Is Curving In Bottom Tip Of My Spinal Column Caused Due To Muscle Mass Droping?

Posted on Mon, 6 Jan 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 6 Jan 2014 Answered on

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : I am a 65 year old woman. The very end of my spinal column, bottom tip where it curves abit has become tender. I notice it mostly when I sit in a particular position, even when lying down sometimes. Could this be because of muscle mass droping like everything else these days so exposes this end bone to more pressure or something else??

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (2 hours later)

Brief Answer: coccydynia Detailed Answer: Hi, thanks for using healthcare magic The lower end of the vertebral column is called the coccyx. Pain in this area is called coccydynia. This is essentially inflammation of this bone which can be due to different causes such as trauma, infection, excess mobility of the tailbone, fracture, in some cases the cause is not known. The pain is worse on sitting. This is diagnosed based on your history of symptoms, physical findings on examination and xray. The treatment is mainly conservative but it may take weeks or months for a response. It mainly consist of : (1) avoiding prolonged sitting (2) using a therapeutic sitting cushion when sitting (3)the use of anti inflammatory pain killers such as one of the following- ibuprofen, cataflam, celebrex, naproxen (4)your doctor may also suggest physiotherapy as an option I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (20 hours later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX How is in possible to have an infection on your coccyx? I have had no surgeries and the only trama I can remember to the area was when I was a teenager and splide down a wall by a door and smashed my coccyx into the door hinge - whoa baby. I am wondering if this ancient injury has any relevance as have had no issues. It just showed up, and is uncomfortable particularly when in a more a slouched position sitting, but have felt it other times. Could it possibly be because with age, as Mayo Angelou says everything is on a race to my knees, so my sagging butt does not give it the protection it once had? I can definitely feel the bone and can't figure out if it is bigger. Would it grew for any reason, does this bone grew with age? I can deal with anything jsut want to make sure it isn't cancer. It is just tender sometimes when I sit. Have you heard of this before from us geriatric set?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (44 minutes later)

Brief Answer: cancer of this area is rare Detailed Answer: HI Infection of this bone is only one of the possible causes of pain in the area, it is not the most common cause. As persons age, they lose some of the subcutaneous fat or padding or there is also loss of muscle mass. The bone would not grow bigger but if there is loss of these tissues it may appear more prominent. In some persons the cause of the pain is not found or not known. Cancer of this bone is rare but the only way to rule it out is an xray to see if the bone looks suspicious. If you are concerned about this possibility, though it is rare, you should consider asking your doctor for an xray of the area Please feel free to ask anything else

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar