What is a coccyx injection?
A coccyx injection is an injection using a combination of local anaesthetic and steroid which is injected around the area of pain and inflammation at the base of your coccyx. X-ray or ultrasound guidance is often used to ensure the injection is in the right place.
Why have a coccyx injection?
The aim of a coccyx injection is to reduce pain and inflammation at the base of the coccyx, sometimes known as coccydynia. This is to give you a window of opportunity to improve your quality of life e.g. by reducing the coccyx pain associated with sitting, and standing from sitting, so
that you can return to a more normal life.
How effective are coccyx injections?
Many people have good relief of their coccyx pain after the injection, meaning that they can get back to a normal life. However, the pain may return, and occasionally people do not find it effective.
Are coccyx injections safe?
Coccyx injections are generally a safe form of treatment. However, they can cause side effects, and therefore we will need to know your health history so that, together with you, we can weigh up the risks against the benefits of you having this procedure. We would not usually offer you an injection if you have/are the following:
• Bleeding disorder
• An infection anywhere in your body
• Previous allergic reaction to a local anaesthetic or injection
• Immunosuppressed
• Recent trauma or bruising to the area of the injection
If you are on anticoagulation medication, we will discuss this with you, and depending what you are taking and what it is for, you may need to stop this before the injection.
What are the side effects of a coccyx injection?
• Allergic reaction/anaphylactic shock with local anaesthetic (extremely rare) – we take all precautions to minimise this risk and treat it should it occur.
• Fainting
• Bleeding/bruising
• Infection – we use a sterile technique to minimise this risk
• Temporary flare-up of pain or numbness, very occasionally palpitations or tremors
• Short term deterioration of muscle tissue or joint surface. Possibly longer term if injections used repeatedly.
What should I do after the injection?
You may experience some soreness or aching at the injection site. Please keep the area of the injection dry for 24 hours following the procedure. Do not worry if your pain feels worse for a few days as this sometimes happens. Take your regular pain relief and medications as normal and this should settle down. If steroid was used, this can take up to 2-weeks to take effect on your pain. Following the injection, we advise that you have a day of relative rest, but you can continue with light work and daily activities during this time.
What follow-up will be arranged?
One of the Advanced Practitioners in the pain team will call you 6-8 weeks after your injection to review your response. A member of the Pain Admin team will contact you to arrange this appointment after your injection. We will also send you a post-injection pain questionnaire via text
or email to help us better understand the benefits the injection has had on your pain and quality of life.
If having read this information, and discussed any questions or concerns with your clinician, you would like to proceed with an injection, we will ask for your consent. You are free to change your mind after this at any time.