Fractured coccyx

Do you think that you might have a fractured coccyx or a broken tailbone due to the excruciating chronic pain you feel in your coccyx? A fractured coccyx, which is really just a broken coccyx, can be a very painful and debilitating condition as it makes it nearly impossible to sit, stand or lay for any period of time. This condition can also be referred to as coccydynia and there is a chance that you may need to have coccyx removal surgery (coccygectomy) to relieve your coccyx pain.

So, once you’ve been diagnosed with a fractured coccyx or broken tailbone, what are your options? What do you do for treatment of coccyx pain? You do have options, from pain medications to surgery, and you’ll need to source your them as to which one is the best one for your situation.

The goal is to manage your coccyx pain until the bone can actually heal. Most doctors usually don’t try to correct a bad alignment as the muscles in the lower back area are very strong and can pull the coccyx back out of position. The location of the coccyx and the number of muscles attached to it make immobilization very difficult. The coccyx fracture area may stay painful for a long while even after the fracture has healed. You may be advised to stay in bed for a day or two, or move only as comfort allows. Steroid injections or surgery may be considered if severe pain persists. Surgery for a painful coccyx fracture, called a coccygectomy, is not all that common and success rates are hard to pinpoint.

How to Tell if You Have a Broken Tailbone (Fractured Coccyx) —powered by eHow.com

One option is that you may be given medications to ease the coccyx pain. This is mostly to help reduce discomfort during bowel movements. Some other tips for helping to reduce the pain of a fractured coccyx are:

• Drink lots of fluids and eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Stool softeners to help decrease straining and pain during bowel movements.
• Sitz baths can help relieve muscle spasms in the afflicted area. A sitz bath involves soaking the anal area in warm tap water for 10-20 minutes.

Sitting can be very uncomfortable after a fractured coccyx and has been compared to sitting on a pole. Additional suggestions to make sitting less painful are:

• Sit on an air cushion or doughnut pad. These are called coccyx seat cushion and you can read more about the different types of coccyx cushions here …
• Alternate between sitting on one side of the buttock or the other.
• Avoid sitting on very soft surfaces because sinking into a soft chair increases the pressure on the coccyx area.
• Slouch to move your weight forward and off the coccyx. This advice holds only until you are well enough to sit properly again.

A fractured coccyx is not a lot of fun and can cause a lot of pain. As suggested, there are ways to manage the pain. If the pain persists, however, you may need to explore your options because one does not want to live in pain for the rest of their life or be addicted to painkillers. In our experience, we ended up having coccyx removal surgery (coccygectomy) and are very thankful that we did. What is your experience with a fractured coccyx? Please leave your comments below.