Tailbone Pain During Pregnancy; Burning or shooting pain in the coccyx, also known as the tailbone, can occur for a variety of reasons. Tailbone pain during pregnancy is common and can be treated by changing positions and getting plenty of rest.
Coccydynia is a rare condition that causes inflammation and pain in the tailbone. This type of tailbone pain is often caused by an injury to the area, but sometimes there’s no identifiable cause.
Coccydynia during pregnancy occurs when pressure from your growing uterus puts pressure on your tailbone. This pressure can cause pain and make it difficult to sit or walk comfortably.
In addition to coccydynia during pregnancy, you may experience other forms of tailbone pain, including:
Tailbone fracture. A fall or other type of injury can fracture your tailbone and make it painful to sit or stand.
Coccyx degeneration. As you age, your tailbone may begin to wear down, causing discomfort with sitting or standing.
Pain in this area may be caused by one of these conditions or another health problem altogether. Your doctor will help you identify the source so you can receive effective treatment.
Pelvic girdle pain (PGP), which is also sometimes known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), is a condition that causes discomfort or pain in the pelvic area.
Some women experience PGP during or after pregnancy. It’s estimated that 1 in every 5 pregnant women will feel pain in their pelvic area at some point during their pregnancy. Some may also have long-term PGP after the birth of their child.
What causes tailbone pain during pregnancy?
The exact cause of PGP is unknown. However, it’s thought to be caused by the following:
A change in hormones during pregnancy can make the pelvic joint and surrounding muscles more relaxed, which can cause your pelvis to become less stable
As your baby grows and moves inside you, it can put pressure on your pelvis, which can add stress to the joint
If you have had PGP during a previous pregnancy, you’re more likely to get it again if you become pregnant again
Coccydynia is a painful condition that affects the bony structure at the bottom of the spine, called the coccyx or tailbone. It can be caused by an injury, infection or other diseases. Pregnant women may also develop pain in this area as the fetus grows, especially during the third trimester.
Tailbone pain during pregnancy is often called coccydynia. Because of your growing uterus and baby, your posture changes to accommodate your expanding belly, which increases pressure on your back and joints. This can lead to pain and inflammation in your tailbone.
The most common cause of tailbone pain during pregnancy is direct trauma to your coccyx from falling or sitting for long periods of time on a hard surface. Other causes include:
injury, such as childbirth or pelvic fracture
osteoarthritis
coccygeal joint instability
scoliosis
Tailbone pain during pregnancy is not uncommon. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the natural softening of ligaments and the change in posture brought about by a growing fetus.
During pregnancy, your body releases the hormone relaxin, which allows tissues to stretch and expand to make room for your growing baby. Unfortunately, relaxin can also have some undesirable side effects. For example, it can cause your ligaments to loosen and soften in preparation for childbirth. This can affect the joints in your pelvis, leading to coccyx pain.
Your center of gravity changes as your pregnancy progresses, placing more pressure on your lower spine and pelvis. A shift in posture can increase pressure on the coccyx, further contributing to tailbone pain.
Pregnancy can be uncomfortable, and one of the most common concerns is tailbone pain. Called coccydynia, this condition is characterized by pain at the end of the spine. It can affect your ability to sit or stand comfortably, and it can limit your mobility.
Coccydynia affects pregnant women because their abdomen is growing larger, which puts pressure on their tailbone. This causes the joints in the tailbone to stretch, leading to inflammation and pain. The ligaments that support the pelvis are also stretching as a woman’s body prepares for childbirth. The extra strain on these ligaments can lead to discomfort and pain in the tailbone. Women who have had a previous pregnancy may be more likely to experience this type of pain during subsequent pregnancies than those who are pregnant for the first time
Tailbone pain, also known as coccydynia, is a relatively common condition that can cause pain and tenderness at the very bottom of your spine.
Tailbone pain typically stems from injury to or problems with the bones, ligaments or discs in your lower spine.
Many women experience tailbone pain during pregnancy as a result of increased pressure on the tailbone from the growing uterus and fetus. The condition usually resolves soon after delivery.
Does Tailbone Pain Mean Labor is Near?
I’ve had tailbone pain on and off for years. I have had a couple of pregnancies and the tailbone pain got worse with my second pregnancy. The tailbone pain was there during my first trimester, but it was so much more noticeable in my third trimester. I thought it was just because the baby was bigger. I’m now pregnant with my third and I am only at 16 weeks and the tailbone pain is back again.
Is tailbone pain a sign that labor is near? Is it because the baby is putting pressure on your pelvic bones or could there be something else causing it?
I should also add that I’ve been told by two different doctors that the ligaments in my pelvis are very loose.
The short answer: Yes, tailbone pain can be a sign of labor. The long answer: It’s not that simple.
Your doctors are right to say that it doesn’t always mean labor is near, but you’re also right to think that it could be a warning sign. Childbirth can cause coccygeal pain — pain in the area of the coccyx or tailbone — due to the bone being compressed during delivery.
Tailbone pain can also be caused by trauma or injury, such as falling on the buttocks. In some cases, it may simply be caused by prolonged sitting on a hard surface (like when you’re stuck in an airplane seat for hours) or by wearing pants that don’t fit right (like tight jeans). It’s even possible to develop tailbone pain without any obvious cause-this condition is called coccydynia.
The only way to know for sure what’s causing your discomfort is to get checked out by your healthcare provider. He or she will probably start by asking a lot of questions about your symptoms, such as how long you’ve had them and what makes them better or worse. You’ll also have a physical exam to assess your health and look for signs of injury. Depending on your answers and
Tailbone pain can be caused by a variety of reasons, including sitting on hard surfaces for too long, an injury to the tailbone, or even pregnancy.
Tailbone pain is often described as a dull ache in the lower back and hips that gets worse when you sit down. It can also cause shooting pain in your legs or feet. Although tailbone pain is common in pregnant women, it could also be a sign of labor.
Causes of tailbone pain
Tailbone pain is often the result of an injury to the coccyx — the end of your spine — from any number of activities. You may have bruised or fractured your tailbone during a fall or other traumatic event, or it might be the result of repetitive pressure from sitting on hard chairs for long periods of time.
Some people also develop a condition called coccydynia, which causes inflammation and tenderness around the tailbone. This can happen in both men and women, but it’s more common in women who’ve recently given birth. Coccydynia is most often caused by childbirth itself, but it can also be brought on by trauma from sports injuries or falls.
When the baby is pressing on your tailbone, you may feel pain that radiates from the lower back down to the back of the legs. As labor approaches, this pressure increases and it can be painful to walk or sit normally.
Relieving tailbone pain during pregnancy
It might not be possible to prevent tailbone pain, but there are ways to relieve it:
Apply heat: Use a heating pad or hot water bottle to warm up the area and relax. Don’t apply heat while sleeping or when you’re leaving home.
Use a pillow: Place a pillow under your belly when you lie on your side. This helps reduce pressure on your tailbone.
Use a donut pillow: Donut pillows are designed for people with coccyx injuries and can help relieve tailbone pain in pregnancy. The circular cutout in the center alleviates pressure from the painful area. Donut pillows are available at medical supply stores and online retailers like Amazon.
Take a warm bath: Soak in warm water to relieve tailbone pain symptoms such as soreness, stiffness, and swelling.
Tailbone pain, also known as coccydynia, is a common problem that causes discomfort at the base of the spine. Often, tailbone pain occurs when someone falls onto their coccyx, or when they sit for too long on a hard surface.
If you have tailbone pain during pregnancy, you might wonder whether it’s related to labor. The answer isn’t always clear-cut. Your tailbone doesn’t have anything to do with your baby’s birth, but some pregnancy-related symptoms can cause tailbone pain.
In the last few weeks of pregnancy, it is quite common for women to complain of tailbone pain, so it is also called pregnancy coccydynia.
In medicine, a coccyx injury is referred to as coccydynia . The cause of pain in the coccyx in pregnant women is the compression of the sacral plexus by an enlarged uterus.This nerve bundle carries signals from the lower spine to the legs and feet.
In addition, excess weight, weak muscles and poor posture can also contribute to tailbone pain. Hormonal changes during pregnancy are also responsible for pain at the end of the spine.
Tailbone pain is a sharp or dull ache in your lower back, right above your buttocks. It’s also called coccydynia.
Tailbone pain can be:
sharp, stabbing, or shooting — like an electric shock
dull, achy, and throbbing
intensified by sitting down or bowl movements
intensified during your menstrual cycle
You may have tailbone pain even when you’re not active. Some women feel a lot of pain when they sit down for the first time each day. Tailbone pain is often worse in the morning and evening, and it may be better during the middle of the day. It’s not uncommon for tailbone pain to disrupt sleep.
How Can I Relieve My Tailbone Pain
Many people experience tailbone pain from sitting for long periods of time. While there are many possible reasons for the pain, a common cause is weak glutes (the muscles on the side of your buttocks that support your hips). If you sit with poor posture and tight muscles, you might have severe tailbone pain.
Here are some tips to relieve tailbone pain:
Sit up straight. You might not be able to eliminate all of the pressure on your back and spine, but if you can sit up tall with good posture, it will relieve much of the pressure on your tailbone.
Exercise your glutes. These muscles can get tight from sitting for long periods of time and exercise can help them stay supple. There are many different exercises that can increase strength and flexibility in the glute muscles.
Hip and tailbone pain are usually associated with sitting. It’s the kind of pain that becomes worse after sitting for a while and can be painful to stand up from the floor. The pain can radiate down the leg and to the knee, although it’s more likely to affect the hips, buttocks or lower back.
To relieve your tailbone pain, try these simple exercises:
Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. But start slowly as you might not be used to walking for long periods yet. Start by walking for about 20 minutes a day in short easy bursts. This helps get your blood flowing and can help you increase your activity levels.
If the cause of your tailbone pain is still not resolved, consider seeing a physical therapist or contacting a chiropractor who specializes in tailbone problems. They will help you explore all options including a course of physiotherapy treatment or specialized exercises, which can help restore good muscle function and reduce further damage to your spine.
It’s quite a common problem for people to suffer from tailbone pain. In fact, it’s thought that about 25 million Americans have some degree of pain in their tailbone. That’s a lot of people, and not all of them are aware that it’s something that they can alleviate with a little bit of effort.
Most people tend to blame the sensations on sitting for hours at a time in uncomfortable chairs, being overweight or having weak abdominal muscles. But in many cases, the real cause is actually a bone-on-bone condition called osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is generally caused by the wear and tear that comes with aging. As the cartilage that cushions your bones becomes less firm and less elastic, you end up with pain when you move or sit down. You can also find yourself constantly shuffling your feet during the day because they hurt while they’re under your body weight.
In some cases, you might be suffering from an injury or trauma to your tailbone in which this condition has resulted from. This is especially true if you’ve been diagnosed with osteoarthritis before, but were told that the injury was minor enough not to require any medical attention. In those cases, though, you may be able to take
Pain in your tailbone may be caused by a number of factors, including a herniated disc, sciatica (numbness radiating down the back of the leg), or bony growths called osteophytes.
You can help relieve pain in your tailbone by exercising regularly (which can also help with sciatica symptoms) and undergoing regular checkups with your doctor to determine whether you have an underlying condition. You may want to seek professional guidance in relieving your symptoms by consulting with a physical therapist.
Tailbone pain can be irritating. The pain is usually down low in the butt, just above the knee.
Treatment
There are several things you can try:
- Ice packs. Put ice packs on your tailbone for 15 minutes every hour during the day and night. If you prefer, you can put them in a warm bath instead of an ice pack. Then keep a hand-warmer handy to keep the ice packs from sticking to your skin too much.
- Rest. You can stay in bed or lie down on a couch with your legs elevated at least 30 minutes each hour as needed, but not more than four hours each day. You may also want to take a nap or take a “relaxation” class if it’s available to treat your pain at home.
- Take an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen (Advil). If you have chronic tailbone pain, you may find relief from using this over-the-counter medication for three weeks to several months before you need to see a doctor again for an exam and X-rays to see if anything is broken.
Tailbone pain can be caused by a number of things, from overpronation (when your foot rolls inward) to sitting for prolonged periods at a desk or computer. The good news is that you can treat the pain and prevent it from coming back by doing these three things:
- Take a break.
When you’re working, make sure you take regular breaks. Sit down once every half hour, or ask your boss to set up regular breaks into the workday. If you find yourself in pain most of the day, get up and walk around, even if only for a few minutes.
- Keep moving.
Even though it’s hard to take a break when you’re at work, try to do something active during your breaks — maybe go for a walk or hit the treadmill at work. When you’re sitting down all day, any movement helps keep your blood flowing and relieves some of the pressure on your tailbone.
- Buy shoes with arch support and extra padding in the heel area
The tailbone is a small, flat bone in the lower part of the back that connects to several bones in the spine. Pain in this area is common for many reasons:
The most common cause is a herniated disc; this occurs when one of the discs in your spine cracks or bulges and begins pressing on adjacent nerves or blood vessels. This can happen as you bend over or sit for an extended period of time, and it’s typically painless at first. Once the disc becomes more painful, though, it can be difficult to determine exactly what’s causing it.
Other causes include arthritis (the same kind of joint pain that affects your knees), degenerative disc disease, inflammation of the spine itself (caused by a virus or a tumor), and soft-tissue injury and trauma.
If you’re experiencing constant pain that you can’t get to go away with traditional techniques like rest and ice packs, consider seeing a chiropractor. The goal here is not to remove nerves, but rather to realign them so they aren’t pinched by existing structures like joints.