Your coccyx is made up of three to five fused vertebrae (bones). It lies beneath the sacrum, a bone structure at the base of your spine. Several tendons, muscles and ligaments connect to it.
How do you relieve tailbone pain?
To lessen tailbone pain in the meantime, it might help to:
- Lean forward while sitting down.
- Sit on a doughnut-shaped pillow or wedge (V-shaped) cushion.
- Apply heat or ice to the affected area.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or aspirin.
What does pain in the tailbone feel like?
Some people may experience tailbone pain as a dull, throbbing ache that feels like a muscle spasm, while others may feel a sharper, stabbing sensation. Pain around the coccyx can worsen when a person is physically active or sits for long periods.
