How to describe TAILBONE PAIN (Coccyx Pain)

By: Patrick Foye, M.D., Director of the Coccyx Pain Service at New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J. (www.TailboneDoctor.com)

TAILBONE PAIN (coccyx pain) can be severe and very problematic. How do you best describe your sore tailbone (coccyx) to your doctor? Being able to describe your symptoms to your physician can help the doctor to understand what is causing your tailbone pain and how to treat it. In my medical career as a physician who has treated at least hundreds of patients with tailbone pain, I commonly see patients who are unsure how to describe their tailbone pains. The steps below will ask you some questions that should help you to organize your descriptions of your tailbone symptoms.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Location: First, your doctor will want to know where your pain is coming from. Notice which location seems most painful. If you can point with one finger to the most painful area, that will help the doctor to know whether the pain seems to be coming from the tailbone (coccyx) rather than coming from some other nearby locations.

2. Severity: Try to rate the severity of your tailbone pain on a scale of zero to 10, with zero being no pain at all and 10 being the worst pain imaginable. Is the tailbone pain excruciating, or is it just a mild annoyance?

3. Duration: How long have you been experiencing the tailbone pain? When did the tailbone pain first start? Be as specific as you can.

4. Onset of pain: Did the tailbone pain start suddenly or did it start more gradually? What do you think might have caused it?

5. Pain descriptors: What phrases would best describe the type of tailbone symptoms that you are having? Would you call it pain, soreness, discomfort, burning, stabbing, or aching?

6. Is the tailbone pain constant, or does it come and go?

7. Exacerbating factors: What makes the tailbone pain worse? Is it worse with sitting? After you are sitting for a while, does the coccyx pain suddenly get worse when you first stand up? Is sitting worse on some chairs or surfaces than on others?

8. Relieving factors: Notice what makes the tailbone pain feel less. Does it feel better with over-the-counter pain medications? Does it feel better when you avoid certain activities?

9. See your physician: Have your doctor evaluate your symptoms and perform a careful physical examination that should specifically include checking to see if the pain is really coming from the tailbone are not. The doctor may also want to order some tests.

10. 
    Web Search for Tailbone Doctor

    If your doctor is not experienced at evaluating tailbone pain or is not aware of non-surgical treatments to offer you, seek a second opinion from a physician with more expertise in this area.

Tips & Warnings

• For more information on Tailbone pain, please see TailboneDoctor’s other articles on eHow, or go to www.TailboneDoctor.com
• WARNING: This information is intended to be educational and is NOT to be considered as medical advice. This information is NOT a substitute for direct medical care from a physician who evaluates you in person.
• WARNING: coccyx pain can sometimes be due to very serious underlying medical conditions, so it is important to seek in-person evaluation by a medical professional.
• WARNING: Many physicians and other health providers have little or no experience in evaluating or treating tailbone pain or coccyx injuries. If you are not satisfied with the first physician you see, then seek medical attention from a specialist with experience in treating tailbone pain.

Resources

• www.TailboneDoctor.com
• www.Tailbone.info
• eMedicine chapter on tailbone pain (coccyx pain)
• Dr. Foye's Tailbone – Coccyx articles on eHow
• Dr. Foye's profile on eHow, TailboneDoctor
• Online images of the tailbone - coccyx
• Radio show on tailbone pain (coccyx pain)
• TAILBONE PAIN
• www.TailbonePain.net

[TailboneDoctor]

on 10/29/2009 Dear brwmkw, sorry to hear about your pain. While I can not give treatment advice in this forum, I suggest that you see a local musculoskeletal doctor for starters, and see what results you get from there. Also, if you go to my website www.TailboneDoctor.com and enter your email in the yellow box it will sign you up for a newsletter that will give more info. than I can fit here.

[brwmkw]

on 10/1/2009 My pain just came about suddenly.. No injury or nothing just started hurting with each day getting worse. It's to the point now I can hardly sit. Just as the article stated I sat on one side leaning kinda forward, sat on one leg, etc. But now nothing is working, and it's starting to be pretty painful to stand and walk. It's driving my crazy, and I can't find a doctor that's been of any help... All I hear is "you had to have injured it Mrs. ..., this just doesn't happen." But then I got on the net and found out about coccydynia. What I am experiencing sound just like it.. Please someone help me!!!!! What type of doctor do I need to go to for help? I so need some relief of this excruciating pain.

[TailboneDoctor]

on 5/3/2009 Dear tomasusa, I am very sorry to hear about the TAILBONE PAIN (coccyx pain) and multiple other painful areas that you have been experiencing, as you have noted in various postings on my eHow articles. While I can not give you medical advice (since I have not seen you as a patient), I have sent you some general information to your email address that you provided here on eHow and that you also provided via the newsletter sign-up at my website: www.TailboneDoctor.com. Giving my reply via the newsletter from the TailboneDoctor.com website allows me to give more text/info and also respects your confidentiality by avoiding having you post any further medical details in the public forum here at eHow. I hope you find the info. helpful.