What is Coccydynia?
Coccydynia is a term to describe tailbone pain. Your tailbone is at the very bottom of your spine, and it consists of three to five fused vertebrae. Your tailbone helps steady you and support your weight when you sit down. It is also where several tendons, ligaments, and muscles in your body connect. When your tailbone is in pain, it can interfere with daily routines and quality of life.
Causes of Coccydynia
There are many reasons why you might develop tailbone pain. Possible causes include:
- Falls – a bad fall on your tailbone can cause a bruise, break or dislocation.
- Repetitive strain injuries – sports that require you to lean back and forth, like rowing, can strain the tissues around the tailbone.
- Pregnancy or childbirth – during the third trimester, your body secretes hormones that soften the area between your tailbone and sacrum. This gives your tailbone more flexibility during childbirth. In some cases, it can stretch the muscles and ligaments too far, causing pain.
- Carrying extra weight – extra weight places extra pressure on the tailbone, causing it to lean backwards.
- Not enough weight – less fat means less cushioning, which may cause your tailbone to rub against muscles, ligaments or tendons.
- Prolonged sitting – sitting for long periods of time can cause excess pressure on your tailbone.
In some rare cases, tailbone pain can be a sign of cancer near your coccyx or metastatic cancer that has spread to the bones.
Symptoms of Coccydynia
Tailbone pain is common. The most common symptoms of coccydynia include:
- Dull or sharp tailbone pain.
- Tailbone pain that worsens when you go from sitting to standing.
- Pain when you poop.
- Pain with sex.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Coccydynia
Your healthcare provider will perform a physical exam and review your medical history. They will ask about previous injuries or trauma to the tailbone area. Then, they will examine the area to check for fractures, lumps or signs of infection. They may need diagnostic scans, like X-ray or CT scans to make a diagnosis.
In 90% of cases, people with tailbone pain will find relief with noninvasive treatments, including:
- Medications to help reduce pain and swelling.
- Sitting on a pillow to take pressure off the tailbone.
- Applying hot or cold packs.
If home remedies don’t work, your provider may recommend treatments like:
- Coccygeal nerve block – numbing medication and steroids to relieve pain.
- Massage therapy
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
In extremely rare cases, your provider may recommend surgery to help with your tailbone pain. There are two types of surgery:
- Partial coccygectomy – partial removal of your coccyx.
- Total coccygectomy – total removal of your coccyx.
Tailbone pain usually goes away on its own in a few days with the help of home remedies and patience. It may take longer depending on the severity of the injury. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience tailbone pain that doesn’t go away or causes additional pain to another part of your body.