All you need to know about tailbone injuries: Causes, symptoms, and effective treatments 

Tailbone injuries are mostly caused by a seated fall or direct trauma to the tailbone area, also called the coccyx. The tailbone is the bone located at the end of the spine. It is a group of small bones that form the lower end of the spine and is usually made up of three to five vertebrae, though the number varies from one person to another.

Often the coccyx just gets bruised, but in severe cases, the bone may get severely injured or fractured and cause painful symptoms. Luckily, the majority of tailbone injuries can be managed with medical treatments and home remedies, however, the injury may take some time to heal.

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What are the major causes of coccyx injuries?

Repetitive friction during cycling can cause a tailbone injury. (Photo via Pexels/Chait Goli)

Most injuries to the coccyx are caused by the following:

• direct trauma that usually occurs during sports
• a fall in the seated position against a hard surface
• injury or fracture during childbirth
• repetitive friction or straining of the muscles that happens during rowing or cycling
• obesity
• bone spurs
• tumors or infections
• compression of certain nerves

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Broken tailbone symptoms

Major symptoms of a broken tailbone may include the following:

• constant pain in the lower back area
• swelling or inflammation around the tailbone
• extreme pain while sitting or standing up from a sitting position
• pain during bowel movements
• tingling sensation in the legs
• irregular bowel movements
• pain during sexual intercourse

A common symptom of tailbone injuries include constant pain in the lower back area. (Photo via Pexels/Kindel Media)

People with tailbone injuries or a broken tailbone may also experience pain throughout their legs. Sometimes, you may also feel a need to defecate frequently.

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Broken tailbone treatment

There are several treatment options to get relief from tailbone injuries.

Medical treatment

Your doctor may prescribe strong painkillers to alleviate pain and may also give you medications such as stool softeners to help you pass stool easily and prevent constipation.

In cases where the pain is constant and medications don’t provide you relief, your doctor may give injections of local anesthetics into your tailbone.

In serious tailbone injuries, your doctor might remove the coccyx surgically.

Other non-surgical treatment options for tailbone injuries include:

• physical therapy
• coccygeal cushions – specially designed cushions to support the buttocks
• regular massages
• spinal cord stimulation
• pelvic floor rehabilitation
• electrical nerve stimulation
• nerve block

Physical therapy can ease pain. (Photo via Pexels/Karolina Grabowska)

Among all treatment options, the use of coccygeal cushions and physical therapy are the most effective.

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Home remedies for tailbone injuries

Several home remedies can help reduce pain and avoid further inflammation in the area. These include:

• avoiding sitting especially on hard platforms until the pain has reduced
• applying an ice pack to the tailbone area a few times a day
• using a specialized cushion to support your buttocks and back
• consuming high-fibre foods and probiotics to avoid constipation
• sleeping on a firm mattress on your side to reduce the pain

It is important to see a doctor if the pain is severe, is getting worse over time or is causing problems with urination or bowel movements.

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How long does a fractured tailbone take to heal?

Tailbone injuries or a fractured tailbone can be really painful and also take time to heal. While the healing time depends on the severity of the injury, a fractured tailbone can take up to 8 to 10 weeks to heal completely.

In cases where the tailbone is just bruised, the injury may heal on its own within take anywhere 2 to 4 weeks.

Follow-up depends on the severity of the injury, however, in most fractured tailbone cases, a follow-up is recommended to determine the progress your injury is making with medical treatments and therapies.