Pain in tail bone, anyone have any experience?

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Two years ago, I sold soap and some other stuff at craft shows, for 8 weekends in a row. I sat in metal folding chairs for 8 hour days. My butt has never been the same. Seriously, I did something ?? to my tail bone, and I cannot sit without pain. Funny, my truck seat doesn't bother me, and I sit on 3 pillows at the computer, which minimizes the pain some. I really don't want to go the traditional route of a crapload of X-rays, if all they'll tell me is it's bruised or cracked, and there's no treatment. Someone told me today that it can get out of alignment, and a chiropracter could help. What do you think? I won't have insurance coverage in 9 months, so I better quit procrastinating if y'll think I should see a Dr.

-- Cathy in NY (hrnofplnty@yahoo.com), July 25, 2001

Answers

One fairly common reason for folks having a "Pain in the rear" (sorry, I couldn't help it) is a pilonidal cyst..here's a delicate question for you....is there someone, such as a husband who could look at the area for you? A pilonidal cyst is literally a cyst right over the coccyx area..the skin becomes reddened or even sometimes looks like a small bruise. These often develop in folks who tend to sit alot because the normal circulation to that area of skin becomes decreased. I cannot speak about things such as "spine misalignments" and such because as a traditional dyed in the wool medical person I do not believe in that concept (ducking slings and arrows from the herbalist/chiropractor crowd)...try soaking your rear in nice warm (not scalding hot) water..easiest way to do this is to take a shallow basin, fill it with very warm water and stick it on the open toilet seat...sit in it..10 minutes four or more times a day will help any sacral pain no matter what the cause and certainly cannot hurt anything. Pilonidal cysts often go away after this treatment on their own, but some need oral antibiotics...these cysts can come and go for years without treatment..I am not saying that is what it is, just that these buggers frequently cause those symptoms....God bless.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), July 25, 2001.

Here is indelicate answer number 2! :) When I was having cysts on my ovaries, I was having pain in my bottom that I thought was hemorroids. It felt like I was sitting on pins, it was just a coinincedence that this was at the same time I had ridden a 3-wheeler all weekend. After a round of hormones I was and am fine. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 25, 2001.

First look for the cyst. I had a friend who had one removed last year and he still can't sit for long periods without discomfort. Then...go to a chiropractor! I am all for GOOD chiropractor's. A good chiro will not put you on the forever plan until the insurance runs out. they will give you nearly instantaneous relief, although it may take a while to catch and hold. I have been to probably 15 different chiros because of a congenital problem with my back that was compounded by my spotter running away when they saw I was going to backflip off the trampoline, and a giant girl flipping me over head in a basketball game in HS.(said humungous girl received a full ride scholarship to USC for shot putting!) I lost an inch in heigth in a year. Medical doctors prescribed some really good tranqs and muscle relaxants, only problem being that when they wore off, it still hurt. Chiropractic actually fixed the problem...not the congenital one, unfortunately. I have one too many vertabrae in my lower back which causes it to be inherently weak. I have theeeee most fabulous, best chiro I have ever been to in Caldwell Texas. If you would like, I can see if she can reccommend someone in your area. Just email me your general locale and I will ask her when I see her on Friday.

To further make my case for chiropractic as well as acupuncture, I have bursitis and tendonitis in both wrists and elbows from screenprinting manually for 5 years straight at a minimum of 12 hours per day. Medical doctors gave me anti inflammatory drugs and pain pills. I got a stomach ulcer as a result....My pain was so bad without drugs that I couldn't even write my name. Holding a pencil hurt. Ridiculous, huh? This same chiropractor is also a electrical stimulus acupuncturist...meaning no needles. In a month of treatments, I was just dandy again! Still can't abuse my wrists and elbows, but I can do things like pick up a coffee cup with no troubles....which was a problem 4 or 5 years ago. Sheesh...I can't wait to hit 40.

Okay, I'll step down off my box now...(:smiles:)

Best of luck with your buttocks!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), July 26, 2001.


As a matter of fact... even as we speak...I fell on my back over 8 years ago and tailboane pain was one of the results. It went away while the back pain didn't. In Feb of this year I fell on a chainsaw whatever the chiropracor did then took away 99.9% of that terrbible lower "annoyance" but, the tailbone discomfort is here, only when I sit a lot. Chiropractors can help just about anything if you get a good one, their "doctrine" is very sound.

You can buy a tailbone pillow at a drug store(or you could 8 years ago-it was under $20 then). Mine is oval and made of sturdy foam rubber, it's covered with cloth. Best thing in the world for sitting, helps your back too. The new kitten curls up in the it, so cute.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.


Cathy, I just went to a new chiropractor this morning, boy was he thorough, he did a electric/heat stimulation thingy, really nice, hope you find a good chiropractor.

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.


Pain in the tailbone or buttocks could also be sciatica, which is like spinal nerve pain. My husband has a lower spinal fusion and is a chronic pain sufferer and sciatica is one of the things he suffers from.

-- Lisa (tepeeclan@nidlink.com), July 27, 2001.

I broke my tail bone when I was younger. Talk about hurting! I never did go to the doctor for it....I was too embarassed and didn't want my granny to find out. I was horseback riding when it happened.....I was afraid granny wouldn't let me ride any more if I told her. I didn't know for sure I had broken it until....well er um...hubby just so happened to notice that the end of my tailbone points out instead of in like it should. I immediately knew what had caused it. I had significant pain for several years. Sitting down or getting up from a sitting position was torture. I'm not sure if a doctor could do anything or not.....but I would sure check before your insurance runs out.

-- Amanda (mrsgunsmyth@hotmail.com), July 28, 2001.

My ass bone hurts all of a sudden when i sit down. Im at the computer alot! But i know its my tail bone cause i can feel the pain right in my tail bone. I try using my muscles to flex it back intop place but it doesnt work, it just makes it hurt. Im thinking of going to the chiro soon. I think its cause im sitting on this solid wood chair for hours everyday.

-- N/A (mysticforrest@aol.com), March 17, 2002.

I broke my tailbone nearly 30 years ago,while playing touch football with some teenage boys. It hurt sooo bad!!! It still hurts me when the weather is going to be bad. I, also, have a hard time getting up from a sitting position, if I have sat for any length of time.

-- (becky_landrum@hotmail.com), April 12, 2002.

For you tail-bone sufferers there is a manipulative procedure the Chiropractor can do that aligns the coccyx. Yes, it involves a rubber glove and an "invasion". My wife had serious pain when defecating and passing gas. All caused by a direct fall 25 years ago on her tail bone. No problems any more, as the nerves are no longer being irritated by an out of line coccyx.

-- Ken Larsen (kblarsen99@aol.com), August 01, 2002.


my tail bone hurts the last 2 days i set 8 Hrs. a day I believe thats the cause .

-- collins in Ok. (coiins@mfire.com), August 03, 2002.

I fell down my front steps on 8/11/02 and ever since then my tail bone hurts. It is hard to sit, drive and do other things. I am a legal secretary and my job requires that I sit the majority of the day. It is very painful.

-- Sylvia Daigle (SAD@MollereFlanagan.com), August 15, 2002.

I fell on my tail bone skating almost eight years ago and the pain was just incredible. it took four months to heal and then pain just comes and goes until this year. Now it's all the time along with pain in the rectum, lower back, and dull cramping in the abdomen. Sometimes would experience sharp pain in my rectum. Had my backside x- rayed and rectum examination was normal. My doctor is reluctant to send me to the chiro. Suggestions?

-- Kris (Krissarch@aol.com), August 20, 2002.

my tail bone just started hurting for no reason.Everytime i sit down it hurts like heck and i have no idea as to what happen to make it do this!

-- heather (kittycart@charter.net), September 03, 2002.

I was dumped by a horse one week ago, and bruised my tailbone. Hospital took xrays, nothing broken, but it hurts worse now than it did then. After reading all these messages, it may be hurting alot longer? Other than sitting on a pillow, what else is there? I'm seeing a doctor tomorrow. But i'm sure he won't have any other suggestions.

Dotti in MD

-- dotti (d.auerbach@comcast.net), September 18, 2002.



I dislocated my tailbone 3 years ago. A two years later I went to a physical therapist, which specializes in the tailbone area. Had about 4 treatments, which included manual manipulation and yes, internal manipulation. But I am glad I did the tratment, because now I am able to stand the discomfort. Before it just hurt all the time, but now it is just occasionally. I don't think people with this problem will ever have it go totally away. But you can minimize the pain. Good Luck to everyone with this problem.

-- Carla (lon_carla@emerytelcom.net), September 22, 2002.

I have a painful tailbone tip....that only hurts when I put pressure on it. If I push on it hard with my fingers, it will radiate pain for hours...but if I see to it that no pressure of any kind gets to it I cant feel anything. Needless to say, I protect it to the max!

-- Gary Frost (gfrost2@mindspring.com), December 13, 2002.

I have had a broken tail bone for almost two years now amd I don't know how it happened. When my tail bone first started to hurt I went to a doctor and they thought that it was a cyst so they sent me to a specialist. They took some x-rays and realized that it was chipped. they gave me some vicodin and said that it would heal on it's own. A couple of weeks later I went back to the docotr because they pain was unbareable. They took more x-rays and said this time that it was indeed broken. They put me on anti-inflamatory medication and put me in physical therapy. I went to 3 sessions of therapy and they said that there was nothing that they could do for me. So I went back to the doctor. He ended up giving me a cortisone shot and that was the most painful thing I have ever had in my life. I have two kids and the pain of the shot was worse than giving birth. So the pain went away for about three months. After about three months it came back, but a lot worse. So I went back to the doctor to discuss having surgery and he said that it is so risky that he wanted to give me another cortisone shot, and he did. This time it only lasted about a month in a half. The pain came back and it was so horrible. So I called the clinic and all they did is refill my vicodin which they have been doing that for almost two years. I finally have had enough with the damn drugs. I went to see my doctor about a week ago and he gave me my third cortisone shot, which is the maxamim that you can have in your life. And it has not helped one bit now. The pain has not only gotten worse but now my feet hurt and go numb from time to time. So I am ready to take the risk of having surgery. I have to go back to the doctor and try to get him to do it. Wish me luck.

-- Melissa (Missliss4u@aol.com), January 15, 2003.

I have had occasional back pain, and have seen chiropracters a couple of times in my life. But this last year I have had severe pain in my tailbone. I went to the doctor who said I needed to see a specialist in rectal problems. I didnt go. The pain got worse and worse, so I went back to a doctor. The second doctor referred me to the same specialist that the first one did. So I made an appointment. Well, today I went to see him and yes he examined my rectal area, it isnt bad just uncomfortable. He discovered that I have a broken tail bone and that it has been broken for years. He said the tail bone moves freely and that if it hadnt been years I would have had severe pain when he moved it. There is not a lot they can do for this. There are cortizone shots, and anti-inflamitory drugs, but overall -- I should learn to live with the pain. I have an eleven year old and a three year old, I dont wish to live like this the rest of my life. I want to be able to enjoy life with them, not lie around in pain all the time. The doctor said that they can do surgery, but Im not sure it will solve the problem. What I have read here and on some other sites doesnt look very positive. If so many of us have this problem, why isnt someone looking into a fix? All those doctors I went to that said there was "nothing" wrong with me, and now I find out it is this, makes me angry. But to top that off, now there is "nothing" that can be done? My insurance isnt great, but thank God I have it. Thanks for letting me sound off.

-- Roberta in TX (rnr4free@sbcglobal.net), January 24, 2003.

<< All those doctors I went to that said there was "nothing" wrong with me, and now I find out it is this, makes me angry. >>

There are a lot of people suffering from pain from undiagnosed REAL problems. And because most doctors either don't want to take the TIME to find what's wrong ,don't have the proper training or just plain don't care , people are told it's all in their head and don't it's depression or a mental ilness. Then they go to mental health doctors who , because they get a kick back from drug companys put people on medication for mental illness , who don't nedd it .

I've seen this happen to many people . Doctors can be pretty insensitive people. Perhaps speak with a lawer about those quack doctors who didn't find anything wrong with you . Maybe if more doctors can were held legally accountable for improper diagnosesis,they'd take the time to do their jobs right.

I was born with a spine that curves in 3 places, and have been in pain since the age of 14 , I learned to live with it.Not everyone can. I hope some how , you find relief from your pain.

-- Steve (unreal@home.com), January 24, 2003.


I should let you know my mother and here sister had there tail bone remove in the 1950 and now both have back pain doctors at that time said it was dieased and it had to come out you should have that check but rember as you get older it can realted to more back pain then you would care to have but I am sure there are meds now if it is infected hope things work out for you

-- Philip DeAngelis (PDeAngelisjr@aol.com), February 22, 2003.

hi, i am a boy of 14. my tailbone hurts after masturbation. Could anyone please help me. It hurt when i sit down, or stand up if i sat for a long time. please help me, and email me!my email address is freetonytong@yahoo.ca

-- tony Tong (freetonytong@yahoo.ca), May 28, 2003.

My tail bone hurts like hell, it isn't broken but it protrudes now, I can actually feel the tip of the coccyx. Does anyone else notice that their tail bone sticks out as a result of injury? I can literally feel it through my clothes. Why can't anyone fix it? Of all bones to break, I had to break the one that cant be put in a cast.

-- Dawn Pogue (dmp6236@sjfc.edu), September 02, 2003.

I played Ice Hockey in third grade and was slammed onto the ice. It hurt pretty bad, and the pain never did go away. It wasn't untill Juniorhigh that it started getting bad enough to where I had to use my arms to get out of the desks. It ended up that I cracked my tailbone. I finally recieved a cortisone which hurt as bad if not worse than the pain of getting out of a chair. Eventually after the shot, they pain went away. It wasn't untill a few years ago that "some of the pain has come back. However, the pain now is nothing like it use to be. I cracked it about 16 years ago, got the shot about 3 years later.

-- Mike in Indy (Greythorne@yahoo.com), February 02, 2004.

Yes... I know the pain very well. I fell last week ice skating and landed on my tail bone. Went to the ER, they took exrays and called it a deep contusion. This was over a week ago, and the pain is still here along with spasms in lower back, sharp shooting pain and forget if I cough or sneeze. I have been sitting on a swimming tube to help the pain. I am gonna call the doctor tomorrow, I can't belive how painful this is.

-- Lisa Scarek (beplayedbyme@yahoo.com), February 22, 2004.

Finally found answer to tailbone pain!...The tip of my tailbone [the actually bone] was hurting. I didn't fall or anything so I was really frustrated with the pain every time I sat. My doctor referred me to a physical therapist. She found that I had an inflammation in the tailbone that is actually pushing my tailbone sideways. [usually happens to women who give birth] But I never gave birth so I know it happened while I was training at the gym and pushed too much weight doing the leg press. She is treating me with Sound Waves [ultrasound] and laser. She said this type of injury takes a long time to heal. At least I know what is wrong with me..FINALLY! At home treatment: is sit on an invalid ring at all times and ice the area every night before bed and no excercises that extend your leg backwards. [Like walking with long strides, take short strides at all times.] HOPE THIS HELPS!

-- Estelle (estelleb@hotmail.com), February 27, 2004.

I have tailbone pain when ever I sit. It started happening after a long road trip where I sat in the car driving for 20hours. It hurts to stand up from a sitting position, sometimes I actually need someones help to stand up. This has been going on for 3 years. I have never fallen on my tailbone. I can't even sit in the moview theater and watch a movie. I have to lean on the side of my butt cheek. And even that isn't comfy. I am too embarrassed to go to the Dr. Should I see a chiropractor or a medical dr.?

-- Stacey H. (stacershere@aol.com), April 08, 2004.

Yes, you should see a doctor for this problem. I have had this same problem for 9 months now. I work on the computer for hours on end. Had xrays which showed nothing. Chiropractor helped some. Am now going to an Acupuncture Dr.. Second treatment and seems to help some so I'll try awhile longer. Hope you find some relief.

-- Jeanette Mitchell (msprint@ev1.net), May 04, 2004.

It really is a real pain in the butt. I fell down some stairs last October but don't remember hitting my tailbone. It started hurting on and off mid December and then early this year has become continuous. I have had x-rays which show no breaks and no bruising. I had a steroid injection which didn't help, neither did the celebrex tablets. Has anyone had acupunture or any other alternative medicinal treatment which they found to be effective ? It just makes me so miserable sometimes. Standing up can bring tears to my eyes. Unless you've suffered I don't think you can appreciate the level of pain.

-- Jill Marquis (humbug@guernsey.net), June 19, 2004.

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