3 common sources of tailbone pain by Dr. Hailey Jackson
Coccydynia, or tailbone pain, is one of the most common things we see and treat in our office. Though this pain usually originates from a direct fall with a landing on the tailbone, it can come from several other sources as well.
First, an anatomy lesson. The tailbone is the lowest point of the spine, the tip of the sacrum. The tailbone serves an attachment point for several muscles, including all of the pelvic floor muscles, via the anococcygeal ligament. There’s a lot of anatomy in the area which means a lot can go wrong, which can make treating the tailbone tricky.
The three most common tailbone pain generators I see clinically include the actual tailbone or coccyx, the obturator internus, and the coccygeus. The coccygeus is a super deep muscle that attaches directly onto the tailbone while the obturator internus is a muscle that refers pain to the tailbone, similar to how people feel shoulder, pain or jaw pain, while having a heart attack this muscle, if symptomatic can refer pain to another location (the tailbone). Typically, pain originating from the actual tailbone follows a fall with landing directly on the tailbone while tailbone pain not following a fall typically arises from these other muscles.
Just like most things in Pelvic PT, efficient treatment requires an accurate diagnosis. So, while patients can experience similar pain, their pain can be coming from different sources, and each of these sources are treated differently. Effectively diagnosing the source is the first step in pain relief.
If you are experiencing tailbone pain and are looking for long-term lasting relief, we would love to help you. Call 903-962-2600, or email hello@txpelvichealth.com to schedule your initial evaluation. Additionally, you can find more information on Instagram @ThePowerfulPelvis.
