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Original poster

advice desperately needed on bruised coccyx/tailbone

28 replies

formallyknownasloveydarling · 09/10/2012 18:56

I was messing around with the kids and fell on my bum. I was able to get up and walk away from it which makes me think it is not broken or fractured but that was over a week ago now and it is definitely NOT better!

It hurts like hell but only in certain positions.

I have a tubby 1 yo dc who is not yet walking and I probably carry him around more than I should. My kids come into bed with me at night and I alwaus wake upin an uncomfy, squashed position, neither of which are helping are they?

I haven't been to the doctor because I don't think there is anything he/she can do and so it would be an added hassle for no outcome. Am I right there?

Is there anything I can do? I am desperate! And I am missing exercise too (used to be a regular runner) but to be honest that is the least of my worries.

It is making me so miserable :(

OP posts:

PenguinBear · 09/10/2012 18:59

Same thing happened to me. This will probably not what you
Want to hear but I had aching for 10 years after, especially when I sat at a desk/chair for long periods. I am not sure if mine was fractured though, so could be why I had such ongoing pain!
So what you've got seems normal to me! Hope it's better soon :)

cocolepew · 09/10/2012 19:01

It can be sore for months, sorry.

Original poster

formallyknownasloveydarling · 09/10/2012 19:05

Oh thank you so much for relpying. At least you have convinced me that it is normal. Please tell me that 10 years is a typo for 10 months. Please.

OP posts:

piratecat · 09/10/2012 19:05

similar here, i fell when playing hockey yrs ago, smack on my coccyx.

Lots of ibuprofen for a long time. I had pain for a couple of yrs on and off, this was 30 yrs back tho, and it was after about a yr that they suggested i put up, or have injections into it. I put up, sat thru exams on a blow up cushion.

Perhaps go to the doc, and see what's on offer, or advice for pain management?

Original poster

formallyknownasloveydarling · 09/10/2012 19:05

Or even 10 weeks?

OP posts:

nameuschangeus · 09/10/2012 19:06

I had this. I fell over ice skating when I was about 11. I sympathise because it hurt sooo much, and I'm sorry to say took a long time to get better - months, not weeks I couldn't sit in one position without having to move and stand up for ages.
The doctor thought it was fractured but wouldn't let me have an x-ray in case I was pregnant! I was most insulted at the time.
If I sit in one position fir too long even now I have to move seats or stand for a while. I'm 45 today.

PenguinBear · 09/10/2012 19:10

It got better over the 10 years op going from agony to an ache, decreasing over time and is fine now, but it took a very Long time for it to fully recover.

Original poster

formallyknownasloveydarling · 09/10/2012 19:10

Oh thanks everyone, even though this is really not what I wanted to hear :( And to top it all I am breastfeeding so hard drugs are out, although if it carries on like this much longer I thjink I will have to stop breastfeeding and start the strong painkillers.
Shit.
Anyone heard of any successful treatment using a chiropractor or something?

OP posts:

ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 09/10/2012 19:12

I slammed onto mine four years ago ski-ing.
Took a good few weeks for the intense pain to ease off, then another couple of years until I could sit without it niggling me.
Nowadays it reminds me it's there if I do a course, say, and have to sit on a hard chair for a few hours.
Sorry op it's horrible, horrible, horrible. Twatty gp told me to 'perch on the exge of the barstool.'

insancerre · 09/10/2012 19:13

Mine took months to get better too.
I fell down the stairs on my bottom from top to bottom after a night out.
It was alright standing but sitting down was agony. But not as painful as trying to get up again.
I didn't se any doctors as there is not much they can do.

ShotgunNotDoingThePans · 09/10/2012 19:14

Definitely google it, or ask your gp. I was seeing an osteopath anyway at the time, and he seemed to think mine was sprained and would move back into place by itself. The alternative involved a rubber glove - I declined.

cogitosum · 09/10/2012 19:16

I broke mine a few years ago... Occasionally get a twinge now when it's cold or I've sat in a funny position

You can get a doughnut cushion from big chemists - I had to sit on it for about 6 months (literally carrying it everywhere even on the train)!

Not much point in going to a&e as treatment is the same whether it's broken or bruised (except in some situations when it doesn't heal and they need to operate). Also they diagnosed the fracture my inserting a finger up my bum which wasn't the best!

HauntedLittleLunatic · 09/10/2012 19:17

Another one that fell hard down several steps.

IIRC it was very painful for a couple of weeks, sore for a couple more. Ever since tho it has caused me problems when sitting in one place for extended periods of time. This was about 14yrs ago.

insancerre · 09/10/2012 19:17

shrinkingnora · 09/10/2012 19:19

Ibuprofen gel helps a little bit. I fell down the stairs in June and although it is a lot better it is still painful. I can sit now though. I did go to the chiropractor but I didn't feel like it helped much to be honest. Ice is better than heat for the pain.

JeanBodel · 09/10/2012 19:21

I can only offer sympathy and corroboration. Did mine about, oh, 12-13 years ago. It still hurts if I sit still for too long.

Ploom · 09/10/2012 19:23

I damaged my coccyx during labour with dc2. It was sore for months before I thought of getting it seen to.

I worked in a physio dept at that time and the womens health physio treated the area with ultrasound - I had 6 sessions and the pain went completely. She just put the ultrasound head at the top of the crack of my bum so there was nothing embarrassing about it.

I would see if the pain settles over the next few weeks but if not, would go and speak to the GP and ask if they can refer you to a physio (the waiting times are pretty lengthy I've heard so be prepared to wait).

Hope it settles soon.

Woozley · 09/10/2012 19:24

I did mine in when I was 12, just by attempting to perch on the arm of a chair (ouch). I think I just bruised it but it took a good while to heal though the pain only came infrequently after the initial injury.

whojamaflip · 09/10/2012 19:32

Fell on ice and fractured mine New Year 1995 and no I hadn't been drinking

Took weeks to stop walking like a pg duck (according to dh) and then months before I was comfortable sitting down for more than 5 mins.

It still bites me now and again if I have been sitting on a hard seat for too long - I think everyone has got used to me carrying a cushion into church like a little old lady

Sorry to add to the bad news.....

cogitosum · 09/10/2012 19:55

I would really recommend the doughnut cushion. It was the only thing that helped me

TheHappyCamper · 09/10/2012 19:58

I have a slightly more positive tale for you .

I damaged mine when I fell ice skating on a school trip 2 years ago. It was absolute agony for about 3 weeks. I couldn't sit at all, I couldn't lower myself onto the toilet without holding onto something etc. Proper agony.

However after 3 weeks it amazingly started to get better and I have no pain at all now! See, there may be hope yet!

Casserole · 09/10/2012 20:27

Some chiropractors do coccyx adjustments - some are done from the outside; others, like the other poster mentioned above with the osteopath - involve a rubber glove.

Whereabouts are you OP?

jollymary · 09/10/2012 22:03

Get referred asap to a women's health physio via your GP. Really hope you feel better soon.

Cailleach · 10/10/2012 14:07

I did this twice as a kid - once falling over in the playground and once slipping on the tiled floor in the kitchen.

It hurts like a biatch and unfortunately takes a long time to heal - not what you probably wanted to hear but there it is. You are right that there's not much they can do for a fractured tailbone but as other posters have said, special cushions and trying not to lean back on it when sitting down can help.

Poor you - I remember the pain well, it's quite shockingly bad for such a minor injury. Get well soon!

AitchTwoOhOneTwo · 10/10/2012 14:11

i did this too, it hurt for YONKS and then i went to a mctimoney chiropractor (v gentle) and she fimbled about down there and now i realise this is the first time i've thought about it in years...

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