Do you suffer from tailbone pain? Here are a few ideas on causes and next steps to recovery.

Tailbone pain has affected most people at some point in their life. It may be the result of a sports injury, a fall on the stairs or even from childbirth. This type of pain is debilitating and can cause quite a disruption in the quality of life for the sufferer. It is not known specifically what causes the actual pain in the tailbone (coccyx), but there is a name for a sore tailbone – coccydynia.

What are some causes of tailbone pain?

Coccyx pain is caused in the coccyx when an injury or some type of excess pressure on the area causes the bones to move beyond their normal limited range of motion. This will result in inflammation and localized pain. An injury to either the surrounding ligaments or the vestigial disc section may be the actual cause of the pain. It is quite rare for the bones of the coccyx can fracture and cause pain. It is also possible that a tumor or infection in the coccyx can be a primary cause of tailbone pain. There is treatment for tailbone pain, so try a few before jumping to conclusions that you have anything too serious.

As mentioned earlier, there are some the primary causes of tailbone discomfort:

• Localized trauma. A hard fall on the tailbone can inflame the ligaments or injure the coccyx or the coccygeal attachment to the sacrum. This is probably the most common cause of coccydynia. We've all taken a tumble on our backside and felt the throb of the tailbone. That pain is called coccydynia and, if it persists, may need to have medical attention as the coccyx may have been seriously injured.

• Childbirth. During childbirth, the baby's head passes over the top of the coccyx. The subsequent pressure created against the coccyx can sometimes result in injury to the coccyx structures (the disc, ligaments and bones). It is quite common for women who have children to have a sore tailbone for up to six months after the delivery. If the pain persists, however, it is highly recommended to seek medical advice as there may have been more damage than expected. The pressure can cause a fracture in the coccyx and will potentially need to be surgically removed if too much chronic pain is experienced. This procedure of the surgical removal of the coccyx is called a coccygectomy.
• Pressure. There are a few types of activities that put unusually prolonged pressure on the tailbone, such as horseback riding and sitting on hard surface for long periods of time, that may cause coccyx pain. The tailbone pain from these causes is usually not permanent. However, if the inflammation and symptoms are not managed properly, the pain may become chronic condition.
• Tumor or infection of the coccyx. It is quite rare to have coccydynia due to a tumor or infection in the coccyx. This type of condition puts extra pressure on the coccyx which will then cause the tailbone pain. Again, if you have chronic coccyx or tailbone pain, it is highly recommended you contact your local health care provider for further tests.

Tailbone pain is nothing to joke around with. If you have chronic coccyx pain and your quality of life is altered in any qay, don't take any chances and contact your health care professional. Speaking from experience, the best thing you can do is to get professional help to to not only diagnose your pain, but to further the process of recovery and help and, in rare cases, a coccygectomy. If you suffer from tailbone or coccyx pain, please take a few minutes to watch the video below for some quick relief from tailbone pain.