How long does tailbone pain last

The tailbone also has several ligaments, tendons, and muscles attached to it. Damage to these muscles or the bone can cause pain in the tailbone or the surrounding area. Tailbone pain often feels like a dull, achy pain at the base of the spine or between the buttocks.

The pain may get worse when sitting or placing pressure around the bone. In most cases, tailbone pain resolves within weeks to months and does not always need treatment.

A bruised tailbone typically occurs due to a backward fall or another impact injury. It may also occur during childbirth or because of a medical condition. A study reports that females are five times more likely to experience tailbone pain than males. Another study investigating tailbone pain in adolescents found that adolescents and adults are more likely to get tailbone pain than children. Injury to the tailbone can occur after falling backward. Falls onto the tailbone can cause a bruised, dislocated, or broken tailbone.

People might also injure the tailbone through repeated or prolonged sitting on hard, uncomfortable surfaces. Tailbone pain can also develop if a person has a degenerative joint or disc disease, such as arthritis. Because of its location, the tailbone is prone to injury during childbirth, especially during a difficult delivery. A study looking into what may cause tailbone pain after delivery indicated that using forceps, having a vacuum-assisted delivery, or a difficult or spontaneous delivery can result in tailbone dislocation or fracture.

The use of forceps led to tailbone pain in Dislocation and fracture were common problems with the tailbone after giving birth. Sitting for long periods on hard or uncomfortable surfaces puts pressure on the tailbone, leading to tailbone pain. Maintaining a posture that puts excess pressure on the tailbone while sitting can also result in pain.

Sitting down for shorter periods while working may help to stop the tailbone from becoming irritated. Standing up from time to time or using a standing desk while working can minimize time spent sitting down. There are several ways a person can try to relieve pain from a bruised tailbone. Simple measures you can try at home are usually recommended first and other treatments may be used if these do not help. In a small number of cases where other treatments have not helped, surgery may be needed to manipulate the coccyx.

Very rarely the coccyx may need to be removed coccygectomy. Read more about how coccydynia is treated. Page last reviewed: 11 July Next review due: 11 July Symptoms of coccydynia The main symptom is pain and tenderness in the area just above the buttocks.

You can use a doughnut-shaped pillow or towel in the tub to pad the hard tub surface. Do not sit on hard, unpadded surfaces. Sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow to take pressure off the tailbone area.

Avoid constipation, because straining to have a bowel movement will increase your tailbone pain. Include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your diet each day.

These foods are high in fibre. Drink plenty of fluids. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase your fluid intake. Get some exercise every day. Take a fibre supplement, such as Benefibre or Metamucil, every day if needed. Schedule time each day for a bowel movement.

A daily routine may help. During that time, there are steps that you can take to lessen the pain. If your pain lasts for more than two months or if it gets worse despite self-care , make an appointment to see your health care provider about your concern. Your tailbone, or coccyx, is the bony structure at the bottom of your spine that helps support your pelvic floor.

Tailbonepain is a condition called "coccydynia. This pain may become sharper or more intense after sitting or standing for a long time, during sex or with urination or a bowel movement. Numerous situations can result in tailbone pain. It is often the result of an injury due to a trauma during childbirth or a fall. Tailbone pain sometimes can arise after sitting on a hard surface for a long time, or sitting on an ill-fitting or jouncing seat.

In some cases, the pain may be the result of sitting posture changes brought on by obesity or aging. Rarely, the cause of tailbone pain is something more serious, such as an infection, benign tumor or cancer. Medical treatment typically is not needed for tailbone pain. But try this to lessen the pain while you're seated: Sit completely upright, keeping your back firmly against the chair, your knees level with your hips, feet on the floor and shoulders relaxed.

Although it is best to avoid sitting on hard surfaces, a heavily cushioned, overstuffed surface can allow you to sink into an unnatural, painful seating posture, which also isn't ideal. Select a supportive chair with a moderate amount of cushioning. If pain is not relieved by those changes, adjusting your weight by leaning forward slightly when seated may help.

Sitting on a doughnut-shaped cushion or a V-shaped wedge cushion may help distribute weight away from the painful area. Using heat or ice on the painful area, as well as taking over-the-counter pain relievers, also may offer some relief. Use these techniques until the pain subsides. In many cases, the pain will lessen and then disappear over the course of several weeks or several months.