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Injury to the Tailbone (Coccyx)

Topic Overview

Injuries to the tailbone (coccyx) can occur when you slip or fall and hit your tailbone (impact injury).

The most common symptom of a tailbone injury is pain when you sit, especially if you slump or sit on a hard seat. Straining to have a bowel movement also can be very painful. Home treatment often eases pain.

You have an increased chance of developing an infection when the skin over your tailbone is cut, scraped, or punctured after an injury.

Occasionally a spinal injury can occur at the same time as a tailbone injury. This type of injury is serious and requires immediate medical care. Signs of a spinal injury may include loss of bowel or bladder control, weakness in the legs, or tingling or numbness in the buttocks, genital area, or legs.

Related Information

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer David Messenger, MD
Last Revised August 5, 2011

Last Revised: August 5, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & David Messenger, MD

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