You can’t say you’ve truly experienced pain if you’ve never experienced an injured tailbone or you’ve never, at any time, suffered a fracture where you suddenly began to feel severe pains in your lower back area.

Having a broken tailbone can be excruciating, especially in some positions, for example, when sitting. The pain a tailbone injury comes with can interfere with your day-to-day life.

The impact of a tailbone injury ranges from slight discomfort to intense pain, depending on the nature and impact of the injury. This article covers the symptoms of a broken tailbone and other essential aspects.

What is a tailbone injury?

The tailbone, or “coccyx”, is a small, triangular-shaped bone made up of three to five tiny pieces held together by ligaments and joints. It helps keep you balanced when you’re sitting.

But when your tailbone gets hurt, you’ll definitely notice it.

Tailbone injuries usually happen if you take a hard fall, get hit, or sit on a hard surface for too long. These injuries can cause anything from a bruise to a dislocation or even a fracture. And honestly, when your tailbone is hurt, you feel it with every movement, whether it’s sitting, standing, or bending.

The good news is most tailbone injuries heal on their own, but they take time. Sometimes it’s just a few weeks, but for others, it can take months. While you wait for it to heal, you can manage the pain at home with rest, ice packs, or a cushion to sit on. If it’s really bad, though, a doctor might need to step in to help.

What are the symptoms of a broken tailbone?

Most people do not know that the pain they feel, radiating from their tailbone, is due to a broken or bruised bone. Here are some symptoms to watch out for:

• Tenderness and pain. Pain is the primary symptom of a broken tailbone or coccyx. You will likely experience tenderness and pain at the base of your spine, specifically around your tailbone area. The pain may worsen when standing, sitting, or during bowel movements.
• Discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse. You may feel severe pain when engaging in sexual activity because it involves pressure on the tailbone. This discomfort and pain can affect your relationships, significantly impacting your quality of life.
• Radiating pain. Sometimes, the pain from a broken tailbone may radiate into your legs, imitating sciatica symptoms. Know that these symptoms vary in intensity from person to person. While some people may experience swelling and intense pain, others might only notice mild pain and discomfort.
• Severe pains when you sit for long periods. Sitting long on hard surfaces can be agonising if you have a broken tailbone. Some victims of tailbone injury are often terrified of sitting down altogether.
• Painful bowel movements. If you have a broken tailbone, passing stool can become really painful. Sitting on the toilet and exerting pressure during bowel movements can increase the pain.

What’s the difference between a broken and a bruised tailbone?

Differentiating both can be quite challenging because their symptoms are similar. But here are some key differences to keep in mind.

• Swelling and bruising. Swelling and bruising can occur with broken and bruised tailbones, but a bruised tailbone can be more severe because the soft tissues are injured.
• Imaging and x-ray. The most distinct way to know the difference is through imaging, such as X-ray. A bruised tailbone may not show any irregularities, but a broken coccyx will reveal every crack and fracture in the bone.
• Pain intensity. A broken tailbone tends to cause more intense pain, especially when sitting or standing up, while bruised coccyx pain may be more tolerable and can gradually decrease over time.

Takeaway

Understanding the difference between a broken and bruised tailbone is important for proper treatment. While both conditions can cause pain, swelling, and bruising, a broken tailbone often results in more intense and persistent discomfort. Bruised coccyx pain tends to be less severe, although it can still make sitting or movement uncomfortable. Imaging, such as an X-ray, is the most reliable method to confirm the diagnosis, as a fractured coccyx will show visible cracks, whereas a bruised tailbone may not appear as a bone injury. Early treatment for both injuries is crucial to ensure recovery and prevent complications.

Robert Haynes, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.