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An injury to your tailbone is no laughing matter

On Behalf of | May 14, 2020 | Firm News |

During a motor vehicle accident, you could end up tossed or bounced around even if you wear a seat belt. The force of the impact could cause you any number of injuries, including to your coccyx, also called the tailbone. People may find it humorous that you injured your tailbone, but it really is no laughing matter.

This injury can sideline you for weeks as it heals. Even if you don’t need surgery, a fracture or bruise can cause a substantial amount of pain and discomfort. Numerous treatments are available to help you get through your recovery that will, hopefully, help with the pain.

Many common treatments are non-invasive

Fortunately, the most often used treatments for this injury do not involve surgery but will require some adaptations on your part while your injury heals, including the following:

  • You can use heat for the first few days after your injury to help relieve at least some of the muscle pain associated with this injury.
  • If you alternate some ice therapy with heat, it could help alleviate the inflammation and typically add to the pain.
  • You can also take over-the-counter medications to help with the pain and inflammation as well.
  • Sitting will be particularly painful and problematic, so using some sort of supportive pillow, such as a donut or wedge, could provide some relief.
  • You will certainly need to alter your daily activities since walking can also cause you some pain. If your work requires a lot of sitting, you may not be able to work for some time even if you attempt to make certain adjustments in how you sit and/or work.
  • You will most likely want to increase your water and fiber intake during this time in order to make bowel movements less painful due to the pressure they put on your tailbone. You can also use an over-the-counter stool softener to help as well.

Your life will probably seem quite out of whack for a while. Sitting, sleeping and other activities will cause pain and require adjustments to your life. As you can imagine, it could take some time for this type of injury to heal since your tailbone is involved in a multitude of your daily activities and is an important part of your spine.

Some people may not consider this injury serious, but it is. It will disrupt your life for several weeks. You will incur medical and medical-related expenses, lose time at work, and endure pain and suffering. You may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries from the party or parties deemed responsible for the accident that left you with this and perhaps other serious injuries.

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