What Cause Pressure Around The Area Of The Coccyx?

Posted on Mon, 5 Oct 2015

Question: What could possibly cause pressure in the posterior?

Answered by Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
more precision might be useful

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,

For us to better and clearly appreciate your problem and suggest a way out, I would suggest you precise the part of the body you are talking about. If I might ask, posterior what? Which specific area of the body?

Thanks again as I await the detail from you soon.

Kind regards'

Dr Bain

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (18 hours later)

In reply to your response, I guess I would have to call the pressure I'm experiencing is in the coccyx area, or tailbone, as I would call it. As I mentioned before - that when standing, I feel like gravity is pulling down on me in that area that gives me the feeling that I might have a bowel movement, but.....nothing happens. I might add that there feels like there is a blockage in the Sigmoid colon area where it makes the turn. I've had it a couple of times in the past 1-1/2 years, but felt it was caused by eating something that didn't digest well and got stuck in that area. Popcorn and nuts, I feel, were the culprit. I would take Milk of Magnesia for two or three days, and it would help. I've had this feeling now for a couple of weeks, and it just won't go away. I do not eat either of those foods any longer, and am careful with roughage. I had two colonoscopies last year, one being a CT colonoscopy. Would a Sigmoidoscopy be advisable? I've seen my gastroenterologist so many times - like every three months, and he just looks at me with his arms folded and tells me to continue taking the MiraLax. He always wants me to come back - just to see how I'm doing. I went for a second opinion last year, and the doctor ordered a defecography - but I knew I would fail it because I have bowel impairment from the spinal cord surgery; therefore, I must take MiraLax (with prune juice) and also use a suppository. I also had a menometry, but that didn't disclose anything - and it's the pressure that is so bad. I can't believe that I'm the only person that has had a health issue such as this. I tried pelvic floor physical therapy, biofeedback - which caused my stomach to go into spasms, so had to stop. Not one doctor told me that I have IBS, so I diagnosed it myself with everything I've read on the Internet. That is the reason that I'm now trying acupuncture, and it certainly has helped the stomach aches, but not working with the tailbone pressure or blockage in the Sigmoid colon. I
guess this about sums up everything I've done and been through in the past 18 months, to no avail. Your thoughts? Thanks much!
XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (11 hours later)

Brief Answer:
diet, vegetables, special exercises, laxatives, sigmoidoscopy, occult blood

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query,

I understand how disturbing this could be. However, I will love to start by reassuring you that you are not the only person having such symptoms. I am fascinated with the amounts of detailed information you got already with regards to your state of health. I think it is easier for you to help make your get better.

It is good news already since you realized exactly the food types that aggravate your symptoms. I will suggest you continue avoiding such foods. Adding healthier practices like acceptable exercise, drinking lots of water and eating vegetables will be very helpful.

The spinal surgery for sure, as you know already, explains much of these symptoms. However, diet changes as mentioned and use of drugs like Marilax constitute the core of treatment.

The symptoms could also be suggestive of a problem in the sigmoid colon. Doing a colonoscopy could be helpful to rule out conditions like a polyp or a tumor in the sigmoid colon. However, I think the main issue remains or originates from the spinal surgery, and key action areas that need to be worked upon again should be the diet, water, vegetables, special exercises and laxatives. But doing a sigmoidoscopy can be useful to rule out an associated tumor or polyp, which of course can be associated to such symptoms.

The opinion of your gastroenterologist for sigmoidoscopy can be very much mentioned. It could be a good start however to test occult blood in stool, which can give indirect information with regards to whether or not there is a mass in the sigmoid colon or not.

Thanks and kind regards as I wish you the best of health.

Dr Bain

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (12 hours later)

I appreciate your feedback, Dr. Bain, but you didn't mention anything about what could be causing the pressure in the tailbone area that is a constant discomfort. At the onset of this 'pressure,' it was like the doctors never heard of it before, and one told me to try biofeedback, Botox, and if that didn't work, a colostomy. That's when I thought I can't be the only person experiencing this discomfort - pressure - down there. Might your colleagues have a clue?

Answered by Dr. Luchuo Engelbert Bain (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
in my opinion too early to think of doing a colostomy, opinion of neurosurg

Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query

I am sorry not to have addressed the tail bone pressure concern earlier. After a discussion with a colleague, we are of the opinion that a spinal ct scan be done and you be examined again by the neurosurgeon. I know there are persons that have very flexible tail bones than normal. But its nice to exclude a mechanical problem at that level. From your description, I suspect you should have any serious malformation there. But appraisal by a neurosurgeon is advislable.

Kind regards

Dr Bain

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj