Dr. Grant Shapiro - grantshapirodc@hotmail.com
Original posting, 2003-06-01:
I am a chiropractic physician practising in Tempe and Mesa- Arizona. I have been treating people with coccygodynia for a number of years. I find approximately 1-2 patients per month present with the primary back problem emanating from the coccyx. Many times they feel low back pain higher than the tailbone, even though the primary dysfunction is the coccyx.
I was ten years old when I sprained my coccyx, and as result I could not walk for a week. I pretended I was a long jumper and landed in the sand on my coccyx. OUCH! Later in life, I was an orderly (Nursing Assistant) in a hospital for 5 years, I had opportunity to work on every ward in the hospital. I saw more than most people see in a life time. While I was in chiropractic college I trained to teach 3rd and 4th year chiropractic students, under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Williams. I taught approximately 300-350 students how to perform genital, rectal, prostate, and internal coccyx exams (and the correction of the coccyx misalignment). The students had learned the exam on plastic models 2 times before they came to my sessions. Our school was fortunate to have human models for my exams, other schools were not and are not so fortunate. Most chiropractors do not do the internal coccyx adjustment - even though we all learn it, you can imagine why.
The coccyx can misalign in an anterior or posterior direction (forward or backward), on occasion I find it will misalign to one side. The most common presentation I see is the anterior coccyx misalignment ("chiropractic subluxation"), and the treatment is an adjustment (spinal manipulation) of the coccyx. The best way to relieve this joint misalignment is to do an intrarectal procedure by pulling the coccyx backward. The actual treatment takes less than 15 seconds, it is almost painless (but it may be uncomfortable) and the relief lasts a very long time. Many times I feel the "click" as the bone moves back into place, other times I have to use impulse manipulation to get the bone to move. I use coccyx pillows and seat supports for post adjustment care. I counsel the patient on the proper sitting posture (to increase the lumbo-pelvic curve) to take any added forward pressure to the coccyx.
Once the joint is set in place the ligaments (ligaments hold the bones together) are still lax due to mild, moderate, or severe sprain (stretch) the tissues endured from the trauma that put it out of line (subluxated) in the first place. Research has shown ligaments require 1-2 years to heal, because they have very little blood supply. Thus very little nutrients get to them, and they heal slowly.
I would like to be on your referral list. I have seen phenomenal results! I would like to help many more people with this problem. I have been fortunate in my life experience and training to be able to recognize these problems and know how to provide the patient with lasting relief.
I will offer a 50% discount off the initial exam and history to anyone who mentions this website. I would be happy to evaluate anyone you send to the clinic, from near or far. My phone number is 480-897-0101, fax 480-897-0222.
Thank you for your time, efforts and energy.
Update, 2005-03-06:
I have found people heal in half the time they used to with cold low level laser therapy. It is amazing! The laser and SLD (Supra Luminous Diodes) therapy is in the near infrared and visible infrared wavelength, it is FDA cleared for joint pain (the sacrum-coccyx junction is a joint), inflammation, spasm, arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Please note, when I treat pain from a misaligned coccyx, it may be the result of ligament sprain, joint (sacrum-coccyx joint) pain, joint inflammation, swelling, muscle strain, inflammation and/or spasm, tendon strain, and others. I have been able to help more people with more difficult coccyx problems than I was before. I am incredibly happy, and so are my patients.