Broken Tailbone Recovery Time

The human tailbone is a small portion of our skeleton that reminds us that we were animals with tails not too long ago. The tailbone or the Coccyx is the last set of 'vertebrae' of the ape vertebral column. The coccyx is attached to the sacrum with a fibrocartilaginous joint. This part of the spinal column, i.e. coccyx, is not one single bone, but is made out of 5 different vertebrae. The term is derived from Greek language and is a direct translation of the word cuckoo, the beak of which this the tailbone resembles. The recovery time principally differs in accordance with the level and severity of the injury.

Causes and Symptoms

The triangular shape of the tailbone often leads to the fragmentation or breakage of this bone on immediate shocking or heavy impact. A tailbone is basically, the last bone of the spine, hence it is subject to a heavy impact if we fall on our bottom. Either way, the impact is not at all friendly and tends to damage the tailbone if it is heavy or sufficiently strong enough. The tailbone as a whole, thus become susceptible to different levels of injury, right from small hair-line impact cracks to large fractures. Apart from that bruises, dislocation and breakage of the tailbone can also occur. On the whole, whenever possible try to break your fall with your hands, because a tailbone fracture which is technically known as a coccyx fracture is extremely painful. The recovery time is uncertain and broken tailbone is very painful.

The broadness of the female pelvis is another reason that increases the probability and even the severity of a fractured tailbone. Apart from the aforementioned trauma or hard fall, a broken tailbone also occurs as a result of constant strain or friction by activities such as cycling and rowing. The common symptoms of tailbone fracture include pain while in a seating position, strained and painful bowel movement and external bruises.

Recovery Time

The broken tailbone recovery time is quite uncertain and often it does not get recovered completely for a year or so. The odd location of this injury actually makes matters worse.

• A common or minor fracture that is not very severe tends to get cured within a time span of 4-6 weeks from the accident. In cases where the injury was a bit severe, the healing time is more.
• In most of the cases, though the healing time spans to 3 months, the actual rehabilitation of the bone structure is very long, extending to a time period, exceeding an entire year.
• The key to timely recovery is to take very disciplined measures such as pain medications, stool softeners and other such medications that reduce pain from the trauma.
• To boost up the healing process, the doctors often prescribe medications that boost local healing. Natural supplements to soothe the pain and also boost the healing include glucosamine and cod liver oil.
• Healing time is uncertain and taking appropriate rest, not sitting down for a long time, and giving the body time and posture to help the injury heal are the only few choices.
• In extreme cases, doctors surgically remove parts of the tailbone or the entire tailbone. This takes away the pain but, on the whole, to completely rehabilitate and get back to normal, you will need about a year's time.

In case of such injuries the more quickly you go to the doctor, the better would be diagnosis. Hence, if you feel any chronic pain or bruising after a fall, rush to a doctor, preferably an orthopedic surgeon.