PRP for Coccydynia

PRP for Coccydynia

Coccydynia is the medical term for pain in the tailbone. Not to be confused with lower back pain, coccydynia is a rare condition more common in women than in men. To date, conventional medicine has no cure for it, and until recently, doctors did not fully understand this specific kind of pain. PRP for coccydynia could be a potential and effective cure. However, this treatment option is still under research and practitioners may not readily prescribe it.

Understanding Coccydynia

The coccyx is the lowermost section of your spine and sits between the buttocks. It comprises of 3 to 5 vertebra along with cartilage, fibers, and other tissues. The coccyx supports your weight when you sit down. Several causes can result in pain to the coccyx or coccydynia. And, the pain can get exacerbated when you sit or undertake any activities that exert pressure on the base of the spine. Read ahead for an understanding of some of the typical causes of the condition that PRP for coccydynia can help:

• A severe backward fall that has you landing on the tailbone in a sitting position
• Spending long hours sitting on a bicycle without prior training or habituation
• Sitting for long hours on a hard surface
• Injury during vaginal birth
• Tumors
• Fracture or any other injury
• Infection in the bone
• Unknown causes
• Sitting in a faulty posture over a long period because of which the ligaments supporting the coccyx weaken

Coccydynia Symptoms

In case you have been having chronic pain at the base of your spine, the doctor treating you will take a series of x-rays and other diagnostic images like CT scans to identify the problem. You may notice symptoms like:

• Instant and severe pain when moving from a sitting to a standing position
• Deep ache in the region of the tailbone
• Pain when pressure is applied on the coccyx
• Painful intercourse
• Painful bowel movements
• Tailbone infections

Conventional and Contemporary Treatment Options for Coccydynia

Having understood the nature of your problem, your medical practitioner may suggest some of the conventional treatment options that can help. If you fit the profile of the ideal candidate, you may also receive the PRP for coccydynia treatment. However, know that recovery can take time. Further, depending on the severity of your condition, you may need to continue with the treatment for several months.

• Sitting on a donut-shaped cushion to lower pressure on the tailbone
• Avoiding sitting for extending periods and taking adequate rest
• Taking medications and NSAIDs to ease the inflammation in the injured area and get relief from the pain
• Cortisone injections though doctors are now aware of the potential downsides like further weakening of the tissues
• Injections to block the impulses of pain to the affected area
• Platelet Rich Plasma prolotherapy as one of the newest treatment options
• Deep heat light therapy
• Sitz baths or sitting in a basin with hot water up to the waist
• Electrical stimulation
• Physical therapy to help strengthen the muscles and tissues supporting the tailbone

In rare cases, the doctor may suggest drastic measures like coccygectomy where the affected bone is surgically removed.

Case Studies have Demonstrated the Effectiveness of the Coccydynia Injection

Doctors all over the country have been experimenting with prolotherapy injections to help patients with coccydynia. The OMICS International Alternative & Integrative Medicine journal has published an article that explains the comprehensive findings of the researchers. Three test subjects received the prolotherapy injection in distinct settings.

• The first patient was a 65-year-old man who suffered an injury from the fall from a standing height. On conducting x-rays, doctors noticed that he did not have any fracture or dislocation. Aside from the pain, the patient did not have any other deformities or internal wounds.
• The second patient was a 45-year old woman who had had a fall down a flight of stairs. Five years after the initial injury, she still complained of pain when sitting. But, she did not have any other injuries or symptoms.
• The third patient was a 61-year old woman with pain in the lower back that started without the occurrence of an injury. However, the pain was radiating to other sections such as the hip, leg, joints, and heel. She also complained of some amount of incontinence that could be related to the pain.

Each patient received an injection in the tailbone with doctors using ultrasonic devices to carefully guide the needle into place. This precaution is necessary to avoid damaging any of the surrounding tissues or blood vessels. When the three patients reported for checkups 4 to 6 weeks later, they talked about having relief from the pain and being able to sit for longer periods without discomfort.

Why PRP for Coccydynia Could be a Viable Solution

Doctors on ResearchGate have talked about using prolotherapy with a range of agents and serums to stimulate the healing. These agents include dextrose, lidocaine, morrhuate sodium, and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP). Practitioners have been using prolotherapy to stimulate the body’s healing responses in the past. However, PRP for coccydynia pain could take the treatment further thanks to the concentration of autologous healing elements in the serum used in the injection. Given that PRP injection cost works out to be more economical in the long run, this new treatment option could be perfect for patients.

PRP for coccydynia can prove to be an effective and economical solution for an issue that has no cure to date. However, patients may want to remember that this treatment option is still in the experimental stages. Further research is needed before it can be offered by more doctors.

Have you been having the problem of pain in the tailbone? Maybe, you could explore PRP therapy as a treatment option. If you would like more information, contact us and our consultants will get back to you with the details you need. You could also call us at this number: (888) 981-9516 and talk to a live expert.