How do you tell the difference between a bruised tailbone and a fracture?

bruised tailbone. X-rays can also reveal if the tailbone is broken or just bruised. A fracture will usually be visible on an X-ray. Although the treatment may be the same, the recovery time is longer for a fracture than for a bruise.

What happens if a broken tailbone goes untreated?

When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn’t heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.

Should I go to the hospital for a broken tailbone?

Sitting or having a bowel movement may be especially painful. Still, most tailbone fractures are not medical emergencies. In most cases you can go to your healthcare provider for treatment. But you should go to the emergency room (ER) if you have extreme pain, tingling, or weakness in one or both legs.

How do you know if you have sprained your tailbone?

Symptoms of a tailbone injury include:
  1. Pain or tenderness in the lower back.
  2. Pain on top of the buttocks area.
  3. Pain or numbness with sitting.
  4. Bruising and swelling around the base of the spine.

What happens if you ignore a hairline fracture?

Ignoring a hairline fracture can lead to a more serious fracture or break occurring, which is more difficult to treat. If not treated or ignored, the hairline may not heal, resulting in a non-union fracture.

How do I know if my tailbone pain is serious?

When to get medical advice
  1. the pain does not start to improve within a few weeks.
  2. simple home treatments do not relieve the pain.
  3. your pain is very severe.
  4. you also have bleeding, a high temperature or pain away from your coccyx.

When you fall on your buttocks?

A slip and fall onto your buttocks can result in a coccyx (tailbone) injury. If you see your physician about your pain, you could be diagnosed with coccygodynia, which is pain at the coccyx. The coccyx is located at the very tip of your spine between your buttocks.

How can I fix my tailbone at home?

When should I go to the doctor for tailbone pain?

You should call your doctor immediately if you have pain in the tailbone and any of the following other symptoms: A sudden increase in swelling or pain. Constipation that lasts a long time. Sudden numbness, weakness, or tingling in either or both legs.

Does a broken tailbone always bruise?

Although the pain may be severe and chronic, the majority of the time with tailbone injuries you just have a bruise. A bruised tailbone will often physically show a bruise and go away with time and proper treatment. However, it is completely possible to break or fracture your tailbone, and not entirely uncommon.

Can you sprain your buttocks?

A gluteal strain is a stretch or tear of a muscle in your buttocks called the gluteal muscle. This type of injury is often called a pulled muscle.

How do I know if I tore my gluteus maximus?

What are the signs of a gluteus medius tear?
  1. Pain on the side of the hip or in your buttocks.
  2. Swelling or inflammation.
  3. Difficulty sitting.
  4. Limping while walking.
  5. Decreased hip range of motion.
  6. Rotating hip causes discomfort.
  7. Pain at night, sometimes preventing sleep.

Can you break your coccyx bone?

The coccyx has some flexibility to absorb shock, but excessive stress on the bone can lead to a break or break. Symptoms will include pain, swelling and possibly visible bruising.

Can you walk with a torn gluteus maximus?

Gluteus medius tears are also known as tears of the hip rotator cuff. The gluteus medius muscle helps connect your thighbone and your pelvis on the outside of your hips. This is an important joint for walking, sitting, and standing, and a tear can make it difficult or impossible to walk without a limp.

How do you treat a bruised butt?

A typical butt bruise is treated easily.
…
Here are some other ways to treat a bruise and its symptoms:
  1. Take a pain relieving medication. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as ibuprofen (Advil), may make any accompanying pain more bearable.
  2. Apply heat. …
  3. Gentle stretches or massage. …
  4. Stay off your feet.

What does a torn glute feel like?

The symptoms of a gluteus medius tear involve pain and tenderness over the lateral aspect of the hip which may be aggravated with activities such as running, climbing stairs, prolonged sitting or walking, and lying on the affected side of the hip.

How do you treat a pulled muscle in your butt?

Hold the hot or cold pack to the affected area for about 15 minutes at a time. Do gentle stretches of your legs, hips, and buttocks. Rest to give the injury time to heal. Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil).

Can sitting cause buttock pain?

If you’ve ever been on a long car ride, then you know that sitting for hours at a time can be a pain in the buttocks – literally. That’s because sitting for long periods of time can compress the sciatic nerve and cause what is known as piriformis syndrome.