Question:
What can one do to alleviate pain of the tailbone?

I irritated my tailbone when I went back to the gym on Monday & used the recumbent bike. Now its hurting all the time when I sit. Yesterday I tried to do the bike again and had to stop after a minute because of the rubbing on my tb. So it seems I'm limited to the treadmill which, being the more popular among the gym-goers, and being that there's only 4 treadmills, I usually have to wait for one to become available. But anyway, that's not too big of a problem right now. What is a problem is my tb hurting when I sit. I have a desk job. What can I do??? Btw, my open distal RNY was 5/21/01 and I have so far lost 75 lbs. I can't have lost THAT much padding already, can I? I still have about 150 lbs. more to loose!    — lalasmommy (posted on August 15, 2001)

August 15, 2001
I was not an exerciser(other than walking) and my back side started to hurt at about 3 months. When I was in work I sat on a pillow and at home I changed positions frequently. Yes you could have lost a lot of padding already and your body has to adjust. I also used a heating pad to relieve the pain , eventually it stopped. If yours dosen't ask your doctor for an anti inflamitory. Didn't your feet hurt prior to this? My feet were the first place I lost weight and they killed me, I felt every bone in them when I would walk , that went away too. Good luck. You have done well with your weight loss.
   — Rose A.

August 15, 2001
It probably is loss of padding. My tail bone hurt so bad when I went back to work at my desk job. It never bothered me before. It will go away. Mine is fine now.
   — Meredith A.

August 15, 2001
You might want to try motrin/advil for pain and inflammation, as long as you are not allergic. Like the other post said, a heating pad. And also, for the desk job, there is a great cushion that acts like a 'ring cushion' but is square and has the hole in the back where it looks like a place to carry the cushion. That way people won't know you are using a 'ring cushion'. These things and TIME should help, if not, you may have something else going on. Good luck.
   — Cheri M.

August 15, 2001
Try this. Lay on the floor, face up, with a chair close near your butt. Put your legs up on the chair. Take a deep breath and suck in your stomach muscles and slowly curl your hips up and down. Like "hip lifts". If you cant lift your hips, just lay with your legs up to take the pressure off your lower back. How about trying a massage? (I am a massage therapist and swear by them!). Let me know how it works.
   — Julie D.

August 15, 2001
A little arthritis has probably set in. You should find access to a pool and do laps for pain and take 2 advil each morning and bedtime. Best wishes...
   — [Deactivated Member]

January 18, 2006
This is an EXCELLENT website with lots of information on this problem: http://www.coccyx.org/
   — [Deactivated Member]