Often, when receiving seemingly minor injuries, people do not go to the hospital, hoping that the body will recover on its own. Especially it concerns such problem as a coccyx injury - the symptoms of damage are usually either not too pronounced, or appear after some time. Women are most susceptible to such traumas, because their pelvic bones are wider than in men.
What threatens and how long does the coccyx hurt?
Depending on the degree and localization, the damage in question can not be felt at all, or may be accompanied by a palpable pain syndrome for several months. If only surrounding soft tissues are injured, then the discomfort passes quite quickly, during the day. The only manifestation in this case is the bruise of blue-violet color, which acquires a yellowish tint over time. But when the integrity of the bone is broken or the vertebrae are displaced, the contusion of the coccyx causes pain, which is aggravated by walking, running, tilting and squats. In the absence of proper treatment, further corners of the body, sitting on hard surfaces, and defecation are impaired.
Severe contusion of the coccyx - symptoms and consequences
The clinical picture of the described disease is characterized by the onset of pain syndrome, especially severe immediately after trauma. Then the following signs of a coccyx injury are noted:
- swelling of soft tissues around the site of injury;
- pain gives in the legs and lower back, interferes with normal motor activity and movement;
- presence of a hematoma;
- hard cone or bulge near the coccyx, painful on palpation;
- pain during defecation and sexual acts.
It is necessary to pay attention to any of these symptoms and in no case do not tolerate discomfort, but immediately turn to a traumatologist. A severe contusion of the coccyx has consequences more dangerous than other similar spinal injuries.
The lower part of the spinal cord is attached to the coccygeal bones, and the upper part of its shell surrounds the left and right hemispheres of the brain. During the trauma of this zone, there is a short-term, but intensive compression on the entire column of the spine and its displacement occurs. Thus, disruption of the integrity and location of the vertebrae leads to compression of the vessels and tissues of both the spinal cord and the brain, as well as internal organs. This is fraught with irreversible serious changes in the work of all systems of the human body. At first glance, the harmless contusion of the coccyx provokes such consequences and symptoms:
- inflammatory process with the transition to the chronic stage, in this case the pain periodically subsides, but returns under certain conditions - overloads, jogs, cycling;
- fibrosis of the bruise - a fluid that accumulates around the hematoma, is encapsulated and acquires the signs of a cyst;
- damage to the spinal cord tissue;
- vascular ruptures;
- compression of roots of nerve endings;
- displacement or compression fractures , cracks in the vertebrae;
- accumulation of pus in the rectum;
- fistula on coccyx;
- wedging of the vertebrae in the occipital region;
- Chronic migraines and headaches due to displacement of the spinal cord surrounding the hemisphere of the head.
As can be seen, although the contusion of the coccyx in the beginning has symptoms that do not cause any particular discomfort, the complications of trauma are very serious. Therefore, do not try to endure the pain and hope for self-healing. It is important on the first day after the injury to immediately consult a doctor and do a radiographic study.