Coccyx pain progress, Met Dr. Foye, considering surgery
Michael - California, USA
Posted 2026-11-08
Hello everybody,
I originally injured my coccyx on April 22nd, 2024 (when I was 29) after spending multiple hours sitting on a concrete park bench at a family event. The next morning, I felt pain in my tailbone immediately after waking up. I had no other preexisting conditions that could have caused this. I ignored it for the first few days, then within the next month, the pain became worse. I tried multiple cheap $20 U-shaped cushions from Marshalls, but they would slip when I sat on them and collapse under my weight.
My pain only occurs when I sit, sit leaning back, and go from sit-to-stand. I can walk and lie down fine, but running does cause discomfort. If I lie on my side and push on my left or right butt cheek, I can feel pain in my coccyx.
I kept pushing things off until October 2024, when I got a standing X-ray. This X-ray showed a listhesis in my C1-C2 (keep in mind this was before I became educated about coccyx pain). My regular doctor said there was nothing we could do except pain management and PT. I tried "generic" PT at one of those places where they work with four different patients at a single time. I stuck with it for about three months, but nothing changed. I was doing yoga, stretching, and strength training, but nothing worked.
I then pushed for an MRI in February 2025, which apparently found nothing. I got my first steroid injection into my S5 C1 in May 2025, which did not provide long-term relief, aside from the first few hours while the lidocaine was active. I flew to Europe for a family wedding that summer and was in pain throughout the trip. I had to bring a cushion with me, and it was hard not to think about the pain at every moment and not to constantly research through coccyx groups on Facebook and Reddit. I was literally starting to become obsessed with finding a "magic cure," but nothing seemed to help.
Again, I decided to keep putting things off. I kept working out, but I was always in pain sitting in super soft cushioned seats, sitting in any seat leaning back, and 80-90% of the time when I got up from sitting. I discovered the YogiBum cushion, which has been a lifesaver. I own about four. I even bought a medium-sized one for my car, used an electric bread knife to cut it down, and sit on it when driving.
I went back to the pain management doctor in April 2026 to try to figure out what else could be done. We decided it could be muscle related and did a glute "tension relief" injection, where he injected my left buttock with something, but it didn't work at all. During this time I was probably spending about an hour a day combing through online Facebook groups and random websites to try and find something that could help (this was really taking a toll on my mental health). I then saw an osteopath, who attempted a sitting X-ray, but it was not the best. He recommended pelvic floor PT. He also prescribed baclofen, which did not help at all.
I started seeing the pelvic PT the osteopath referred me to in June 2026. After a consultation, she stated that my overly tight pelvic floor muscles were pulling on my coccyx. She claimed that the tailbone did not feel hypermobile. She assigned me a series of stretches, which I religiously did for about four months straight, roughly 40 minutes every day. I also use a wand internally every other day for about 15 minutes. I did feel some relief, but I still had pain (sitting and going from sit-to-stand).
In October 2026, I decided to visit Dr. Foye in New Jersey (see Doctors and specialists in the USA, New Jersey). Dr. Foye was the first person to take detailed X-rays and see exactly what the problem was. He confirmed that my coccyx basically completely separates when I sit, at the C1-C2. He also looked at my first MRI and confirmed I had a pseudo-spur at the tip of my coccyx (missed by the radiologist). His physical exam touched exactly where I had pain. He also highlighted a single image slice on the MRI that showed inflammation where the pseudo-spur was (also missed by the radiologist). He spent a lot of time with me and answered all of my questions.
I did get his "double-whammy" injection (a steroid injection plus a ganglion impar block in one) and felt immediate relief for the first day. As of writing this story (November 5th, 2026), I can say about 90% of my sit-to-stand pain is gone, and about 50% of my sitting pain is gone. I do recommend his book as well.
I went to Mexico for a short trip two weeks after seeing Dr. Foye and began to have pain after sitting in the back seat of a cab. That night, I had bad sit-to-stand pain and sitting pain again, but it subsided after about two days. I was scared that the pain had come back, but it seems to have been a flare. The injection seems to have helped calm things down.
As I write this, I am happy with the moderate relief, but as a 31-year-old, I have to ask myself: can I live another 60 years like this? Can I live another 60 years of carrying around this cushion? Of not being able to sit in another person's car? Of not being able to sit on another person's couch? Of having to make a face of pain when I get up at a party? Of not being able to wear certain pants?
Dr. Foye stated I could be a good candidate for a partial removal, but that we should try conservative treatments first. This is very understandable, as the next step is likely nerve ablation. I do worry that my hypermobile coccyx is causing nerve damage in my pelvic floor area that could cause pain down the road, but Dr. Foye said this is rare. I am still considering surgery and will report back with any update (it might take some time, as things are slow). Much love to all those out there suffering with this!
