Pain in coccsyx after miscarriage - Dr. fobbed me off, advice please!

[pixiella]

I've had a pain in my coccsyx (tailbone) since just after my miscarriage in April (2007), it's much worse coming up to my period and during.

It's a weird sort of pain - in the way that when I touch it or press on it it doesn't hurt at all but when I stand up from being sat down it feels like gravity or pressure or something goes to that area and it's a very concentrated tender pain. It also hurts when I sit in a certain way.

The other thing that worries me if that it hurts when I tense my pelvic floor muscles...

I'm thinking maybe it's not my coccsyx specifically but that's just the only thing I can think of in the area where it hurts IYSWIM...

My mum made the point that some organs/parts of the body don't have pain receptors and maybe I'm just feeling the pain in the nearest place which as a pain receptor and maybe it's somewhere like my womanly parts..lol.

I went to my doctor and described the pain to her she went blank and asked me what I meant by 'coccsyx' and I said "err...my tailbone..!" This immediately filled me with confidence..(I thought a doctor would know the medical word for a tailbone!)
She then sighed, looked confounded and said "well you know..you say that this pain came about around the time of your pregnancy - sometimes emotional pain can manifest itself in other ways....maybe once you've had your counselling the pain will go away"
and I asked her - wouldn't it be better to rule out anything physically wrong first?

and she said "if you were hoping for an xray i don't think that's really necessary".

and left it at that! This pain has been going on for 8 months now!
I really want to find out what it is, but my doctor made me feel stupid - I already don't trust doctors and I'm not confident enough to go again... : (

Do you think she was suggesting that my pain was psychosomatic?

n.b my hospital discharge note said I had had a 'complete' miscarriage.

[yetihed]

Hi Pixiella,

I have no experience of miscarriage, and can only begin to empathise with the very difficult time you must have experienced.

I do, however, have lots of experience with coccyx pain! I had coccyx pain for about 18 months before I finally got rid of it, and when I was pregnant recently had a recurrence of it. (Gone again now)

It could be something called coccydinia which is when the coccyx gets severely bruised or damaged. It doesn't sound like this, however, because that condition is generally really painful, and your coccyx would be sore to the touch.

When I first went to the Dr with the same symptoms you describe (not sore to touch, but discomfort when sitting down or as I stood up) she thought it was this. But after further investigation (a lot of prodding by a specialist in the orthopedic and trauma dept- most embarrassing!) she changed her mind. She sent me for an MRI scan, but nothing showed up.

In the end, it seemed it was just a very tense muscle. I was, in fact, storing a lot of pent up stress there! Literally, my job was a pain in the bum! LOL! If the area around your coccyx- your bottom muscles feel tender when you rub/ massage them then it may be the same for you? It may get worse during your period if the area is generally swollen during this time, it might add pressure.

I did a mixture of things which worked:

1. Massaged the area when it got sore (very glamorous!!!)
2. Bought a special cushion which has a hole in the back so there's no pressure on the coccyx when you sit down (can buy on the internet in a back specialist website- a coccyx cushion, I think they're called)
3. Had acupuncture. She was a fab chinese woman who massaged the muscle and stuck pins in it and gradually the pain went.
4. Did stretches... kneel down, and lean forward as far as you can, arms stretched flat in front of you (so the bottom muscles are stretched) then tense and relax the muscles loads of times!

Hope this helps- sorry I've gone on a bit. I know that this kind of pain can be really frustrating- it's amazing how much you rely on your bum!

As for your doctor, can I just say she sounds TERRIBLE and I reckon you should find another if at all possible. If you decide to get pregnant again you may really need her support and you need to have someone who will at the very least listen to you.

Good luck and I hope everything works out- I'll check back in a bit in case you have any questions!

[MargoWishesYouAHappyNooNooYear]

It's a weird sort of pain - in the way that when I touch it or press on it it doesn't hurt at all but when I stand up from being sat down it feels like gravity or pressure or something goes to that area and it's a very concentrated tender pain. It also hurts when I sit in a certain way.

I get the exact same pain. Would an osteopath be an option for you? I have been treated once for it (one session - whilst having treatment for trapped nerve in shoulder)

I suppose if you are tense then you "hold" yourself differently. Pilates could help to improve your posture.

Mine only started hurting once I had my 1st child 3 years ago. I hope you get it sorted.

[pixiella]

thanks for your help margo and yeti!

i'm glad im not the only one to have pain like this - at least maybe it's not as serious as i might have thought.

i'll def try to go see another doctor now and be more confident about getting it treated.

I don't think it's bruised as I've bruised it before when I was younger and I fell on it in a funny way - there's no mistaking the pain then! It's not tender when I press on it really either, only when it's at it's most tender...if that makes sense lol.

im going to start pilates anyway as I need to strengthen my back and core muscles anyway i think.

I'd love to try an osteopath or acupuncture but I really can't afford it : ( I'll get my dp on the massage though - im sure he'll enjoy it ! lol

Oh and i guess you might be right as the pelvic area gets more swollen/more blood flow to that area maybe that's why it hurts more during my period..

thanks so much for your help : ) xxxx

[MargoWishesYouAHappyNooNooYear]

Pixiella - see if your GP will give you a referral. I was treated under GPs Osteopath - I quite agree, osteopath sessions are expensive.

[whatapain]

Hi
I get this terrible too.
It's just when I've been sitting a long time and I get up, feels SO bruised!

Also if I sit in the car too long it's agony too.

My GP sent me for ultrasound treatment on it but it didn't really do anything to be honest.

Have had it about 15 months now and it drives me mad!

[Linzy73]

Hi I'm currently suffering, feels like it's "open"!! If that makes sense! No pain to touch, psin is definitely inside and towards my spine. Driving me mad ????

[sp1486]

I am suffering from the same. after miscarriage .... I cant identify exactly what is the reason and how it can be treated.