Prolotherapy and exercise worked, steroids and manipulations didn't

Anonymous, USA

Posted 2019-08-11

I suffered a severe tailbone injury as a child rollerblading. My tailbone was bruised and broken and ended up healing in a crooked position. I did not have tailbone pain for another 18 years after it healed.

Fast forward to 2 years ago when I was excessively sitting for weeks writing my thesis for grad school and I began to notice tailbone pain again. There was no 2nd injury, this pain resulted from excessive sitting, but did not go away after I was done writing my paper. It progressively got worse and made my life a living hell. I went through 1 steroid injection, acupuncture, trigger point injections, manual coccyx manipulations, and 1 nerve block, none of which significantly helped.

I had all but given up hope and 1 of my doctors suggested prolotherapy, which at that point, I would have tried anything to get the pain to go away. I had 3 sessions of this, about 5-6 weeks apart. After the first 2 sessions I didn't notice much difference in the pain, but after the 3rd session, my pain mostly went away (down to about 10% of what it was originally).

I was pain free for about 4 months until I got pregnant and then my pain came back. Unfortunately my doctor would not do prolotherapy on me while I was pregnant. I had significant increase in pain, back up to the original level during the rest of my pregnancy.

Now I am 4 months postpartum and have had another 2 prolotherapy sessions and am awaiting a 3rd, which will hopefully significantly reduce the pain like before. In summary, the only thing that really helped me was prolotherapy, but I would suggest finding a doctor who is skilled in this as it is an invasive procedure.

Update, 2020-11-08

I am 19 months postpartum and my tailbone pain is mostly resolved. I would say it is about 10% of what it used to be. It still bothers me during long periods of sitting like on planes and long car rides.

The way I manage pain is by continuing to stay physically active, doing lower body workouts like squats, and trying to not sit for too long when possible. I notice the pain is worse when I'm sedentary for long periods of time. I no longer get prolotherapy injections.

I plan to get pregnant again in the next year and I expect that the pain will flare up again during this time. But, it is hopeful to know that it should get progressively better with time.

Update, 2022-12-20

Hello! This is another update. If this helps even just one person, then it has served its purpose.

I am 8 months postpartum with my 2nd child and was relatively pain free this time around with the exercise I did during pregnancy. I have not required prolotherapy in almost 3 years. Looking back, I attribute my recovery more to exercise than to prolotherapy. I believe my muscles were very weak with sitting all day for school and work. I have joined a CrossFit gym and this has been one of the best decisions of my life. I also have a standing desk.

I feel better in my mid 30s than I ever did in my late 20s, have relatively little pain in general and no coccyx pain. Exercise and weight lifting were THE game changers for me and my journey with coccyx pain.