Coccydynia is the scientific name for “tail bone pain” or a pain experience at the tip of the backbone. It is a dull ache that forms around the end of the backbone and radiates outward and inward throughout the buttocks. With more and more people leading a sedentary life, there are more and more cases of tail bone pain. Let us explore exactly what this pain is, how it forms, and what is the best way of treating it.
Causes :
Tail bone pain or pain in the coccyx is mainly due to the dislocation of the tail bone. The tail bone is called coccyx and is derived from the Greek word for 'cuckoo, because it looks very much like the beak of a cuckoo. It is composed of five rudimentary vertebrae, and four of these are fused together so that there is no movement between them.
When the coccyx moves out of alignment, dislocates or fractures, it leads to tail bone pain. Generally, doctors have no idea as to why this happens, although there are a few contributing factors that are listed below.
All these reasons have one basic factor common to them and that is that it is an unstable coccyx that causes the pain.
Treatments :
There are a number of treatment options to treat coccyx bone pain. Medication, lifestyle changes, and exercises are all part of the treatment plan, and what you choose depends on how severe your condition is.
Medication
There is no medication that will cure coccydynia. What doctors do, however, is to prescribe you with stool softeners, anti-inflammatory medication, or pain killers. The stool softeners will soften your stools so that any pressure or pain you get when you pass stools will reduce. Anti-inflammatory pills will help in case there is inflammation in the region. Pain killers will help alleviate pain; however, since you are not treating the underlying cause of the pain and instead just trying to remove the pain, this cannot be regarded as treatment.
Lifestyle changes
Most of the time, tail bone pain is caused due to lifestyle issues. Most people who have this pain are those who sit at a chair for long periods of time and work. If the sitting posture is not correct, this will lead to tail bone pain later on.
Exercises
There are a number of exercises that you can do to reduce tail bone pain, starting from squats and the clamshell exercise to yoga. Even a child’s itchy coccyx can be treated with proper exercises. In fact, exercises are the best method of reducing tail bone pain and the relief is permanent. You do of course have to continue to do these exercises to keep the muscles strong.
There are specific yoga exercises that are targeted at the lower back and tail bone area, and doing just these exercises are enough to bring down the pain. Many people have said that doing these exercises for about 10 minutes a day was enough to bring down the pain considerably and that the pain goes off within a month.
The best yoga poses for treating tail bone pain are the Salabhasana (Locust Pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and the Ardha Salabhasana (Half Locust Pose).
Points to consider
Although this is very rare, you need to consult with a doctor immediately if you get blood in your stools, inflammation of the genital area, or tumors. For example, coxis and lower back tumors have been found to be related. There is also a theory that coccydynia causes vaginal inflammation. Although these can be unrelated, it is still best to consult with a doctor because of the chances of cancer.
Coccydynia is a painful problem, one that will not go away and will progressively get worse. Yet, it is very easily treated and just performing some yoga poses for a few minutes a day will help alleviate the problem. You could also opt for alternative treatment option such as Ayurvedic medication, acupressure, acupuncture, aromatherapy, etc. However, always consult a professional instead of self-medicating.