Coccydynia a pain in the butt!

Are you suffering from tailbone pain, or coccydynia as it is formally known?

Does it hurt you to sit for extended periods of time? Rest assured you are not alone because each year countless Australians suffer from coccydynia.

There are a number of things that can cause coccydynia. The most likely cause is trauma or injury to the tailbone area, this includes during the process of childbirth. Generally, the pain remains as a dull aching feeling however sudden bouts of sharp intense pain can be experienced when moving from a seated to a standing position or vice versa.

Most cases of coccydynia will last between several weeks to a few months, and whilst it is rarely a permanent condition it can be very detrimental to those suffering especially if their job involves sitting for long periods of time. Rest assured this is not something that you need to simply put up with. There are a number of ways in which you can reduce the amount of pain being experienced or alleviate it altogether.

Ways to help with tailbone pain include:

• Treatment: this includes both physiotherapy and chiropractic. These forms of treatment will involve pelvic floor relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, as well as abdominal strengthening exercises.
• Manipulation: this involves the manual adjustment of the coccyx in order to take the pressure off. This can also help to release the tension of the surrounding muscles
• Coccyx cushion/wedge: This is a cushion or wedge-shaped piece of foam that has a cut out directly below the coccyx. This enables the pressure to be taken off the tailbone and the weight dispersed evenly throughout the surrounding surface. This will also promote correct posture, whereby you sit up straight and the pelvis is tilted slightly forwards, with knees slightly below hip level. In doing so it further aids in pain relief.
• Ice: ice is effective in decreasing the inflammation in the early stages of a tailbone injury. This reduction in inflammation directly lowers the feeling of pain.

Here in our clinic, we sell both coccyx cushions and coccyx wedges. We have tried and tested a number of different brands and have found the best products on the market. Our patients have had great success using these products:

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