Treatment for painful broken or bruised coccyx

[gunsonaj]

I fell 3 days ago, landing on my tailbone.  The next day, the area was swollen... it is still swollen.
I was xray'd and advised that the coccyx was broken.  I was told to rest and take Tylenol 3 and Ibuprophen.  I was told not to use cool.cold compresses, but to have daily hot showers to alleviate the pain.

This has not been very effective. I am unable to work and in constant pain

I understand (from family members who have had a similar injury) that this injury can be very painful and that the pain can last a long time (years).

I would like to know what I can expect in regards to recovery time and if you can advise me of anything I can do to speed my recovery?  And what any additional treatments are if this continues to be a problem.

Thank you for your time and consideration
Janet

[idesofmarch]

Did they mention sitting on a donut?  Ya know the type of pillow that has a hole in the middle.  You can find foam ones and blow up plastic ones at most drug stores or Walmart.  I'm not sure how long recovery time is but I assume that it is atleast 6 weeks(the usual time people are in a cast for broken bones)You may have to go back to the doctor and get a note to keep you off work for a short time so you can do more ice and heat and rest. Does your work give paid disibillity for medical problems (not on the job injury)?  Good luck with your healing process.

[mickey4173]

I bruised my tailbone hurts when i sit to long or when i sllep at night. Hard time getting out of bed. Anything i can do for this.
                                           Thanks
                                                   Cindy

[dctruth]

happy to help yas.

always apply ice pack for  10-15 minutes on and off for a few hours a day. this will decrease swelling and pain.

you both need a chiropractic doctor. this is the undisputed expert in spine care. he/sh will x-ray (while standing) the region. apply ice packs and adjust and decompress the spine.

works all the time. pills are not the answer.

yes i'm a DC, and see 400 of yas a week and my advice works all the time. even with fractured coccyx.

dctruth  

[rago]

I broke my coccyx falling on a rock years ago and it impacted into the left and has caused problems ever since including haemorrhoids, but an osteopath recently said not to have it removed. If I'd just broke it, I would immediately find an osteopath or chiropractioner to see if it could be set like anyother broken bone. The pain went quite soon after the accident but the impacting is still causing problems..  

[Amy_t]

There's a good website www.coccyx.org with all kinds of advice.  They advise something other than a donut cushion.  It's a special coccyx cushion with a cut-out at the back that relieves pressure on the coccyx.  Having just sat down HARD on the ice, I share your pain.  At the moment, I'm sitting on an inflatable donut, partially inflated and folded in half.  It's a great improvement.

Amy T.

[Jstevens911]

I have seen a lot of information on various treatments for a broken tailbone, I would just like to set a few things straight for people.

There is no treatment really, you just have to wait it out.
Use a donut or other type cusion, you can alos use a phone book and just hang your tailbone off the back.
Do NOT take anti inflammatory pain killers,they retard bone healing by up to 30%

Best of luck to everyone suffering, just remember pain is just a feeling

[Zak_Han]

Problem come from inflammation around tailbone,due to soft tissue damage,so your symptom is soft tissue injure cause conduct pain to tailbone,it's NOT tailbone itself.

[jessmarie]

i landed on my tail bone from a fifteen foot drop and brusied it two dayss later i broke it during a russian what should i do?

[momdust]

I just broke my tailbone--again.  The first time was about 20 years ago in High School--just the tip--I walked home, not too much pain--just couldn't sit for very long for about a year.

This time, I broke it up high, and couldn't even move for the first week--very painful and I'm allergic to pain killer-so glad to hear they are not good for healing.  It's been a week, I can now type for a few minutes, but the pain makes me light headed.  I rest a lot--and I'm not the resting type.  My husband bought me a donut and it works for a little while--
Believe it or not-I have found the most comforable sitting has come from an exercise ball--REALLY!  I think maybe because most of the pressure is put onto the legs, not the back and bottom.  I usually sit on an exercise ball in my office, I have done it for years--but if you have never sat on one, you might not want to try it for the first time with your broken tailbone, just because I would hate to hear that you fell off trying!

Good luck--I feel like I'm still a long ways in recovery, but glad it happened to me not my elder mother-in-law-- it happen on a faulty step.

D

[Mel_d]

I bruised my tailbone nearly 5 months ago, and it still causes lots of pain.. sitting is annoying but standing for long periods can be worse, the pain never seems to let up, I have to kneel at the edge of the bed while my partner gently massages the base of my spine to releive the pressure, no other way seems to touch the pain..I must agree with the exercise ball, I haven't used it with my tailbone, not that safe to have in my house with the kids at the moment, but while I was in labour with my youngest I had most of my pain on my spine and lower back and could not sit except on the ball, took all the pressure off my back....

[Gluehead]

All:

     I fell about 2 weeks ago and smacked my tailbone good.  I have not seen a doctor for an xray, because I assumed that if it was really broken or fractured that the pain would be excruciating and I would be barely mobile.  I'm also starting to notice  the pain subsiding.  However, I have not gone to the gym since the accident because I was too sore.  I'm wondering if its OK to do squats and lunges, or will they just prolong the pain.  I've been told bruises can take weeks to heal, is that right?  Thanks!

-John

[Dangiold]

Same situation. I fell on my butt. Didn't go to the doctor, because it's most likely only bruised. But, it hurts more now, than before. It's the 5th day

[Jane2009]

HI,

I landed on my tailbone while doing crunches on an exercise ball--I slipped off and fell on the gym floor.  That happended two weeks ago and it still hurts alot.  Haven't been to a doctor.  Been applying ice.  Seems to help some.  I have an exercise ball that I sit on at home and it helps to relieve pressure.  Don't know what else to do.  I'm still going to my aerobics class, just being careful about doing certain routines.  I can do lunges.  Just listen to your body and modify your workouts.

Good luck to all.

Jane

[MunkyGal]

I fell on my tailbone while skateboarding about four months ago. I'm not sure how it's injured, but since the fall, it hurts to sit in certain positions. I havent gone to the doctor because I know that there isn't much they can do for me in this case. The injury hasn't limited my mobility, but I'm wondering if being as active as i am will slow the recovery down. Is sitting on it slowing the process too?

And by the way, while I was registering for this site I noticed a term of use stating that the use of this site is restricted to users over the age of 13. could that be a mistake?

[Kat007]

I fell 4 days ago on my coccyx, and have not gone for any x-rays. Should I?
Whats the differance whether it's bruised or broken?
It's really painfull to sleep, get up and tender to walk!!!
Is time the only healer?
Any advise would be greatly appreciated ;)

x'K

[Obie72]

I fell on my tailbone end of May.  i've learned the coccyx is really three connected bones at the end of the spine.  One doesn't fracture them, but their configuration can be bent.  My doctor had me x-rayed and there was "significant curvature."  Sitting on a special cushion with hole out of the end has been very helpful.  Do NOT sit on soft cushions without a cut out.  Hard surfaces are o.k. because then your hip bone supports you.  On a soft surface your hip bone sinks in and you are putting pressure on your tailbone (coccyx).  Women have more problems than men (I'm female) because we are built differently.  My doctor may do an MRI because he says with my kind of injury there may also be a compression of discs.  -- Once I started sitting on special cushions, the pain has lessoned significantly.  One of the worst things I did was take a long car trip -- before I knew about special cushions -- the pain worsened after that.

[campage1]

I just bruised my tailbone two day's ago. Don't ask how I did it, I don't have a clue. I just woke up a 5:30 a.m. and was hurting really bad. I got up took some pills but I couldn't lay on my back and it was relly hard just to turn and try laying on my side. I callled my doctor that day who called me back later in the evening and told me if it was still hurting bad to go to the hospital and get an evailuation. I decided not to go until 5:00 a.m. the following morning being I couldn't sleep, just to much pain.

The doctor at the hospital did a look-see, then did the "dissapearing finger act", to check for infection, remember I didn't hurt my tailbone in anyway, didn't fall, didn't get hit, didn't sit down on anything hard fast, etc. Being I didn't have an MRI done in this area he wanted me to have an MRI done for that reason "and" its a better way to check for infection. After it was all done and over with he told me I had a bruised tailbone, how? From what?

On top of that about 5 days ago before seeing my regular doctor, two day before seeing him, my left side of my butt really hurt like someone had kicked me on the side of my butt. Again, I didn't do anything to cause this. Being I didn't do anything to cause the bruised tailbone, had me concerned that something else was wrong, I never gave it a thought of it being bruised, no reason to. Today its much better but still hurts and still can't lay on my back. The other day we had to go to town and getting into and out of the car was a horrible ordeal, really painful. I was just glad it wasn't something more serious like the herneiated L5 disc which again, I didn't do anything to cause it that I know of. I never in my life hurt my back where I actually knew I did something to my back.

Just what was said from otheres here, the doctor said use a donut pillow, and use heat or ice on it, whichever works best for you.

Campage1

[Kristy841]

I broke my tailbone about 8 weeks ago.  
I am forced to sit at a computer at work for 8 hours a day.  Which I don't think is helping me heal.  As every day by evening I am in pain.  Somedays more severe than others.
Does anyone know if there is any truth to this, am I prolonging my healing by sitting for so long 40 hours a week?

Also prior to this I was running Marathons.  Does anyone know about how long I should wait before I can start running again?  Is it okay to run distance even if I am in pain to sit?
I've been hesitant to start it up again because after sitting all day and being in pain I am worried that running after 8 hours of sitting might injur it worse.

Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated!

[Cyclone1]

I broke my tail bone 2 weekends ago while camping.  Two days later I went to my doc and he x-rayed it and it was broken and didn't give me much advise.  I went to the web and found infor about it and it's best sit on donunt sit ( make sure you put in a pillow case to keep it clean and in a bag to keep it concealed ) Go to see a Chriopractor or a massage therapist and apply heat to it before you get up in the mornings.  It hurts the most when I have to lean over and pick up something.  I hate having this problem and we as humans take our bodies for granted so much.  Take it easy as much as you can and have family members help out with daily chores.  Hope this helps a little.  Thank you all for your advices too.

Cyclone1

[ambhus]

I bruised my coccyx last december whilst sitting on the carpet sewing, adjusting the heming of about 7 pairs of trousers! i was in the same position for about 3-4 hours and in that time bruised!
the pain is still there, real bad if anything its worse. i was off work a couple of weeks at first then went back to work due to pressure/guilt etc.been back to work since and been waiting for a more suitable chair.i been using a foam coccyx pillow, helps a little i guess but to be honest i cant handle the pain. they allow me to go for walks but i cant really handle it. its a call centre job where i am sitting constantly. sometime i take time off the phone and just lie on the floor. i really have had enough and dont know which way to turn!
started off taking some medication; declafenac etc,doctor says nothing that can be done, hospital doesnt do x rays on that area. cant sit on it really, in pain all the time, im always tense. i dont feel fit enough to work......... but what can i do?

[RJ233]

I fell several times about 30 yrs ago. My tail bone still hurts if I sit for long periods with pressure against the tail bone.Thought I had a cyst on the end of my tail bone.A surgeon checked and found no cyst,referred me to another dr. He did the disappearing finger thing and was flipping the tail bone. I was in unbelievable pain. I didn't know just how much it hurt until he did that. It hurt bad anyway, but it was really intense from him touching it. That was more than 10 yrs ago. He said they actually remove the tail bone with that condition. A co-worker had the same problem from sitting and his dr told him the same thing. His was damaged from continuously sitting, mine from a fall. Needless to say, neither of us had the procedure. Hard seats make it hurt, sitting too long makes it hurt. To me the donut still puts pressure on the tail bone unless you figure a way to keep that part off of it. The pillow they came up with the cut out, holds you up while taking off the pressure in the area of the tail bone. I have a soft cushion chair I found, at my kitchen table that I use and it helps since I do paperwork, etc there besides eating. You can go to a surgeon and if he needs to refer you to a different type dr. he can do that. I don't remember what kind of dr mine referred me to, but I still have my tail bone. I feel that it protects the end of the spine it was not a good idea to remove it. I don't think any different meds, or running is going to have any affect on it. The only thing that bothers mine is when there is pressure. Laying in bed, you can put pillows under your knees and flatten your back so as the tail bone won't have pressure on it. After 8 hrs of sleeping with pressure, then sit in the day, it is going to aggravate it worse. I have sit on heating pads which has helped me at times. The pressure of a fall or bouncing down steps with out a tail bone to take the hit, I fear what affect it could have on the spine. Hope this helps some of you. RJ

[wubbysgirl]

bruised my tail bone 2 weeks ago.still in so much pain hurts to sit,lay on my back,or stand from a sitting position.just want the pain to go away.this is the second time in 10 years i have done this and i dont know whats worse the pain or the embarresing donut pillow

[denvermercy]

I would like to know from each of you what is going on in your life? Is there anything out of your control that you can't adjust to??Yes, I am taking a survey....you don't have to give me your name or anything personal in writing.  I have had a broken tailbone and I am very sympathetic.  The only thing that helped was going to a chiropractor after the pain started to subside.
Thank You!!!

[Inafog]

I broke my tailbone in August of 2007, I love chiropractors, but they only provided temporary relief  (i went to 3 different ones over the course of a year... after some healing had begun, their treatments did nelp).  This injury caused painful sciatica, shingles 3 times, lower back pain, and neuropathy in my toes.  For 2 months I didn't sleep.  Then I found the Shiatzu Massage cushion.  The best advise that I can give is to get a Shiatzu Massage cushion from Wal~Mart or CVS... it the one with the rollers.  Everyday I use mine and the pain justs melts away and I have relief.  After 14 months, I still have some neuropathy in my toes - and a littel lower back pain,  but I am fully fuctional.

[allyssaluv]

I broke my tailbone over 5 years ago and I still have quite a bit pain after I've been sitting for long periods of time.  Usually, I'm pretty sore at the end of the day (I sit in front of a computer all day).  Airplane rides are the worst.  The pain is nothing compared to what it felt like at first (couldn't sit for over a week!), but it has never fully healed.  Otherwise, it doesn't really interfere with my life (I exercise regularly, including running).  Has anyone else had pain that lasted this long?