How to Effectively Manage Pelvic Girdle Pain & Coccyx Pain

When it comes to pelvic health and pelvic pain issues there are two common issues that tend to pop up: pelvic girdle pain, and coccyx pain.

These two forms of pelvic pain impact lots of women and men around the world, causing them to seek out pain relief. In this guide, we’re going to fully break down what both these conditions are, and their symptoms, so you can better understand them. Then, we’ll get our top tips for different ways you can effectively manage these conditions, so you can find relief and get back to living your normal life.

What Is Pelvic Girdle Pain?

Pelvic girdle pain, also referred to as PGP, refers to a kind of pain that impacts the joints in the pelvic region, which includes the coccyx, pubic symphysis, and sacro-illiac joints.

Pelvic Girdle Pain Symptoms

The common symptoms of pelvic girdle pain include:

• Pain or discomfort in the pelvic region (pelvic, groin, stomach, hips, lower back, buttocks)
• Pain during sexual intercourse
• Difficulty with hip movements (issues rotating and turning the hips)
• Difficulty with leg movements (can’t put weight on one leg, issues climbing stairs, issues getting in and out of vehicles, etc.)
• Difficulty spreading legs apart
• Clicking and/or grinding in the pelvic region.

Pelvic Girdle Pain Causes

The development of pelvic girdle pain is often multifactorial. The most common occurrence of PGP is during pregnancy. This occurs due to heightened sensitivity during pregnancy and postural changes associated with a growing baby. These postural changes alter the motor control around your pelvis, hips, and abdomen, resulting in altered forces going through the joints in the pelvis. People who have experienced low back pain or pelvic pain previously, are far more susceptible to developing PGP during pregnancy. Similarly, people who have poor sleep, high levels of stress, fear, depression, or anxiety are also considerably more likely to develop PGP due to the heightened sensitivity in their nervous system.

To determine which factors are contributing to the development of your symptoms, a thorough examination must be performed.

What Is Coccyx Pain?

Coccyx pain refers to pain in the tailbone region. The coccyx is a small bone located at the base of the spine, connected to many of the tendons, muscles (including the pelvic floor), and ligaments in the back used for sitting and standing.

Coccyx Pain Symptoms

If you are dealing with coccyx pain, the main symptom you will experience is pain at the base of the spine, just at the top of the buttocks. Typically, you may experience pain during the following activities;

• Pain during sitting, especially if seated on a hard surface
• Pain while raising from a seated position
• Pain when moving the lower back to extreme ranges of motion
• Pain during defecation
• Pain during sexual intercourse

Coccyx Pain Causes

There are many different things that can lead to coccyx pain developing. This includes:

• Trauma to the lower back (eg: an injury or accident such as a fall, and landing directly on the buttocks)
• Repeated strain on the lower back (prolonged sitting/standing for work, especially driving or cycling)
• Being overweight
• Sudden/rapid weight loss
• Poor posture
• Joint hypermobility issues
• Other medical causes (Ex/ Pilonidal cysts, Tarlov cysts, lower sacral radicular pain, etc.)
• High levels of stress, fear, depression, anxiety, or grief

How to Address Pelvic Girdle Pain and Coccyx Pain

While pelvic girdle pain and coccyx pain are different, both of these conditions can be addressed with similar treatments rooted in physical therapy!

The common link between these two kinds of pain is their relationship to the pelvic floor and the general pelvic region. As both of these forms of pain impact the pelvic area, pelvic health physiotherapy makes a great treatment option for them.

Here are our top tips for addressing pelvic pain if you are suffering from Pelvic Girdle Pain or Coccyx Pain.

Try Hot and Cold Therapy

Ice and heat can do wonders for pain relief, including both pelvic girdle pain and coccyx pain. If you’re looking for temporary relief, hot and cold therapies are easy enough to do at home.

For heat, try treating the area with a nice hot bath to loosen and relax muscles. For cold, you could try ice packs or even ice baths. Try these therapies for 20-30 minutes a day for relief.

Do Gentle Physical Exercise

Exercise is a key aspect in your road to recovery from PGP and coccyx pain. However, the type of exercise suitable will be determined based on the drivers of your pain. If your pain was associated with a trauma such as an accident or fall, it is best to seek professional guidance prior to commencing an exercise program.

When thinking about exercise, there is no recipe for appropriate exercise for PGP and coccyx pain. However, frequent short walks, swimming, pilates, and yoga are great options to get you started. Your Physiotherapist will be able to provide you with a more tailored approach to exercise rehabilitation.

Explore Physiotherapy Options

We highly recommend seeing a pelvic physiotherapist if you are dealing with pelvic pain and/or lower back pain.

Physiotherapy can do wonders to strengthen the muscles and ligaments in these areas to reduce pain and increase a full range of movement. How so? When you book an appointment, your physical therapist will be able to conduct a full assessment and diagnosis of either pelvic girdle pain or coccyx pain. Then, they can create a treatment plan tailored to you to fix it, using equipment and special exercises to strengthen the lower back, hips, and pelvic floor.

Getting Help From SPC

If you need to address pain, either from pelvic girdle pain or coccyx pain, our team at Sydney Pelvic Clinic is ready to get you on the road to pain relief.

Dealing with lower back pain and pelvic pain shouldn’t be forever, and it shouldn’t stop you from living your life. Our team at the Clinic is fully prepared to assess and diagnose the root cause of your pain and provide different treatment options that have been proven to improve the lives of our patients.

Don’t wait! To learn more about the different services we offer and book a consultation, click here.