My coccyx is killing me!

[Regular Guy]

I''ve had it a couple of times. Not fun. Vague recollection of the day of the experience...the worst. Day 2 much better. Completely better pretty soon after, but maybe a week before normal.

 

[HappyAnniversary]

Hey thing2of2--so sorry you''re hurting, the pillow really helps,so use it at home if you''re not comfortable using it in public. Hope you feel better soon.

Ok here is my self-indulgent tailbone story: I broke my tailbone during childbirth--first baby --forceps attempt --(I don''t think they even do that anymore) My baby was over 9 pounds and I probably weighed 105 before I got pregnant. As the doc was pulling (a very weird weird feeling, like it was SO WRONG!) I heard a crack inside me! and I said, something cracked! and he said " Oh, that''s ok it is ONLY your tailbone!) which I thought was really a mean thing to say. It was very popular to have "natural childbirth" then, so no help from drugs. But really, it wasn''t that bad, cos everything is hurting, so there was no "extra" pain, LOL, just a weird sound. And I wish someone had told me about a donut pillow! I think it hurt at least for 6 months, I kept having to shift how I sat for a long time.

 

[iheartscience]

Hi Ira! Day 2 was actually a lot worse for me than day one...is that a bad sign? It has started feeling better since then, though...

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/22/2008 11:33:29 PM
Author: HappyAnniversary
Hey thing2of2--so sorry you''re hurting, the pillow really helps,so use it at home if you''re not comfortable using it in public. Hope you feel better soon.


Ok here is my self-indulgent tailbone story: I broke my tailbone during childbirth--first baby --forceps attempt --(I don''t think they even do that anymore) My baby was over 9 pounds and I probably weighed 105 before I got pregnant. As the doc was pulling (a very weird weird feeling, like it was SO WRONG!) I heard a crack inside me! and I said, something cracked! and he said '' Oh, that''s ok it is ONLY your tailbone!) which I thought was really a mean thing to say. It was very popular to have ''natural childbirth'' then, so no help from drugs. But really, it wasn''t that bad, cos everything is hurting, so there was no ''extra'' pain, LOL, just a weird sound. And I wish someone had told me about a donut pillow! I think it hurt at least for 6 months, I kept having to shift how I sat for a long time.

Thanks HA! Yikes about cracking your tailbone during childbirth...ouch! Why was I not aware of that possibility until this thread? That must be a secret they keep so people will keep having kids!

And I can''t believe your doctor was so dismissive! That would really irritate me! I hope mine doesn''t hurt for 6 months...I''m over it already and it''s only hurt for 3 days!

 

[violet02]

I had this problem not too long ago actually, probably last March or so end of the ski season and my first year up snowboarding. I did some serious side lands and back end lands right on the ole tailbone on hard ice and let me tell you, it was horrendously painful. I was scared to fall after that and I did take a few more hardcore tumbles. It rattles all the way through you when you bruise that sucker and it took me a few minutes after the first bad fall to even get up off the ground.

I can''t exactly remember how long it took to recover but it was a matter of weeks. I didn''t go the donut pillow route, I just sat foward on my desk seat and used a small camping pillow and avoided my tailbone altogether. Next year I''m getting those armored underoos that have padding for that part of my butt. I can''t even imagine going through that again. (shudder)

Just take it nice and easy when getting up and down and pad your butt when you''re home and even a small padded pillow at work (non donut-y) helped as well. This too shall pass. It''s the worst though. My sympathies to those of you who have actually broken theirs, although it sure felt like I broke mine this last winter. I had some friends say to me it can last six months or more and theirs did etc etc. I am well over mine by now and it''s June. I was probably over it in weeks. And it did feel worse before it got better. Hopefully nothings broken in there for you thing2of2. Hopefully yours will heal fast, dont let the six month thing scare ya if nothings broken!

 

[chizzy1982]

Hey T2T

How''s is it feeling today?

I would ice for the first 72 hours as its still in the acute stages and the inflammatory reaction is still going on during that time ( that why joint sprains continue to swell several days post injury) Definatley rub in some inbruprofen gel or voltarol gel as it will aid with localised inflammation and give pain relief
Avoid heat until 4-5 days post injury as it will actually make it worse ( increased blood flow to the area, more infalmmatory exudate into the tissue and surrounding area). Heat in conjunction with ice works very well in the sub acute stage, 7 mins of ice, followed by 7 mins of heat. The vasoconstriction of the blood vessels due to ice followed by the vasodilation effect of heat aids removal of inflammatory exudate and promotes healing.

Try and keep the weight of of it by lying on your tummy with a pillow under your hips or sitting on a donut as others have suggested. If you have any pains down your legs or pins and needles then get to you Dr and get a referral to a physio ASAP.

You may well feel a bit stiff in your lower back so try to keep things moving by lying on your back and bringing your knees up to your chest and hugging your self and if you can and its not to painfull try pelvic tiliting. Hands on your hips and tilt your pelvis forward then back, nice and slowly.

Hope that helps and you feel better soon

L

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/23/2008 7:02:27 AM
Author: violet02
I had this problem not too long ago actually, probably last March or so end of the ski season and my first year up snowboarding. I did some serious side lands and back end lands right on the ole tailbone on hard ice and let me tell you, it was horrendously painful. I was scared to fall after that and I did take a few more hardcore tumbles. It rattles all the way through you when you bruise that sucker and it took me a few minutes after the first bad fall to even get up off the ground.


I can''t exactly remember how long it took to recover but it was a matter of weeks. I didn''t go the donut pillow route, I just sat foward on my desk seat and used a small camping pillow and avoided my tailbone altogether. Next year I''m getting those armored underoos that have padding for that part of my butt. I can''t even imagine going through that again. (shudder)


Just take it nice and easy when getting up and down and pad your butt when you''re home and even a small padded pillow at work (non donut-y) helped as well. This too shall pass. It''s the worst though. My sympathies to those of you who have actually broken theirs, although it sure felt like I broke mine this last winter. I had some friends say to me it can last six months or more and theirs did etc etc. I am well over mine by now and it''s June. I was probably over it in weeks. And it did feel worse before it got better. Hopefully nothings broken in there for you thing2of2. Hopefully yours will heal fast, dont let the six month thing scare ya if nothings broken!

Thanks for the advice! I hope mine''s just a matter of weeks! I''m going to go to the doctor probably tomorrow to make sure mine''s not broken...

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/23/2008 7:18:05 AM
Author: chizzy1982
Hey T2T


How''s is it feeling today?


I would ice for the first 72 hours as its still in the acute stages and the inflammatory reaction is still going on during that time ( that why joint sprains continue to swell several days post injury) Definatley rub in some inbruprofen gel or voltarol gel as it will aid with localised inflammation and give pain relief

Avoid heat until 4-5 days post injury as it will actually make it worse ( increased blood flow to the area, more infalmmatory exudate into the tissue and surrounding area). Heat in conjunction with ice works very well in the sub acute stage, 7 mins of ice, followed by 7 mins of heat. The vasoconstriction of the blood vessels due to ice followed by the vasodilation effect of heat aids removal of inflammatory exudate and promotes healing.


Try and keep the weight of of it by lying on your tummy with a pillow under your hips or sitting on a donut as others have suggested. If you have any pains down your legs or pins and needles then get to you Dr and get a referral to a physio ASAP.


You may well feel a bit stiff in your lower back so try to keep things moving by lying on your back and bringing your knees up to your chest and hugging your self and if you can and its not to painfull try pelvic tiliting. Hands on your hips and tilt your pelvis forward then back, nice and slowly.


Hope that helps and you feel better soon


L

Thank you, chizzy! Lots of great advice in there! It''s okay today-still sore. I''m going to skip my soccer games this week and take it easy. I''m going to get to the doctor today or tomorrow just to make sure nothing''s broken.

 

[Eva17]

ouch!

it takes i while to get better. just keep using the donut. (like weeks)

even if it is broken, the healing process is still the same.

hope you are back to yourself real soon!!!

 

[IrishBreakfast]

Hi thing2of2,

I hurt my coccyx back when I was about 14. It was during a karate lesson. I fell straight down on my butt and it hurt like heck! It took weeks for it not to be tender but, no joke, for YEARS afterwards it hurt if I sat for too long. Movies were the worst. Those seats in the cinema are not the most comfortable anyway. Last time I recall it hurting was not too long after I got married so it was probably a decade of aches after sitting in one place for too long. Needless to say, I''d rather not do it again! Good luck with yours healing up quicker than mine!