What is the coccyx and why does a person need it?

Saussukh (the Latin name of the organ) or the coccyx, as the average person is accustomed to hear, is a small part of the spine, in which there are from 4 to 5 vertebrae (the latter is observed extremely infrequently). In addition, the coccyx is considered a rudimentary organ, that is, a kind of underdeveloped tail, but at the same time it plays a rather important role, which is discussed below. It is also known that in old age, all coccygeal vertebrae except the first one begin to grow together, a similar phenomenon is most often observed in men.

Coccyx function

As mentioned just above, the coccyx is a rudimentary organ, that is, it is not fully developed, but at the same time it plays an extremely important role in the human body, in particular:
Attached to the anterior part of the coccyx are ligaments and muscles involved in the functioning of some parts of the intestine, as well as the organs of the genitourinary system. Also attached to it are the muscle bundles of the gluteus maximus muscle, which in turn is a powerful hip extensor;
The coccyx allows you to properly distribute the physical load that falls on the anatomical structure of the pelvis, in addition, it serves as a fulcrum when bending back.

Diseases and injuries of the coccyx

Most often, the coccyx is injured in a physical way, that is, a person can observe both a bruise and a fracture of this bone.

Bruised coccyx

In this case, the soft tissues of the coccyx are damaged, such an injury refers to minor injuries and most often occurs due to a fall. The first and most important symptom is pain in the coccyx, if you are one of those people who feel pain in this area after injury, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the consequences can be extremely deplorable. The fact is that such damage can become chronic, that is, the pain appears suddenly and lasts for several days, which creates certain difficulties for the person, after which it just as suddenly disappears.

Tailbone fracture

The most serious problem is damage to the coccyx to the extent of its fracture, usually a similar problem occurs if a person falls on the buttocks or in the event of a traffic accident. If we talk about the symptoms, they are somewhat similar to a bruise, painful sensations are also observed, but the pain becomes more intense while walking or even sitting. However, an accurate analysis can only be made with an x-ray study of the coccyx.