Pelvic Floor Symptom
Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia)
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
Sitting hurts, especially leaning back. Standing up from a chair sends a sharp pain through your tailbone. Maybe it started with a fall or after childbirth, or maybe it came on without a clear reason. The tailbone is the anchor point for several pelvic floor muscles, and their tension is one of the most common reasons tailbone pain does not go away.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Tailbone Pain
The coccyx, or tailbone, is the small bone at the bottom of the spine. Coccydynia is pain at or around it. Common triggers include falls onto the buttocks, childbirth, prolonged sitting on hard surfaces, cycling and rowing. Sometimes there is no clear trigger.
The coccyx is an attachment point for the levator ani, coccygeus and gluteus maximus. When these muscles are tight, they pull on the tailbone and can hold it in a painful position. Sitting loads these muscles and the tailbone directly, and standing up from sitting causes the pelvic floor to contract, which is why that moment is often the most painful.
Your physician may order imaging to check for fracture, dislocation or other causes. Dr. Gordon treats the pelvic floor and gluteal muscles attached to the coccyx, which is where most lingering tailbone pain is maintained.
Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia) at a Glance
Also called
Coccydynia, coccygodynia, coccyx pain
Common triggers
Falls, childbirth, prolonged sitting, cycling, rowing
Typical pattern
Worse sitting, especially leaning back, and when standing up
Muscles that attach here
Levator ani, coccygeus, gluteus maximus
Main drivers
Pelvic floor tension pulling on the coccyx, joint irritation, sitting load
The Gap in Care
Why Tailbone Pain Often Lingers
Imaging checks for fracture or dislocation. Dr. Gordon assesses the muscles pulling on the tailbone.
What routine testing is looking for
- Fracture or dislocation
- Arthritis or bone changes
- Cysts or tumors
- Infection
What often keeps symptoms going
- Levator ani and coccygeus tension pulling on the coccyx
- Gluteal trigger points
- Pelvic floor contraction when standing up
- Sitting posture that loads the tailbone
- Guarding after a fall or childbirth
These are assessed with an external pelvic floor exam, with no internal exam.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Pain sitting
Pain at the tailbone when seated, especially leaning back.
Pain standing up
Sharp pain as you rise from sitting.
Pain with bowel movements
Tailbone pain during or after bowel movements.
Pain with sex
Tailbone discomfort during intercourse.
Tenderness to touch
Pain when the tailbone is pressed.
Pain after a fall or childbirth
Pain that began after a specific event.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Pelvic floor tension
The levator ani and coccygeus pull on the tailbone when tight.
Gluteal trigger points
Gluteal muscles attached near the coccyx refer pain to the area.
Coccyx joint irritation
The coccyx joint can become irritated or stiff.
Sitting load
Sitting posture puts direct pressure on the tailbone.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Tailbone Pain
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your physician's findings, imaging, medications and past treatments so he knows what has been ruled out and what has already been tried.
External tailbone and gluteal assessment
Assessment of the coccyx, sacrum and gluteal muscles.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Sitting posture review
Dr. Gordon looks at how you sit, cushion use and activities that aggravate pain.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your physician or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Fever or chills with pelvic or urinary symptoms
- Inability to urinate
- Visible blood in the urine or stool
- Sudden, severe pelvic or abdominal pain
- Unexplained weight loss
- New numbness in the saddle area or loss of bladder or bowel control
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for tailbone pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment releases the levator ani, coccygeus and gluteal muscles that pull on the tailbone. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture along sacral nerve pathways to calm tailbone pain.
See servicesBetween visits
Sitting Plan & Team Coordination
Cushion and sitting guidance, coordinated with your physician.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
“Dr. Gordon is an excellent doctor who has had a multi faceted approach to my treatments. ... To begin with, he sat with me for nearly an hour and discussed the details of my lifestyle (workouts, sleep, nutrition, etc) to help paint the picture he needed to best plan my treatments, which informed me that his approach is truly holistic as well as individual. I've experienced immense relief with Dr. Gordon where many others have failed, and I would recommend his services to anyone and everyone.”
Joe Friedman, Google Review
Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia) Questions
Answers About Tailbone Pain
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
The pelvic floor contracts as you rise, pulling on the tailbone.
Your physician may order imaging, especially after a fall, to rule out fracture.
A wedge or cutout cushion that offloads the tailbone often helps.
No. The pelvic floor muscles are examined externally, with no internal exam. Treatment options are explained before anything begins, and nothing is done without your consent.
Many people improve within six to ten sessions.
Yes. Childbirth commonly strains the tailbone and pelvic floor.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For tailbone pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the internal pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped, and nothing internal is done without your clear consent. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Tailbone pain can affect people of every gender, and Dr. Gordon treats adults of all genders and identities.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a physician for your pelvic symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioFurther Reading
Why Pelvic Floor Pain Gets Missed, and What a Muscle Exam Can Find
From the blog: why routine tests miss tight pelvic floor muscles, and what a gentle external exam can find.
Tailbone Pain: Why Sitting Hurts at the Very Bottom of the Spine
From the blog: Tailbone pain often starts with a fall or childbirth. Why sitting and leaning back hurt, which muscles pull on the coccyx, and when to see a doctor first.
Book an Evaluation for Tailbone Pain
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find out which muscles are pulling on your tailbone.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
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