Tailbone Pain - Norwell,MA

If it is hormonal then it may last until you stop breastfeeding, if you are breastfeeding. I had horrible tendonitis until I stopped breastfeeding.

Hi K.,

I am experiencing exactly this same kind of pain and I recently saw my Dr. about it, who then reffered me to physical therapy. I have been going to PT for about 2 months now and I'm not sure that it's really improving. My PT said this pain is often associated with a damaged disc or some type of trauma to the area, coupled with weak pelvic floor muscles and I do regular excercises (basically kegals) to strengthen this area. You might want to consider having an MRI done to see if it is a disc or nerve problem. I was planning to have one, but found out I'm pregnant with baby number 2 the day before going in to have the the MRI, so it was cancelled. I do hope you find something to releive the pain soon. I know how much it hurts! Best Wishes.

Congrats on your new baby and your growing family!

I would be shocked if this was hormonal. Back pain of any kind is usually due to something muscular or structural. Could be a disc, could be something else, but I would doubt hormones. With all the pressure from the growing baby, plus the fact that you stand differently when you are very pregnant, back pain is a common pregnancy complaint. It might have been better for the first 6 weeks because you weren't doing very much. Now you are doing even more, carrying the baby and all the accessories (car seats, bouncers, a 50 pound diaper bag, and so on!) plus his big sister - so the pain is back. It never healed, that's my guess.

You could consult a good chiropractor because it sounds like there is some misalignment, and/or you could consider a really fantastic nutritional supplement like Reliv, which does a great job healing from within and helps people get relief from all kinds of things. I would be cautious about getting into a whole lot of physical therapy until you know what's causing it. I would also be reluctant to go to a chiropractor who does a lot of cracking and jerking of the spine. That scares me. You might ask for someone who does applies kinesiology or a similar technique but not just a "pop and pray" person who cracks you and hopes it works. You could try ice packs too, in case there is swelling to be reduced, but that's not going to cure it.

GOod luck!

Your tailbone might have pushed apart with pregnancy and delivery. I actually broke my tailbone as a child and was pain free until I was pregnant with my first child. It irritated the area and then wound up spreading the break apart. I get regular cortizone shots now.
Dr. Rainville at the Baptist is the by far the best back doctor out there. I would suggest making appointment to see him.
Take care and good luck.

K., it is not unusual for the base of the tailbone to break during delivery. And it heals itself in a couple months. Quite painful, yes, but generally does no harm.
You should call your midwife...see if this is actually what is going on.
There could be other causes but the tailbone is the most common and most likely.
See if you can find a more comfortable way to raise yourself up..pushing on the arms of the chair with your hands for one. As for the car, swing your legs out, and same thing...lift yourself with your hands and arms.
If it is snapped tailbone, then a tincture of time will tend it.
Been there, done that....seven times.
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell

Even 3 years after my second child, my docs still couldn't figure out why it hurt. They even went so far as to give me muscle relaxants....for my bum. I laughed so hard they thought I was crazy. LOL. Anyway, I still get the pain, not even breastfeeding, it's just a forever thing now. Whenever I sit too long it hurts to get up, walking around for a few minutes and it's gone til the next time. Sorry to say, that if it's the broken tail bone everyone else is suggesting, and I'm glad I read this now cause now I have a clue, then it doesn't get a whole lot better. Good luck.

it's possible you have a broken tailbone, otherwise known as the coccyx. it's made up of a few bones, not one. so one could be out of place or fractured. an xray will tell for sure. a chiropractor is also a great place to start. sitting on a donut does help relieve the pressure on it while sitting.

Hi K.-

I had really bad tailbone pain in my first pregnancy- made it hard to even walk. I'm in my 2nd now and if I do too much in one day it will act up. My impression was that due to the pelvic floor/muscles/bones all expanding and making room for the baby that things shift out of line...I actually saw a chiropractor the first time around and he was able to help a bit...though I think it mostly just resolved itself on its own as my body healed from delivery...

that said, I think its good that you call your midwife to check for anything more serious- I didn't know your tailbone could break in labor!! ack!

Hi K.,

I didn't have tailbone pain during my pregnancy, but somehow while giving birth my tailbone was damaged (my friend's actually broke while giving birth to her baby). It was the worst right after my son was born for a few weeks. It hurt to walk, sit, get up, etc. I had to sit on one of those blow up rings for a bit. I remember that the only place I felt comfortable nursing my son was on the couch, but sitting exactly between the 2 cushions. It took about a year until the pain was gone. I guess it just takes time to heal. Even now, 5 1/2 years later, every once in a while my tailbone will ache a little. So eventually you'll probably feel better, it'll just take some time.

Jen

If I remember correctly, I think you can break your tailbone during delivery???? I'm not 100% on that. I would double check though. You should not have to deal with so much pain. But, a heads up...if it is broken or bruised, there is not much they can do for it. I fell down some stairs last year and bruised by tailbone. I hurt to sit and move certain ways for over 3 months. Sorry...don't want to discourage you. I would suggest in the meantime, getting a donut cushion to sit on. They worked wonders for me.

I don't have much advice but I know what you are going through. I also experienced horrible tailbone pain throughout my entire two pregancies however both times it had went away. Also, the tailbone pain started during the first months of my pregnancies, before I even started to have a belly that would put even more pressure on my bones, so this is proof for me that it was hormonal. In terms of the tailbone pain, my only relief (somewhat) was a heating pad & there was a sort of stretch that was recommended by a nurse at my lamaze class- I would lay on my side & my husband would push on my tailbone with the palm of his hand while pulling on my hipbone that I wasn't laying on. It sounds really strange but it took a lot of the pressure off of my tailbone. Good luck!