How is coccydynia (tailbone pain) treated?

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How is coccydynia (tailbone pain) treated?

Most people recover without undergoing any sort of treatment. Of those who do require treatment, 90% just need to use at-home remedies.

At-home remedies for tailbone pain (coccydynia) include:

  • Taking a NSAID like ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling.
  • Decreasing sitting time. Lean forward if you have to sit.
  • Taking a hot bath to relax muscles and ease pain.
  • Using a wedge-shaped gel cushion or coccygeal cushion (a “donut” pillow) when sitting.
  • Taking stool softeners to reduce pain during bowel movements.
  • Stretching and strengthening the muscles of your lower back and pelvis.
  • Applying hot or cold packs to your lower back. Apply for no longer than 20 to 30 minutes, several times a day.
  • Wearing loose-fitting clothing.

Outpatient treatments for tailbone pain (coccydynia) include:

  • Blocking the nerve supply of the area — a Coccygeal nerve block — using numbing medications and steroids to decrease the inflammation.
  • Massage therapy (usually only provides temporary relief).
  • Stretching exercises and posture improvement guided by a physical therapist.
  • Acupuncture.
  • TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation).

Surgical options include:

  • Partial coccygectomy (removal of part of the coccyx — extremely rare).
  • Total coccygectomy (removal of the entire coccyx — extremely rare).

Recovery time from a coccygectomy can take a few months — maybe a year. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that the pain will go away even if the bone is gone. Again, this procedure is rare.

Other symptoms that could occur along with coccydynia, such as depression, anxiety and sciatica, should also be addressed and treated as well.

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