirm the presence of a breach of the integrity of the coccygeal bone.
• To assess the condition of adjacent tissues, blood vessels and nerve endings, the doctor is assigned magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a tomographic method of examining internal organs and tissues using the physical phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance.

The diagnosis is made based on the results of all the studies conducted.

[3], [4]

X-ray signs of a fracture in the coccyx

One of the main methods of examination for suspected diseases is X-ray, the signs of a coccygeal fracture can not always be clearly seen on an X-ray. This fact is due to the fact that this area of the spine is covered with a fairly thick layer of soft tissue, which reduces the clarity of the image.

In the case of the procedure, pictures are usually taken in both the frontal and lateral views.

At the same time, experts know that in most cases, the breach of the integrity of bone tissue passes through the sacrococcygeal joint and much less affects the body of the bone process. Therefore, if the doctor has any doubts, he additionally appoints a CT or magnetic resonance imaging.

MRI signs of a fracture in the coccyx

If the doctor examining the patient has certain doubts about the alleged diagnosis, with x-rays showing insufficient visualization, the patient is assigned computer or magnetic resonance imaging.

An innovative safe, painless diagnostic technique that provides a sufficiently high definition of images of deeply located biological tissue layers. When carrying out mrt, signs of a coccygeal fracture, the condition of the soft tissues adjacent to the affected area, the vascular and nervous system, may not only be viewed, but also fixed in time.

Especially the given technique becomes actual at an old break. Unlike fresh damage, it is more difficult to determine. After all, over time, a bone callus is formed at the fault site and can easily be confused on an X-ray image, assuming an anatomical version of the norm. It is with this task that MRI can easily cope.

Treatment of a fracture in the coccyx

The tactics of therapy largely depend on the nature of the damage and the overall clinical picture of the disease.

For example, a patient with a pathology without bias is coping with the problem in an outpatient setting, whereas the same ailment diagnosed with displacement is treated only in a hospital setting. More details about therapy can be found in the article " Treatment of a fracture of the coccyx ".

Sex in the fracture of the coccyx

As mentioned earlier, the disease we are considering is more age-related pathology, but this fact does not mean that such a disaster can not happen to adults, but rather young people, for whom sex is an integral part of their life. Therefore, having received such a trauma they, that naturally, are interested, is sex possible in case of fracture of the coccyx?

Responding to it, experts who have repeatedly worked with this problem are unambiguous: "It's not recommended to have sex until the bone tissue grows together!" If you ignore the advice of a qualified doctor, then there may be serious complications, against which there will certainly be not before sex.

Therefore, a very reasonable conclusion arises - it is worthwhile to refrain from "making love" until the time when the cartilage corn is formed at the site of damage.

Prevention of fracture of the coccyx

None of the respondents will argue that the most reliable prevention of fracture of the coccyx is to avoid constantly traumatizing in general and the part of the body that interests us in this article, in particular. Naturally speaking is much easier than protecting yourself from injuries - no one is immune to them. However, a number of measures that can significantly reduce the likelihood of injury to take is entirely possible.

• Diversify your diet. In this case, it should contain foods high in calcium and vitamin D. It does not prevent the periodic intake of vitamin-mineral complexes.
• To strengthen the musculoskeletal tissues, it is necessary to perform a complex of exercises every day. It can be elementary charging, swimming, fitness or dancing.
• It is necessary to refuse to engage in sports or hobbies, if it is associated with a high risk of injury.
• For athletes and people whose profession is associated with performing complex maneuvers and dangerous gymnastic elements, such exercises should be performed only with insurance and personal protective equipment.
• Forget about hypodynamia. The passive course of life is the path to the atrophy of muscle cells and the increased fragility of the bones of the skeleton, which gives the prerequisites for trauma.
• It is necessary to get rid of bad habits: drugs, alcohol, nicotine only increase the likelihood of injuries. Since the reaction of a person is dulled in the altered consciousness, and he is not able to adequately assess the danger.
• Active way of life, communication with nature, enough time is worth spending in the fresh air.
• It is also necessary to control physical activity and harmoniously combine work and rest.
• But if it happened so, that the diagnosis under consideration is put, then it is necessary to immediately start treatment, following all the recommendations of the attending physician.
• It is worth remembering that after receiving such an injury for six months, the patient is forbidden to sit down, especially on hard surfaces.

Forecast of a fracture of the coccyx

The accuracy of the answer to this question directly depends on the timely application to the doctor and the type of damage. If a specialist has to take measures to stop a fresh problem, then the therapy usually passes quickly, and the forecast of a fracture of the tailbone is very favorable.

If five to seven or more days have passed after the injury, a bone callus is already beginning to form on the damaged site, which does not allow achieving the greatest effectiveness of the result. The consequences can be unpleasant. Breaking the integrity of bone tissue can not grow properly, which leads to unpredictable consequences. For example, with the merging of two parts at almost a right angle, if the splinter part is directed inwards, this will lead to a reduction in the passageway of the pelvic outlet, which is unacceptable for natural passage to the newborns through the birth canal during delivery.

Also, untimely rendering of medical care can provoke serious complications, one of the symptoms of which will be a chronic pain syndrome.

In the conduct of surgical intervention, in the vast majority of cases, the subsequent life forecast is quite favorable.

[5], [6], [7], [8]

Hospital in case of fracture of the coccyx

Many patients, faced with this problem, experience not only physical, but also emotional discomfort. Treatment of this disease takes a certain period of time, and for some time the patient is not allowed to sit. Therefore, against the background of the existing symptoms and prescriptions, the treating doctor almost always gives his patient a hospital at a fracture of the coccyx.

As though "did not put straws", but to avoid a trauma not always it is possible. If it so happens that the trauma has occurred, and the symptomatic is alarming, do not go around the problem "on your feet" or try to stop the pain yourself. Delaying with the diagnosis and adequate therapy, a fracture of the tailbone can lead to significant complications, the consequences of which can not always be anticipated even by a qualified specialist. Especially should be attentive to women of childbearing age, planning more pregnancy and childbirth. Such an insignificant, seemingly vital fact as wrongly merged with the rift and with obstetric care, when the child goes through the birth canal, problems may arise that will affect both the baby and the health of the woman herself.