Coccyx Pain: Know the Possible Reasons, Diagnosis and Prevention Tips

Pain in Coccyx Area

Do you feel terrible pain while sitting down? This can be a symptom of coccyx damage or damage to your tailbone area. Pain in tailbone can occur after trauma to the tailbone or another compromising issue, for example, degenerative joint changes, vaginal childbirth, etc. This is a condition which is treatable and avoidable.

All you need to do is follow some simple tips and need to take care of the treatment as soon as possible after the situation. But what is coccyx pain? What are the causes and symptoms of the condition? Read the article thoroughly to know about the condition in detail and deal with the condition effectively.[1]

What is a Pain in Tailbone or Pain in Coccyx?

Coccyx comes under the vestigial organs, which treated as not useful.  Well, this is something incorrect. The reason behind this is coccyx or tailbone takes all the pressure when you sit. It takes most of your weight while you bend backwards. Now, most of the people have started getting pain in coccyx area. But they think the pain is in the lower back area.

The main reason is that most of the people don’t know about the coccyx. If you feel any pain in your lower lumbar part, you should consult the doctor as soon as possible. It is one of the most uncomfortable sensations, and the pain can develop while sitting, standing for a long period, and standing up suddenly from your seated position.

The discomfort can range from faint, throbbing pain to sharp pain. In most of the conditions, coccyx pain occurs due to the fall or because of the continuous sitting and stress on the tailbone. When the pain is there in the coccyx area, you should visit the doctor who can suggest you an appropriate and effective treatment.[2]

Feeling Pain While Sitting? Here are Some Reasons Why

The most common cause of pain while sitting is an injury in the tailbone. So, you need to know about the causes of tailbone pain. The most common cause of trauma. It can be direct, repetitive and forceful trauma. But there are some other possibilities also.

Trauma

Pain in coccyx can arise due to falling backwards or another sort of physical damage to the coccyx which damages the ligaments in the tailbone. Talking about the severity of the damage, it can be a bruise, or in the serious condition, you may suffer from coccyx bone fracture.

In rare cases, dislocation of the sacrococcygeal joint may occur from trauma. Apart from this, other activities like horse riding or cycling can increase the chances of pain in the tailbone. Because such activities put continuous pressure on your coccyx for a long time. If you have damaged or injured coccyx, you will feel pain when you sit down.

Vaginal Childbirth

If the delivery is difficult and done by using forceps, it can develop pain in coccyx due to the pressure placed on the top of the coccyx. Generally, pain in coccyx area from childbirth is a result of a bone bruise or strain in the joint ligament. Sometimes, such a condition can lead to joint fracture.

Degenerative Joint Disease

Bones and joints wear and tear due to aging or repetitive movement. Such a condition can lead to degenerative joint disease. This condition is also known as osteoarthritis.

Coccyx Morphology

There is variability in the number of coccygeal bones. More bones mean you may suffer from a lot of issues. Apart from that people may have a bone spur situated on the lowest part of the coccyx. It can pinch the skin and the tissues located in between the spur and the chair. Besides this, scoliotic deformity can also be the reason for coccydynia.

Pain in Nerve

Nerves called the ganglion impar is situated in front of the coccyx. Overactivity of these can cause terrible coccyx pain.

Pelvic Muscle Spasms

 Muscle spasms and irritation in the coccyx area can develop a dull, pain which can be felt in the coccyx and upper side in the rectum.

Cancer

This happens very rarely. In this condition, a malignant tumour which has metastasized to the tailbone can be a reason behind the pain in coccyx area. In some cases, bone cancer named chordoma may develop on the coccyx.

Infection

The infection, known as pilonidal located in the coccyx area can lead to coccyx swelling and pain. There will be redness, warmth, and drainage of thick pus in the area. Another infection called osteomyelitis can sometimes cause coccydynia. But such condition as very rare.

When Should You See a Doctor?

If you have severe tailbone pain and  then you can’t even go to work or move comfortably, it’s time to visit the doctor.  Here are some symptoms of pain in coccyx when you need to consult the doctor:

• Haunting pain, despite all kind of measures.
• A lump on the tailbone or coccyx.
• A fever, warmth, swelling, or drainage on your tailbone.

Tips to Prevent or Lower the Pain in the Coccyx

You can do lots of things to get relief from pain in the coccyx. No matter what is the reason, whether it is due to a recent injury or arthritis, you can deal with the situation with ease. Follow these important tips and to help your knees feel comfortable:

Prevent resting for a long time

It is a fact that if an excess amount of rest can weaken the muscles. This can aggravate your joint pain. Consider doing the exercises which are safe for your tailbone and practice regularly. If you don’t know about the motion which will be perfect for you, don’t hesitate to take the help of your doctor or the physical therapist.

Always do exercise

All types of cardio exercises help in strengthening the muscles located in the coccyx areas and also enhance the flexibility if you want to incorporate weight training and stretching in your exercise routine. For cardio exercise, you can do walking, swimming, water aerobics, elliptical machines,and cycling. You may hear about the Tai Chi training. It helps in reducing the stiffness and increase the balance.

Don’t do work which can lead to fall

A painful coccyx can make a fall which can develop serious knee damage. Lower the chances of falling by using handrails on staircases, and using a sturdy ladder or footstool in the home when you need to pick something from a high shelf.

Keep RICE structure in mind

RICE means, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. It is good for reducing pain in the knee caused by minor injuries. It is very simple to follow. All you need to do is give your proper knee rest, rub some ices on the affected area, always wear a compression bandage, and lastly keep your knee lifted.

Don’t forget to control your weight

If you are overweight, your coccyx will suffer from your excess body weight. So, maintain a perfect weight as per your age. When you lose weight, you lower the amount of stress on your knees. Consult with the doctor to know about the perfect weight that you need to maintain. Remember that, a smaller change can bring a lot of differences.

Use supporting devices while walking

If you have pain in your knee and coccyx while walking, use a cane or crutch to lower the stress of your knee. You can even use knee splints and braces to provide required support to your knee while doing your daily activities.

Apply acupuncture

This is a traditional form of Chinese medicine. The process involves inserting needles at certain points on the body to score out pain from the affected area. This is also useful to lower the coccyx pain.

Use comfortable shoes

Sometimes shoes can make the condition more serious. Use cushioned insoles which dramatically reduces the stress on your knees. Sometimes, your doctor may advise you to use a special kind of insole to use in  your shoes. You need to speak with the doctor before using the insole.

Heat and ice therapy

After a knee injury, for the first 48 to 72 hours use a cold pack or ice to ease swelling and reduce the pain. Take normal ice in a towel and rub on your coccyx for 15 to 30 minutes three to four times a day. After ice therapy, you can go for heat therapy. Go for a warm bath or keep a heating pad for 10 to 20 minutes. Do this for around four to five times a day to get relief from pain.

Even though you have pain in coccyx area, you can follow these simple tips to get comfort and reduce pain the coccyx.

 

 

 

References:

1..https://www.theacpa.org/conditions-treatments/conditions-a-z/coccyx/

2..https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3963058/

3..https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/knee-pain-dos-and-donts#1