What is coccyx pain when sitting?
The coccyx is the lowest part of the spine. It is surrounded by a thin periosteum and is supplied by a fine plexus of nerves, which makes it very sensitive to pain. A variety of different causes can trigger coccyx pain, which often occurs mainly when sitting.
Long and frequent sitting itself is the main risk factor for the development of the complaints also known as coccygodynia. The pain is often sharp, but can also be felt as pulling or dull pressing. To relieve coccygeal pain when sitting, in many cases a sitting ring is helpful, which can be supplemented with painkillers if necessary.
The most common causes of coccyx pain when sitting
Coccyx pain when sitting can have many different causes, whereby often several factors work together and no specific trigger can be identified. Long and frequent sitting: By far the most common cause of coccyx pain is the long and frequent sitting itself. Especially office workers, but also pupils or students often sit for many hours a day, which can both trigger and maintain coccyx pain.
Especially with hard, immobile chairs, the risk of so-called micro-traumas, i.e. tiny, invisible injuries in the tissue, is high. Paradoxically, however, frequent sitting on soft surfaces such as a sofa can also lead to coccyx pain. This is why the colloquial term “televison bottom” is used in English, which means “television butt”.
Wrong posture: A wrong posture can also cause coccyx pain. This is because the coccyx is a kind of extension of the spine. In addition to the coccyx, many other structures, such as the muscles in the lower back, are involved in posture when sitting.
An incorrect load therefore quickly affects the entire back, including the coccyx. This also includes tension in the pelvic floor, as well as irritation or entrapment of nerves. inflammations: This includes inflammation of the periosteum of the coccyx itself, but also of other surrounding structures, such as muscles of the lower back and buttocks.
Likewise, an inflammation of the joints, i.e. arthritis, can lead to coccyx pain when sitting. This is the so-called sacroiliac joint, i.e. the joint between the sacrum and the ilium. Among other things, this joint is heavily loaded when sitting and can therefore lead to pain that radiates into the coccyx.
Fall with landing on the coccyx: An injury such as a fall on the buttocks can cause a coccyx contusion or sprain. In rare cases, a violent injury can also lead to a dislocation or even a fracture of the coccyx. These coccyx pains are mostly felt when sitting, since pressure is exerted on the tip of the coccyx when sitting.
The pain usually lasts for a few days, but it can also reoccur later. If there are repeated falls, chronic pain can also occur, which is particularly noticeable when sitting. The reason for this is that the coccyx is mainly strained when sitting.
Are you more interested in this topic? there are other causes where the pain does not originate from the coccyx itself. Lumbar spine damage: Damage in the area of the lumbar spine such as irritation of a nerve root can be perceived as coccyx pain when sitting.
Coccyx fistula: A coccyx fistula, which originates from an inflamed hair root mostly in the gluteal fold, can also be responsible for the pain. Diseases of internal organs: In addition, diseases of internal organs such as the uterus in women can be perceived as coccyx pain while sitting. Also during and after pregnancy, pain in this area is often due to the pressure that the child exerts on the bones from within. Psychological causes: Even without a physical cause, coccyx pain can be caused by a psychological disorder, for example. Only in extremely rare cases is there a threatening cause, such as cancer, underlying the pain.
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