What an earth has caused this pain in my tailbone

[Fabothirty]

For four months now I've had mild irritation in my coccyx area (have I spelt this right?)

It hurts some days more than others. It doesn't hurt when I walk. It hurts when I sit/lie down. Some days its more angry.

When I poke the very bottom bone it's really bruised. But I've not had any trauma
So I'm presuming those early weeks of lockdown when we couldn't really go out I sat down too much?

I've looked at the donut cushions and they are pricey and I'm currently skint.

Any advice. I've not mentioned it to the drs because I feel like a hypocondriact. I have been contacting them quite abit this year for

Period issues
Low iron
Low vitamin D
Trying pills.

Last week I called because I was feeling particularly anxious. Feel loads better this week but it comes and goes.

Anyone had this?

[Inaseagull]

I had this once, a pain in my coccyx when sitting down quickly. It lasted about 6 months. I put it down to sitting on a bus for a few hours with my knees on the seat in front. It didn’t hurt at the time. Hopefully it will clear up soon for you.

[Drumple]

Maybe get this moved to health?

[NC4Now]

Might be worth seeing a chiropractor? Mine goes out of place easily although I do have a condition which affects my joints.

[Fabothirty]

Thanks. Yes I posted her for traffic. I find health boards are quiet.

Did you use anything for yours ladies? Should I buy the expensive cushion if it will help heal it?

I can't afford a chiropractor right now either. But I will have to look into it if it won't go x

[NotAWickedStepmum]

Many years ago I had an abscess there. It felt like a bruise too. Its a common area to get them from ingrowing hairs. It's called Pilonidal sinus www.nhs.uk/conditions/pilonidal-sinus/
Please get it checked out by a GP. Most are doing telephone consultations at the moment anyway so even if you can just ask advice.

[3beesinmybonnet]

I get this when I spend too much time sat at the computer. Our pc chair is not as well padded as it could be. I am determined not to put a cushion on it though as then I'd be sat there even longer. My husband also had the same problem and didn't believe me at first.
Have you been sat on the same chair a lot in lockdown because maybe it's not as well padded as it looks. Mine certainly isn't.

[cosmo30]

I had this, pain in tailbone, hurt when sat down and felt really bruised. Turned out I had a pilondial sinus (cyst) and needed surgery to have it removed. Not saying this is what it is but the bruised feeling was the main issue for me before I went to the doctors. Have a google see if it seems similar

[nevertrustaherdofcows]

I was going to say Pilonidal sinus too.

[TheSecondMrsAshwell]

I had a hairline fracture in one of my vertebrae - you may have managed that somehow without trauma - or you may have done it years ago. I had the original fracture when I was 15 and then in my 20s, I sat down heavily and reopened it.

But I'd look at the possibility of a Pilonidal first

[Fabothirty]

Thank you. Would I not feel a cyst?

Thanks.

[Fabothirty]

I've sat on the edge of the decking quite abit and hard chairs when doing school work with DD

[cosmo30]

No I didn't as it was deep inside. What did eventually make me think something strange was going on though was a tiny hole, and I mean tiny, appeared right at the top of my bum crack that's when I went to the gp who referred me to a surgeon, took one look at it and said yep that's a pilondial sinus and booked me in for surgery.

[Fabothirty]

Hi. No sign of lump or swelling. No blood or puss....

[Fabothirty]

Did you find the hole yourself or was it the GP? Thanks.

[Bingowin]

I had this too. Getting up at my stop off the train was agony! It was worse after sitting down.

And then one day... it just disappeared 🤷‍♀️

[Fabothirty]

It's the weirdest thing. It's awful when I change my son's nappy. Getting up is really tender. Yet I don't feel it when I walk. Some days its worse than others. The last few it's definitely got worse.

[natnev]

I have this right now!! I've had severe pain in my coccyx for the last 2-3 years and never had any trauma to cause it either. It doesn't hurt to walk but it's agony when I sit in a certain position or sit still for too long. Usually on hard chair or when driving long distances. Never seen a gp about it as like you OP I'm already being treated for other ailments but now I'm thinking I may need to mention it. I don't particularly want any surgery but I'm guessing it isn't good if you have a cyst and you just leave it??

[Fabothirty]

Hi. That's such a long time. I can feel a bruised tender area right on the knobbly bone..... I've just looked into the cyst and watched a YouTube video on it. Mine is leaning more towards coccyx pain. I don't have swelling or lumps. No leaking of blood or anything. No itchy skin around it. So I'm presuming it's my bone. I will keep an eye on it though....

[NotAWickedStepmum]

@fabothirty I really don't want to sound dramatic but please get it checked..
I fell off a chair a week before mine was actually diagnosed so put the pain down to bruising. There was no swelling either. I woke up one night and it felt 'wet', it had burst - still no swelling, just a small hole. I was really poorly though from the infection. I had to have it dressed and packed for 10 months then it was finally operated on.
Keep us posted x

[cosmo30]

My partner noticed it when I asked him to look at the area as it had been sore for a while. There was no blood or puss for ages! Also it used to come and go aswell, the surgeon said what was happening was the cyst was flaring up, bleeding, draining then going back down.
It most likely isn't, just keep an eye as as I said before it was the bruised feeling tou mention that made me comment !

[ChristmasFluff]

A child's inflatable swimming ring will do much the same as the posh cushion, if that's any help. Get the smallest size and position it so your coccyx is in the hole.

[unmarkedbythat]

Mine has been fucked since the birth of my last child who will be 6 in not many more months. The cushion is worth it; my work chair cushion isn't a donut, more like a sort of wide bike saddle shape with a central cut out and worth every bloody penny. I don't have one for at home though as I don't need to sit at a computer in one place for long there.

Practice reaching round to support it when you go from standing to sitting if that is when the pain is sharpest (earlier on I would actually end up crying when I stood up, the coccyx pain as I rose would be so sharp it felt like I was being kicked very very hard directly on the bone).

Heat makes it better for me- hot weather (so today is great for me!), hot shower/ bath, heat pads. Nurofen is more helpful than paracetamol for whatever reason.

If your GP is doing non urgent appts and you are happy to go, it's worth seeing them- they can probably refer you to MSK physios or similar.

You have all my sympathies, it's more horrible than most think and bloody tricky to get sorted!

[Sh05]

Have you recently had a baby?
I am 11 months pp and have had this pain from when she was 2 months. I was told it was a fracture in the tailbone sometimes caused by childbirth.
It's extremely painful standing up from sitting and also reclining in bed.
My GP said it would settle but it's feels like it's getting worse.

[monkeymonkey2010]

i used to get that on and off for years.....then a few years ago it erupted into a pilonidal cyst.
i just let it drain naturally, at its worst squeezing it when it started compacting and drained the pus, got antibiotics to help with infection.

now its good as new

[Nonameyetmeow]

I second a pilonidal sinus - please get that checked by your GP because if it is that, you don't want to leave it.