Tailbone pains, often known as Coccydynia are chronic aches near the base of your spine. You’d probably never give your tailbone a second thought until it ached. The multisegmented bone at the bottom of your spine, just above your hips, is the source of tailbone aches. The tailbone is tiny, yet it performs a few critical functions. When you sit, it aids in the stabilization of your body. The region also has a lot of tendons, muscles, and ligaments running through it.
The coccyx, a tiny triangular bone at the base of the spine, can be bruised or shattered. Sitting aggravates discomfort, whilst walking alleviates it. The largest changes are made by using at-home therapies and modifying habits like sitting for too long. Your doctor may refer to your tailbone as the “coccyx” in medical terms. The word is derived from the Greek word “cuckoo.” The coccyx, or tailbone, was given this name because it resembles a bird’s beak.
Coccydynia refers to pain in the coccyx. The pain from a broken tailbone might be minimal to severe. When you sit down, rise up from a chair, or lean back while sitting, the discomfort might get worse. When you go to the restroom or have intercourse, you may experience pain. During their menstruation, women may experience discomfort. The ache can sometimes travel all the way down your legs. Standing or walking should reduce the strain on your tailbone and help you feel better.
What causes tailbone aches (coccydynia)?
Pregnancy/Childbirth-
A woman’s body secretes hormones that soften the region between the sacrum and the coccyx during the third trimester of pregnancy. This allows the coccyx to shift as needed during labor and delivery. This is a normal process, but it can strain the muscles and ligaments around the coccyx too far, resulting in further pain. Putting such a strain on your soft tissues prevents them from properly supporting your coccyx.
Falling-
Who hasn’t tripped and landed on their backside? On the ice, perhaps your feet fell out from beneath you. Perhaps you fell from a ladder. Or perhaps you fell out of your workplace chair because you were leaning too far back. Your tailbone can be bruised, broken (fractured), or dislocated (knocked out of place) if you experience a really hard fall (coccyx).
Cancer-
Tailbone pain is just an indication of cancer in a small percentage of instances. It’s really unlikely.
Obesity-
The coccyx is put under more strain when you carry extra weight. The coccyx may tilt backwards as a result of this. If your tailbone is out of alignment, it will ache.
Underweight-
It can be caused if you don’t have enough fat in your buttocks to keep your coccyx from rubbing on your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The rubbing causes the soft tissues to become inflamed.
Sitting-
Even if you’re sitting on a hard or narrow surface, this simple move might aggravate coccyx pain. Get up as often as possible to stretch and go for a brief stroll. Better still, sit somewhere softer and more comfortable, or utilize a cushioned seat.
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)-
Bicycling and rowing are two sports that demand you to lean back and forth and extend your spine. Repeated motion might put undue strain on the tissues around your coccyx.
What are the signs and symptoms of coccydynia (tailbone pain)?
Coccydynia causes the following symptoms:
- Tailbone aches that are aching or piercing.
- When moving from a sitting to a standing position, the discomfort is more intense.
- Sitting for lengthy periods of time causes more acute discomfort.
- During bowel motions, there is pain.
- During intercourse, there is pain.
Coccydynia can cause a variety of other symptoms, including:
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Sleep deprivation.
- Buttocks that hurt.
- Backache.
Tailbone discomfort can be relieved in a variety of ways-
The discomfort in the tailbone normally goes away on its own. You may treat your tailbone discomfort at home by doing the following:
- While sitting, use coccyx cushions (doughnut, U-shaped, or wedge-shaped cushions).
- Heat and cold treatments are applied to the affected region.
- Topical and oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) are being considered as over-the-counter (OTC) options (NSAIDs)
- Using over-the-counter stool softeners to relieve coccyx discomfort during bowel movements
Reduce the amount of time you spend sitting by changing your activities.
If your tailbone discomfort persists after these efforts, see a doctor for a more thorough diagnostic examination and medical therapy. To treat your tailbone discomfort, your doctor may offer steroid or nerve block injections, coccygeal manipulation, and/or pelvic floor physical therapy.
Tailbone Surgery-
Tailbone surgery is a procedure that is used to alleviate discomfort in the tailbone.
This therapy will usually ease your discomfort until your tailbone recovers. If no other therapy has worked, your doctor may offer surgery to remove part or all of the coccyx as a final option. A coccygectomy is the name of this operation.
Surgery isn’t always successful immediately. It may take some time for the discomfort to subside. In certain circumstances, it just does not function. Infection is one of the hazards of surgery. Whether or not to have surgery is a decision that you should discuss with your doctor carefully. Start with over-the-counter pain relievers, such as NSAIDs, heat, and massage. If your tailbone continues to hurt, see your doctor, who will be able to help you discover a therapy that works for you.
Tailbone aches exercises and stretches-
While there is no quick fix for tailbone pain, there are several exercises and stretches that can help reduce the strain that causes it. The muscles and ligaments that link to the tailbone can be stretched out using various yoga positions. Stretching can also help pregnant women with tailbone discomfort. If exercising or stretching makes your tailbone discomfort worse, consult your doctor.
Sitting position to treat tailbone aches-
Sit on a heating pad or ice pack to relieve pain, or get a massage. It’s also important to consider how you sit. Your coccyx might be overworked as a result of poor posture. To relieve pressure on your tailbone, sit with your back against the chair and your feet flat on the floor. When you sit down, lean forward. To reduce pressure on the sensitive area, you can also sit on a specific doughnut-shaped pillow or wedge-shaped cushion.
Tailbone aches are unpleasant, but they are only transitory. Maintain vigilance. Take your meds as directed, use ice packs, soak in hot baths, buy a doughnut (the cushion and, well, you may as well get the chocolate glazed one as well), and spend more time on your feet. Don’t wait until your coccydynia becomes severe to seek medical help!
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