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What Causes Tailbone Pain?

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Posted on Sat, 17 May 2014
Question: Hi, for 10months now I've had bad tailbone pain whenever I was sitting or worse from sitting to standing. After a month I went to dr and had ct scan done which showed "bony erosion 4th & 5th sacral segements with anterior cortex soft tissue thickening" my doctor followed up with a bone scan but that was fine so nothing else was done, it has now been 8-9months now and the pain is extreme. My feet often go dumb when I am able to sit, and my bowel movements are thinning. Pain is now radiating both up and down and feels like my whole pelvis is aching.
I am a 30 year old dance teacher. No falls. 1 child. 1 operation of full hysterectomy with ovary removal during labour complications plus blood transfusions. Currently take 1mg oestridiol ( HRT) daily.

I have a mri booked for next week, I am in a lot of pain though and considering going to hospital, should I be concerned or not?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (26 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
This pain is curable

Detailed Answer:
Hello Madam,
I have read your case history and I have full sympathy with you. Tail bone pain is very frustrating as you cannot sit or relax. As your CT scan report is showing some erosion of bone, we need MRI to see if there is any tumour or infection which is eating the bone. But since it is present from last 10 months it is surely not very aggressive, that is good news for us.

Till you get your MRI done ; I would suggest you following :

1. Avoid sitting on hard floor, if you have to sit for long time use ring shape cushion so there will not be any pressure on tail bone.
2.Take sitz bath - sit in a bath tub with gentle warm water twice daily for half hour.
3. Brufen tablet if pain is not bearble.
4. If MRI report comes normal , then steroid injection can be given in tail bone.This will give good pain relief.

I hope this answer will help you. Let me know if you have any followup questions. You can share your MRI report with me. I will try my best to help you.

Thanks and take care
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (41 hours later)
Thankyou very much for your reply! My husband and i are getting a little worried now as im getting worse each day. My classes start back tomorrow after the easter holiday break & im not sure how much i can handle. My Mri is scheduled for tomorrow morning, so i should have the report back in time to ask you one more follow up question hopefully.
I am going back to dr thisafternoon as i think i have a vaginal prolapse, well i have a couple of large masses inside anyways which are visible, guess ill find out if its a mass or prolapse today. Would any of this be ralated to my coccyx erosion? If it was a tumor like yourself and others have suggested would it be possible to invade the vagina or cause a prolapse? I have quite a large bulge between the vagina and rectum, and trouble with bowel movements. And what about bloods? The dr has ordered bloods but theyve all come back fine, is it possible for a tumor to not show on bloods? And is there anything else other than a tumor that would cause bone erosion with soft tissue thickining in the sacrum/coccyx? Thankyou
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
the bulge behind vagina can cause erosion

Detailed Answer:
Hello Madam,
I am available for any followup questions. As you have mentioned that there are multiple lumps in lower part near rectum. I think this can cause erosion. That can be two type of erosion.
1. It can be due to pressure on the bone.
2. It can be due to bone eaten by tumour.
I think chances of pressure erosion is higher since you have said that erosion is seen since 8 months. This also proves that lump is not very aggressive.
Blood investigations can be normal with tumour.
Whether it can involve vagina or not , that I can answer after MRI report.
As I said before that some time infection like TB can cause such erosion.
I hope this answer your queries. Let me know the MRI report. I will do my best to help you. Do not worry. Everything will be fine. take care.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma

Orthopaedic Surgeon, Joint Replacement

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 4486 Questions

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What Causes Tailbone Pain?

Brief Answer: This pain is curable Detailed Answer: Hello Madam, I have read your case history and I have full sympathy with you. Tail bone pain is very frustrating as you cannot sit or relax. As your CT scan report is showing some erosion of bone, we need MRI to see if there is any tumour or infection which is eating the bone. But since it is present from last 10 months it is surely not very aggressive, that is good news for us. Till you get your MRI done ; I would suggest you following : 1. Avoid sitting on hard floor, if you have to sit for long time use ring shape cushion so there will not be any pressure on tail bone. 2.Take sitz bath - sit in a bath tub with gentle warm water twice daily for half hour. 3. Brufen tablet if pain is not bearble. 4. If MRI report comes normal , then steroid injection can be given in tail bone.This will give good pain relief. I hope this answer will help you. Let me know if you have any followup questions. You can share your MRI report with me. I will try my best to help you. Thanks and take care