On anatomical study “small nerve fibers were observed adjacent to the ventral aspect of the SC intercornual ligament and piercing the ligament in one specimen” – similar to what is seen in facet joints. Commentary on article speculated they could be a source of pain and perhaps treated similarly to facet joints.
Anat Sci Int. 2014 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print]
The anatomy of the sacrococcygeal cornual region and its clinical
relevance
Jason T. K. Woon, Mark D. Stringer
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24343170
Commentary:
Anat Sci Int. 2014 Jan 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Sacrococcygeal cornua as zygapophysial joints.
Foye PM, Vora MN.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24435547
- SC fusion either partial or complete in 20-40% cases
- “Small nerve branches were observed adjacent to the ventral aspect of the intercornual ligament and, in one case, traversing the ligament”
- “Understanding how sacrococcygeal z-joints are similar to z-joints at other spinal levels creates a rational anatomic foundation for focal injections at the corresponding sacrococcygeal nerve sites, which is a nonsurgical treatment that is not well known among pain management physicians.”
Comment – I would not think coccydynia would be as simple as one joint area but suspect it would be a start. The innervation is more ventral which makes it a bit more inaccessable…
I have coccygodynia, it resulted from a workplace, slip-fall in which I suffered multiple spinal injuries; As I live in Saskatchewan, and WCB is involved, everything was used to deny me medical treatment; If you are reading this and have suffered a traumatic injury to your tailbone, go to http://www.coccyx.org “Read everything you can find at this website:” The prepare yourself for denial of investigation: Beg or Borrow, get out of Saskatchewan ASAP; because there is very little help, and what help there is will likely be used to deny you even have a problem;
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Sask WCB will decide if imaging is negative, it can’t exist even though we know imaging is poor at documenting chronic pain. It is horrible; cost containment is their only goal. The worker’s advocate is hampered by lack of medical expertise. People are definitely not given benefit of doubt which is supposedly illegal…
You are twice victimized -once by injury and then again by an issurer who will wear you down so you give up.. My heart goes out to you.
-admin