Have you been experiencing pain in your tailbone? Coccydynia, or tailbone pain, can be an extremely painful and disabling condition. Coccydynia causes difficulty walking and performing other normal activities.
Pain from coccydynia may range from a faint ache to a sharp stab. This condition is not permanent. However, it’s important to seek medical care for it so as not to prolong suffering and discomfort. The therapists at Beyond Therapy and Wellness in Bedford, TX are here to help you find relief from this condition; request an appointment with us today!
What is the coccyx (tailbone)?
Three to five fused vertebrae make up your coccyx, also known as your tailbone. Your tailbone is located beneath the sacrum, a bone at the base of your spine. It is connected to a number of tendons, muscles, and ligaments.
When you sit down, your weight is supported by the coccyx and ischial tuberosities (two bones at the bottom of your pelvis). Two-thirds of individuals have a coccyx that curves slightly rather than pointing straight down, but a coccyx that curves too far is abnormal and uncomfortable.
The pain in the tailbone might range from a faint aching to a sharp stab. It can linger for weeks, months, or even longer in some cases. Tailbone discomfort is caused by three sorts of events:
- Internal trauma, such as childbirth
- External trauma, such as a broken coccyx
- Abscesses or tumors
If you suspect that you’ve sustained an injury to your tailbone, it’s a good idea to visit with your physician to determine if physical therapy could help you recover!
Causes of Coccydynia
Coccydynia can happen due to a nasty fall, but childbirth is one situation where this condition is fairly common. When the female pelvis is broader during childbirth, the coccyx is exposed. Childbirth can overstretch soft tissue like ligaments and muscles that connect your pelvic and backbones.
Often, the pain of coccygodynia is most significant when a person is sitting down. It is described as a localized and painful, pulling sensation that can also radiate to the buttocks, lumbar, thighs, and sacrum as it supports the upper body’s weight.
The most common cause of a tailbone injury is an accidental fall (especially falling downstairs) that serves as a direct blow to the tailbone.
But, it can also happen during sports such as skiing, skating, snowboarding, and when participating in contact sports. Persistent pressure from sports such as bicycling might induce coccyx pain in certain people.
Coccydynia caused by these factors is usually not permanent, but it can become quite persistent and chronic if left untreated. Repetitive-type motions or constant friction can also cause a painful tailbone, often seen in long-distance bicycling or rowing.
Pelvic floor therapy in Bedford, TX can help relieve Coccydynia symptoms
Many patients seek help from medications that relieve pain until the tailbone area has healed. Most often, NSAIDs and hot and cold packs are prescribed to reduce pain and swelling. Combining treatments is the best way to return to a healthy and active lifestyle.
Pelvic floor specialists can assist with coccydynia recovery, as we have experience in multiple treatments for tailbone injury and pain. These include:
- Massage therapy
- Targeted exercises
- Stretching routines
Multiple pelvic floor muscles link directly to the coccyx, and we’ve found that our patients who went somewhere else for relief from coccydynia and didn’t recover, didn’t get the correct kind of hands-on treatment for the muscles that attach to the coccyx. Beyond Therapy and Wellness employs a variety of moderate techniques to assist you in resolving your problem. Myofascial mobilization, also known as trigger point release, dry needling, postural correction, visceral mobilization, joint mobilization, myofascial stretching, and pelvic floor release techniques are only a few of them!
These physical therapy methods are recommended before seeking surgery to manipulate the tailbone. Our physical therapists can also help you use better body mechanics to assist in healing. This includes reducing repetitive motions that strain the tailbone and improving posture while sitting, standing, and bending over.
Request an appointment today
To learn more about pelvic floor exercises and other treatments to deal with a painful tailbone, contact Beyond Therapy and Wellness. Pelvic floor therapy can reduce the symptoms of coccydynia that prevent you from returning to a healthy and active lifestyle. Our team of professionals is experienced in working with patients who have sustained injuries to their tailbone due to internal or external trauma, and we’re here to help you!
Call us today to request an appointment, and allow our Bedford, TX clinic to help you find your way back to a pain-free life.
