10 Year Old Daughter - Tailbone Pain

I had my tailbone removed when I was about 12, but it was after a memorable fall. Similar symptoms it sounds like - it got progressively more uncomfortable for me to sit down, especially in the car. It's probably not the same damage that I had, since she hasn't fallen, but I would agree with the advice to have a doctor look at her.

My doctor used to say, "If it's nothing, it will go away. If it's something, it will stick around until you fix it." Any pain that's been around for 1 1/2 months and seems to be getting worse probably ought to be looked at. That's my thought, anyway.

I have a 14 year old daughter who recently went through the same type of thing. I also thought it must be some sort of growing pain; until she could no longer sit. She could barely move the pain was so bad. She also had a cyst from the sinus cavity beside ehr tailbone. I would definitely have it looked into.

When I was 14 yrs old I had three bulging disks in my lower back. I saw so many experts (even the same doctors the 49ers went to) and nothing conventional helped me (physical therapy, epidural, drugs of every sort). Then at 16 I found myself working for a nutritionist. To my amazement she was able to recommend supplements that "ate" the excess gel that pushes on the spine and resolve all the pain. Within two weeks I was FINE and playing soccer again. Her name is Lita Lee, Ph.D. I'm sure you can google her. Good luck to your daughter. It is miserable. She is fortunate to have a loving, supportive mother.

You have had a lot of wonderful responses filled with great advice.
I am a chiropractor who specializes in pediatrics. Tailbone pain can be a sign of something simple, like a misalignment or something more serious like a cyst, fracture, etc...Any pain that is prolonged should always be checked. Kids rarely have pain that lasts more than a couple of days to a week. If your daughter is still complaining and it seems to be getting worse, having it evaluted by a qualified medical doctor is certainly warrated. If all tests come back negative, then you may want to consider alternatives like chiropractic, acupuncture, etc. Remember, information is knowledge and power. If you are unsure you will continue to feel anxious and worry. If you have things checked out you will have some answers and can make some decisions with your family about what direction to follow. Always follow your mothering instincts, they are rarely wrong.
If you would like more information feel free to contact me at ____@____.com
N. L

I agree with several of your responses so far so I will add to the list. I had a pilonidal cyst as well on my tailbone that caused great pain. I went to the minor emergency and they lanced the cyst and I have had no other pain for the last 10 years.
Check with the doctor just to be sure nothing else is going on. Good luck.
E.

Is there a bump of any sort by her tailbone? You might check it out, because this sounds similar to when I had a pilonidal cyst by my tailbone. It just started hurting, and I was confused because it felt like I had fallen on it, but I hadn't. It got more and more painful, and there was a lump, so I thought maybe I'd gotten some kind of spider bite or something. The pain became unbearable, I went to a doctor and they told me it was a staph infection. The antibiotic didn't work and I started icing it (which I later found out was the worst thing I could have done!) and it just got worse and worse. Finally, after spiking a 103 degree fever my husband (we'd only been married 3 months - so embarrassing!) had to rush me to the hospital. They said it was a cyst, and it was infected, so they had to lance it, which was also very painful. But once it was done, I felt immediate relief. I was young, only 22, and it was awful to have my new husband see all that gross stuff coming out of a cyst on my bottom! But it made me feel so much better.

I would say get it checked out, just in case. It could be nothing, but mine got pretty painful. I couldn't even rollover in bed without being in excrutiating pain.

I hope she feels better soon!

S.

You might want to check with a chiropractor. They can do x-rays and all that, and if it's something as simple as an odd twist to the tailbone, they may be able to do some adjustments.

I don't know if this would be an option for your daughter but I have been through this 3 times with herniated discs and broken tailbone. If you go to the wrong chiropractor like I did the first time it will cause more damage than good. If you find a good one go only after completing the physical therapy which should include a traction table and core strengthening. I have a Home-Trac device that does wonders for lower back pain, see if your insurance will cover it or if it is advisable for someone so young. I would only go to the chiropractor after therapy to make sure the tailbone is aligned properly, it can become twisted due to the muscle spasms from the vertabrae being damaged. It makes it VERY uncomfortable to sit for long periods. Hope that helps some.

Take her to the doctor... there are too many bad things that it could be to risk it any longer.

I was about 21 when this happened to me but I also had unexplained tail bone pain. I could not figure out what in the world was causing this at the time.

After about 6 months of carrying a donut to sit on everywhere I went the pain subsided. Since the pain went away, I stopped using it and the pain came back immediately. I finally determined that it was the seat in my car. I had a Ford Escort at the time and it had really hard seats.

So I'm wondering if it could possibly be her chair at school or a chair or seat at home? Something to think about anway. Good Luck and I hope you find a solution soon.

D.

She may have fallen and not realized she hurt herself. I had a hairline fracture after a slip and it hurt like crazy, especially when trying to get up after sitting. I was only able to find the source via an x-ray. Follow your instincts and take her to a doctor. A donut pillow to sit on may offer some temporary relief.

If it's been going on this long, it may be time to seek the professional advice of a doctor.

I hope you find some answers to get her some relief.

GL!

Take your daughter to the Doctor. Any kind of bone pain is suspect in anyone, especially a child. Pain does not last that long in bruises, falls, etc.. Do what you think is best, but I would not waste time.

SL RN

I was 23 when i had this problem too. turned out that I had a slipped disc due to a fall on the ice-skating rink and the slipped disc became a hernia. I was also in pain at times and especially in two incidents when the disc inflammation flares up. I was on vicodin and even did an epidural shot to relieve my pain. None of these quick fixes really helped in the long run. I was fortunate that I was still under my dad's insurance and was able to be referred to the UCLA 's spinal department. Saw a great spine surgeon and he performed a successful disectomy surgery on me. Basically, they drilled a small hole to take out the disc hernia. I recovered in 2 weeks, did 2 months of physical therapy and now have been pain free. Your daughter might be too young for this but I think seeing a specialist wouldn't hurt.

I would suggest taking her into the doctor and ask for an exam of the area to see if she has a cyst down there and ask for an x-ray.

I had pain there starting around that age or so. It turns out that my tail bone is bent in a odd angle and hurts when sitting on it for a long time. I have continueous pain ever since...I later found out that I have sinus openings in the area that clogged up and formed cysts under the sinus opening and my tail bone was pushing on it causing pain.

I reciently had the sinus openings and cysts removed...I FEEL A LOT BETTER NOW! Long time to heal and almost regreted the surgery but now I am glad I did it.

Something I recomend only if she is in A LOT of pain!!! Healing from this surgery is long and painful.

In any case...have it look at.

Hi T.,

I just wanted to throw my two cents in. My dad had a car accident several years ago followed by two back surgeries. He was headed for a third, as he was in so much pain that he had trouble walking, standing, sitting, lying down . . . just being. They had told him surgery was the only way to go (he, too, had slipped discs), even though it hadn't been two years since the last one. I begged him to at least try acupuncture to see if it would help. And it did! He did not have to have surgery and is back to his tennis-playing self again. If it gets to the point of surgery, acupuncture is definitely an avenue worth pursuing.

Best to you and your family,
L.

I would take her to the Dr. and have an x-ray done to verify. My daughter had some lower back pain that would not go away and we discovered that she had fractured her L5. She did not have any injuries, but had popped something in her back while playing volleyball...turns out she had fractured her vertebrae when landing. For whatever it's worth, it may be worth having an x-ray just to rule out any fractures.

I see that one other person responded as I will. I had a pilinidal cyst at the base of my tail bone when I was a young girl. It is actually an ingrown hair which causes great pain. It was removed in simple surgical procedure and I was cured. It was my primary care physician who referred me to an appropriate surgeon. Good luck!

I had a friend who had pain in that area. It turned out to be a cyst. Cysts on the tailbone get quite big and mimic all sorts of other types of problems-ovary pains, backpain, etc. The doctor drained it and she was fine.

If you decide to choose the chiropractic route, I highly recommend going to 'Tri-Synergy Chiropractic' in High Point. Dr. Christopher Anthony is wonderful and very kind to his patients. He got me out of pain in just 3 visits! I understand your daughter's situation is very unique; but I'm sure he can be of help.

~C.

RUN DON'T WALK TO THE CHIROPRACTOR. Try one who does the activator method(google this and put in your zip) They have the ability to treat tailbone specific problems. Not many traditional chiropractors do. If you take my advice ask the chiro too check her pubic bone and illiac. With these being misaligned back pain and tailbone pain is inevitable. This is coming from someone who suffers with SEVERE sacro-illiac tailbone problems. It is very painful, but my chiropractor has remedied this problem for me. I could not walk and the docs wanted to do surgery. I said NO and went to a chiro. Look online at 2 disorders sacro-illiac joint pain, and pubic bone dysmphisis the most common cause of tailbone pain. Look at the symptoms I bet they match up. Good luck and do not do anything drastic before going to a chiropractor.

Ask your doctor if osteopathic manipulation or craniosacral therapy would hurt to try. These bulging discs, etc. don't happen magically - something is misaligned that is causing this to happen.

Call local D.O.s and ask if they use osteopathic manipulation in their practice. They all learn it in medical school, but some do not use it - they are indistinguishable from an M.D. in their practice.

You can find a CranioSacral therapist through http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php

I have heard wonderful success stories with these kind of problems.

Good luck!

Before you decide to let your daughter "live with the pain," I would encourage you to take her for a free consultation with Dr. Andrea Milne at A & M Wellness Centre in Arlington, ###-###-####. She treats on a "total
person" basis and is trained in chiropractic. Pain only
signals that something needs to be done to relieve it. Having worked in a doctor's office for a number of years
the best time to treat is now, especially while your daughter is younger. Don't wait until she's "an old lady"
and needs back surgery.

Thanks and have a great day!
J. Wheeler
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Do not think I would start with a chiropractor. Think I would start with the very best orthopedic doc you can find...one that specializes in spines.
Dependent on what he finds, he may send you to a neurologist.
Dependent on what he finds....then the chiropractor.
Sounds to me as if she may have a disc problem, unusual in a child but not unheard of...and demanding attention before any permanent damage is done.
She only has one spine...go to the best of the best first.
And soon is good too.
Grandmother Lowell

Hi. This appears to me to be a case of myofascial restrictions causing this painful response.
The fact that this is occurring subtly over time with no known obvious accident, though surely she has in ten yrs landed on her sacrum, maybe when she was learning to walk. but a few yrs of sitting in school desks are enough to cause a compensation pattern with accompanying pain referral. the only reason a chiro won't fix your daughter pain is that they typically will adjust the bony joints, but the connective tissue is still strained unless it is addressed. i am a Licensed massage therapist and occupational therapist who has worked with many children and adults. you should educate yourself about myofascial release. I am in Austin, but i'd be glad to help you find a therapist in your area. thanks for sharing, but her pain can be erased over time with the right treatment, if you let a chiro treat her, have her soft tissue addressed first to give the joint some space to heal.
the body is very plastic, and can change with the right techniques to remedy the situation
check out www.myofacialrelease.com, the site for John Barnes, PT, the method i trained in.

I would take her in to the doctor. THey can at least X-ray and see if there is any pathology of the bones that way. Is she a gymnast? Sometimes these athletes can actually fracture their backs due to the nature of the sport and the forces placed upon the rear structures of the vertebrae. It's better to be safe... good luck.

Hi T.,

wanted to add a great source for pain relief: aloe vera. It's unbeleivable. It will reduce and infamlammation in the area too.

im 11 years old and im trying to find out whats up with pain in my tailbone i can not injoy watching me and my sissters favorit t.v. show for very long i have resalted in when it hurts to lay on my tummy . i was driving to my dads wich takes 4 hours when it started to hurt i dont know when it started i have told people in my family but they dont seem consernd im so glad to hear im not the only on

Have you thought of taking her to a chiropractor

I had the same issue as a girl. My injury did happen from a fall in Cheerleading. I will say this, the pain will eventually go away. My pain finally went away when I had my first son, at 19 yrs. The epidural gave my back enough of a break I was able to be healed. There would be times that I would swear that my tail-bone was trying to come out of my back. I would just stand there and scream, because it hurt so bad. I went to the dr and several times and there was nothing they could do for it, except say put Ben-Gay on it. Good luck and trust me it hurts.

Hello!
I found a very informative website. There is an article on how to ask your doctor to take the x-ray and a whole lot of information on the subject I found very helpful!
Hope she gets to feeling better soon!
www.coccyx.org

Does she have scoliosis? I do ..in a mild form and it makes my hips and tailbone hurt. I notice it mostly if I have been sitting on the floor or other hard surface ad it canmake getting up hard then I have to stand and let things "settle" before i can walk again.

Just a thought

I would take her for an x ray just to make sure it's growing pains. Pain is often the first indication of bone cancer, which is rare - but for the cost of an xray... I'd want to make absolutely certain.

S.

You might try a chiropractor, it might be a mis alignment in her hip area. I had a similar pain and found out that my knee caps were not sitting correctly they were at angles instead of flat (a developmental issue), once I got my right knee corrected (sergury) the pain went away.

Have you tried a chiropractor that you trust? I would start there.

I agree with checking out a chiropractor. I was told at age 16 that I had a crooked back bone (down near tail bone)..and that I would have to get enough exercise, but not too much.... When I was in my 30's I injured my neck by raising up very fast and hard under a piece of playground equipment. After my GP told me I had arthritis in my neck and would have to live with it.. I asked him if seeing a chiropractor would hurt me......he said no.......didn't think it would help..... Well it fixed my neck and my back too... took a long time on my back because it had been out of wack most of my life. I told my doctor to never condemn some one to arthritis until he first sent them to a chiropractor......A GOOD CHIROPRACTOR. Dr. Baker is San Marcos is fabulous...he wasn't mine at the time of the above injuries...lived in CA then.

When I had the type of pain you described, at age 10, it was due to my arch had fallen in both feet. After corrective shoes (metal arch installation in future shoes) it corrected itself and there was no more pain. So maybe a podiatrist visit with X-rays may be a consideration.

Hi T.
I have a solution for you-without drugs or surgery.
My nutritional supplement called Reliv can help with bulging disc pain.
I know that sounds crazy that nutrition can do that-but I can put you in
touch with several people in our local area that have had years of pain with all kinds of "remedies" that did not work, and now have great results for the first time in years
with Nutrition.
Would love to share info with you.
J. H
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I just posted the same request about myself, a couple weeks ago! Mine is feeling better...
Since she is young, I would take her to the doctor, just so you can have peace about it.
By other mamasource moms, I was told to stretch often, not sit for long, take ibuprophen as needed, and one lady thought I should definitely get it checked out. If you look it up under the things I have posted, you will find the responses I got. Hope she feels better soon! K.

Dear T.,
Please....do yourself and your daughter a huge favor: schedule an appointment with a locally recommended chiropractor. It's quite possible her tailbone is out of alignment and one or more adjustments will answer her need, quite possibly fully. Plus, it sure beats medicine, surgery or doing nothing!!!
If you live in the Richmond, VA area, I can recommend several great chiropractors. Let me know.
Blessings!
J. F.

I am sure others have responded with the same, but when I was that age I had the same pain and it hurt the worst when I sat for long periods and went to stand up. I heard it was growing pains. It last for probably a year or more. No fun!

If you're in the Twin Cities, please check out Physicians' Neck and Back Clinic (http://www.pnbconline.com/).

They are able to do remarkable things with physical therapy that for whatever reason conventional physical therapy clinics can't/don't do. I had one back surgery for a fragmented disc, and when the problem recurred within a few months I went the route of physical therapy at this clinic instead - it changed my life.

T.,

I would have her checked out for her coccynx (sp) anyway, my daughter is 11 and has fallen on hers because of some stupid classmates. She is also a competitive cheerleader. I had surgery on mine last Thanksgiving because mine just hurt so bad that nothing was helping it. When I had the surgery, they found that I had broken it in two places and not just one. The only thing is, this is a hard place for the surgery. I did end up getting an infection there, but I am better, I still can't sit for along time, but that has to do with my back surgeries that I have had also.

With my daughter, I am just waiting to see how it goes and I may have to take her to get an MRI because of my experience. One of my orthopedic doctor's told me that all that I could do was therapy, surgery or nothing..

On the days that she hurts, I would put ice on it and freeze it, and give her some advil.

Good luck.

Hi T.
My son who is now 14 has got pain in his coccyx. How did you deal with the pain with your daughter at the end? Did she need any surgery? My son did not have any injury but he did a lot of running and playing tennis. But he did not realised what caused the pain. Please let me know the treatment your daughter had. Thanks.

What sort of sports does she play? Does it hurt in a specific area or radiate?

Hi T.,
I don't know how I often miss some of these original requests. I'd be happy to provide you more info on some all natural technologies that can help (best of all they are not drugs or surgery). I've had great results with herniations in my neck and did not get the recommended steroid injection in my spine. Please email me at ____@____.com and I'll send you some specific info. I've just seen too many amazing things in the past 2 years not to share it. I've helped people who had no hope.
Take care,
S.

You may want to check with a chiropractor---especially one who is experienced with pediatrics.

If you believe it might be growing pains then it will take about a full year.. My son just turned 13 however from the time he was ten he has complained about his knees and his back - with that said let me just say that he grew about 1 1/2 feet in that time frame. I would say just make her sleep as much as she can (kids grow doing sleep) and make sure she is eating well and getting enough vitamins. Vitamin D & C.

Hope that helps..

I'm not sure where you live, but I know of an awesome, and I mean truly awesome, chiropractor in Southlake. Now know this, not all Chiropractors are created alike. I found this out after a lot of trial and error. Dr. Rodney Russell doesn't, if ever, just crack bones. He used a multiple mix of modalities and techniques. He really understands the entire body and it's biomechanical make up. Please at least give him a call to see what he has to say. He has helped me like no other medical or chiropractor has. I suffered long with neck pain, some hip and tailbone pain, and my daughter leg pain.

You can reach him at:

Dr. Rodney Russell ###-###-####

Tell him S. sent you if you wish.

My best to you and your little girl.

S.

I just saw this in my digest and hopefully your daughter’s problem is resolved. But just in case, I’m putting my two cents worth in. Since you're not in my area I want to give you a website that will be most helpful. Certainly you need to have your daughter checked, but in my experience, a GOOD chiropractor is the best of the best - not an orthopedic or neurologist because they are limited in their evaluation and solution modalities. Visit www.upcspine.com and become educated about the spine. You can also locate a practitioner in your area - just click on TX and scroll to find the closest one. It is worth having one of these expert chiropractors check her out and offer treatment that will work with NO ill effects. Often the first visit including x-rays and expensive tests is complimentary or paid by insurance if you tell them you were referred. Surgery should ALWAYS be the last resort. Upper Cervical Chiropractic is not invasive and most of the time VERY effective. I would go to my upper cervical chiropractor first for any problem unless I was bleeding or stopped breathing or had a severe burn. That includes stroke symptoms, pain, colds, flu, or anything I can think of. They can immediately fix so many problems that M.D.s simply medicate or suggest surgery for. For so many illnesses and even chronic conditions that doctors say you must live with, acute care and maintenance by a scientific, principled chiropractor along with GOOD nutrition that you can only receive from excellent scientific vitamins and minerals that absorb 85% or more in your digestive system can be the solution or actual cure. I can tell you where to order the best vitamins and more info if you'll respond. Take care.

I had the same pain. I was told by a DR that I had bursitis of the tailbone - this is something you usually get in your elbow I believe - it just means inflamed cartilage or joint fluids, I believe. Bottom line I know what was causing it. . . I still do it to myself at times even now - SLOUCHING IN MY CHAIR. When you slide down and slouch you end up sitting alot of weight on your tailbone and chairs - especially hard school chairs- are raised at the end where your legs rest which increases the pressure on this area. . If I sit with good posture I rarely feel the problem. . . but it did take some time to go away on it's own.