Tailbone pain is a common symptom and is integrally related to the pelvic floor.
Finding Pelvic Sanity Group - Have you joined Finding Pelvic Sanity yet? It's a totally free, supportive online group of 5,000+ members dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction. It's moderated by the team at PelvicSanity, so you'll know you're getting great information a positive environment. Make sure to join here!
All muscles of the pelvic floor attach at the tailbone.
When these are tight and irritated they can radiate or refer pain to the tailbone itself. The vast majority of the time there’s nothing wrong with the tailbone itself. It’s actually a pelvic floor issue masquerading as a tailbone problem.
Because of all the attachment to the pelvic floor, a hard fall on the tailbone or injury during childbirth can also be the initial cause of pelvic floor dysfunction.
In research we’ve done at PelvicSanity, we’ve demonstrated a significant fall on the tailbone (enough that you still remember it years later) is linked to pelvic floor dysfunction later in life.
This also brings up the importance of working with a pelvic floor therapist who is qualified to perform a rectal evaluation and treatment.
Issues like tailbone pain, constipation, pain or straining with pooping, SI joint pain, and more are much more easily assessed and treated rectally. Unfortunately many pelvic floor therapists haven’t received training in rectal treatment, and if you’ve been going to pelvic PT and aren’t seeing results, it’s often because this area is being overlooked.
As Nicole said in the full 'sode of the podcast on this topic...
"With tailbone pain, the vast majority of the time there’s nothing wrong with the tailbone itself. It’s actually a pelvic floor issue masquerading as a tailbone problem." -Nicole Cozean, Pelvic Sanity
If you’re dealing with pelvic health issues, make sure you join our free FB support group (Finding Pelvic Sanity), follow us for more information on Instagram (@pelvicsanity) and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify for wherever you get your podcasts!