Coccydynia: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Management

Coccydynia is the pain in the coccyx or the tail bone area, located at the bottom of the spine. It is a mild pain that can become a sharp ache with activities like prolonged sitting or standing, leaning back or rising from a seated position. Coccydynia is commonly found in adults and women are 5 times more prone to Coccydynia compared to men.

Coccyx & Causes of Coccydynia:

Coccyx or tailbone is a triangular bone arrangement that is found at the end of the spine. A small tail-like structure, Coccyx serves as an insertion site for muscles, tendons, and ligaments providing us the weight-bearing support, in a seated position. The sharp pain in Coccydynia is a result of extra pressure on the spine while leaning back in a seated position or prolonged sitting or standing. In few cases of Coccydynia, sexual intercourse or defection may also cause localized pain over the tail bone.

Trauma or external injury due to backward falls may lead to bruised coccyx causing pain and inflammation. Other causes of Coccydynia also can include difficult delivery, sciatica, pilonidal cysts, infection or tailbone fracture. In a few cases, minor trauma caused due to prolonged or repetitive sitting on hard uncomfortable surfaces may also lead to Coccydynia.

Symptoms & Diagnosis of Coccydynia:

Local tenderness and pain in the tailbone area is the common symptom of Coccydynia. As said, this pain can further become intense with prolonged sitting, standing or raising from a seating position, making those activities difficult over time. Coccydynia is diagnosed by the doctor based on symptoms of the condition. A physical examination along with X-ray, MRI is used to identify the cause of the Coccydynia in patients.

Treatment for Coccydynia:

Coccydynia in most cases goes away after a few weeks with simple measures. Training patients to maintain proper posture, taking assistance of donut-shaped cushions in seated positions, application of heat or ice to the area of pain, over the counter pain medications are some of the measures that are prescribed to relieve the pain.

Though the majority of patients who seek Coccydynia treatment in the UK respond to traditional treatments, few cases may turn out to be complex which needs a multidisciplinary approach employing posture management, physical therapy & Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery for Coccydynia is recommended for the tailbone pain treatment only if all other treatment options do not yield better results.

If you are suffering from Coccydynia and are looking for Coccydynia treatment in the UK, Mr. Jwalant S.Mehta is the  Spine Specialist in UK with an excellent track record in treating Coccydynia with both non-surgical and surgical treatment options.