The sacrum consists of five vertebrae that are fused together, creating a triangle-shaped bone between the lumbar spine and the coccyx (tailbone). A sacrum injury is less common than other spine and pelvic injuries and can often be misdiagnosed. In many cases, sacral fractures can heal on their own with rest. When a sacrum injury interferes with the surrounding nerves, it can cause pain and functional issues, requiring treatment. Hanowell Spine Clinic in Covington, GA, can diagnose sacral injuries and offers sacrum injury treatment to relieve pain and other symptoms.
Sacral spine injuries are rare, but they may occur with extreme trauma to the lower spine, hips or buttocks. Falls and trauma to the direct area can cause fractures in the sacrum. Osteoporosis and degenerative disease can also increase the chance of sacral insufficiency fractures and injuries. Sacrum injury treatment can include repairing fractures with sacroplasty or other treatments and minimizing inflammation that can impact the nerves in the sacral spine.
Symptoms of Sacral Injuries
Each of the vertebra in the sacral spine has nerves that impact a different area of the hip, groin and legs. If a fracture or osteoporosis impacts the sacral bodies, there can be pressure put on the nerves and localized pain in the pelvic and back regions. If the sacral injury impacts the nerves, the symptoms can coordinate with the different nerves in the sacral spine. Pain or dysfunction can affect:
- Hips and groin
- Back of the thighs
- Buttocks
- Perineal area
- Reproductive-area organs, including the bladder, bowels and sex organs
- Lower back
The sacral wings and other sacral bodies can be injured. This also impacts the nerves and tissue surrounding the sacrum.
If you have experienced an injury to the pelvic region and experience pain or dysfunction, you may need sacrum injury treatment. Our team at Hanowell Spine Clinic can help diagnose and treat injuries to the sacral wings, sacral bodies and sacral spine. Contact our clinic to schedule a consultation and exam if you believe you need sacrum injury treatment.