The most common causes of a tailbone injury are backward falls that result in you landing on a hard surface. Slippery floors and ice are two of the most common culprits.
Apart from the soreness, you may also experience symptoms such as:
- Pain in the lower back
- Pain in the upper buttocks
- Pain or numbness while sitting
- Bruising and inflammation around the tailbone region
Fractured tailbones can take up to 2 or more months to heal while bruising can take up to 4 weeks. In rare cases, the soreness and other symptoms can last for longer.
If your tailbone has been injured and is still sore after a month then you should consult your doctor as you may have a fracture.
Treatment for an injured tailbone will usually start with medications to reduce the pain and inflammation. If the symptoms persist then your doctor may give you a steroid injection. In rare cases, surgery may be recommended to remove a part of the tail bone.
If you have suffered a tailbone injury then there are certain steps you can take at home to care for your injury any reduce the severity of the symptoms. These include:
- Rest for as long as possible. This will allow the injury to heal quicker.
- Apply an ice pack to your tailbone for about 20 minutes. Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day.
- When sitting down, use a soft cushion or a gel donut so as to avoid direct pressure on your tailbone.
- When sitting down, keep adjusting your position so as to exert pressure on first one buttock, then the other.
- To reduce the pain, take an over-the-counter painkiller such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). You should check with your doctor before trying these medications if you suffer from any pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, liver disease or ulcers.
answered by G R