If you’ve ever experienced tailbone pain, you know how uncomfortable it can be. But did you know that there may also be a spiritual component to this issue? Keep reading to uncover the potential spiritual meaning behind tailbone pain.
In short, tailbone pain can signify that you are holding onto past hurts or need to make changes in your spiritual journey. Understanding the root cause can empower you to find relief and healing.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the physical and spiritual dimensions of tailbone discomfort. You’ll gain insight into spiritual reasons for tailbone pain and how to address them through personal growth and energy work.
What is the Tailbone and What Causes Tailbone Pain?
Anatomy of the Tailbone
The tailbone, also known as the coccyx, is a small triangular bone located at the very bottom of the spine. It is made up of 3-5 fused vertebrae and important ligaments that attach it to the sacrum and pelvic bones. Though small in size, the tailbone serves vital functions.
Some key roles of the tailbone include providing attachments for muscles and ligaments that support the pelvis and aid in bowel movements and childbirth. It also protects nerves, blood vessels, and tissues that pass through the pelvic floor region.
Common Physical Causes of Tailbone Discomfort
There are various physical reasons why someone may experience tailbone pain:
- Falling onto the tailbone or trauma that impacts the coccyx
- Prolonged cycling with a lot of pressure on the perineum
- Pregnancy – the weight of the baby often strains the tailbone ligaments
- Arthritis or degenerative joint changes in the coccyx
- Spinal issues like spondylolisthesis that increase strain on the tailbone
Seeking diagnosis from a doctor can identify the underlying cause. Treatments like rest, anti-inflammatories, donut cushions, physiotherapy, or injections may provide relief.
Emotional and Spiritual Roots of Tailbone Pain
Holding Onto Past Hurts
Our tailbone, or sacrum, carries all our primal woundings and earliest hurts from childhood and infancy, according to energy healers. When we hold on too tightly to past pains without processing them, the suppressed negative emotions can manifest physically as tailbone and lower back pain (Source).
Releasing past traumas through inner child work, EMDR, talk therapy, gentle yoga, meditation, or other healing modalities can help clear energetic blockages that cause lower back and tailbone pain over time.
As we make peace with our past and let go of what no longer serves us, we free up space for more joy and ease to flow through our root chakra and sacral energy.
Inflexibility and Resistance to Change
Our sacrum and tailbone area correspond to the root chakra energy center, which oversees feelings of safety and security. When we cling too rigidly to what feels safe and familiar out of fear of change, the muscular rigidity and resistance to flow can manifest as tailbone soreness or pain.
Opening to flexibility mentally and emotionally as well as physically through stretches, breathwork, journaling, or therapy allows for more fluidity and residence through the sacral and root energy. Releasing the need to control everything provides space for inspiration, creativity, and new adventures to unfold.
Blockages in the Root Chakra
Energetic congestion, toxicity accumulations, traumatic imprints, limiting beliefs, and suppressed emotions in the root chakra can also cause or contribute to tailbone pain. Common root chakra blockages include:
- Low self-worth
- Lack of safety or security
- Holding onto the past
- Attachment to outcomes
- Scarcity or poverty consciousness
Practices such as meditation, yoga poses, chiropractic adjustments, massage, energy work, chanting, grounding, and therapy can help release stuck emotions, limiting beliefs, and stagnant energies around the root chakra and tailbone. As blockages clear, tailbone pain often diminishes as a result.
Holistic Ways to Find Relief from Tailbone Discomfort
Stretching and Physical Therapy
One of the best ways to alleviate tailbone pain is through gentle stretches and physical therapy exercises that strengthen the muscles around the coccyx. According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, stretches can relax tightened muscles and take pressure off the tailbone area.
Some helpful stretches include:
- Knee to chest – Lie on back, pull one knee at a time to chest and hold for 20 seconds
- Child’s pose – Kneel, sit back on feet, walk hands forward and let chest sink to floor
- Bridge pose – Lie on back, bend knees, lift hips to strengthen glutes
When starting a stretching routine, go slow and be gentle. Over time, increasing flexibility and strength in the pelvis can significantly reduce tailbone discomfort.
Emotional Healing and Letting Go
Our emotions and thought patterns manifest physically in the body. According to holistic beliefs, tailbone pain can sometimes stem from holding on to deep tension, anger, or fear. Practicing emotional healing techniques can help release energetic blockages around the root chakra and coccyx.
Some helpful holistic activities include:
- Forgiveness exercises – Write letter to someone you need to forgive
- Expressive arts – Free-write, dance ecstatically to music
- Talk therapy – Speak with professional about emotional baggage
Releasing long-held emotions removes energetic knots and may provide tailbone relief. Be patient with yourself and any pain that surfaces during the healing process.
Root Chakra Healing
According to ancient Indian philosophy, the root chakra located at base of spine governs safety, survival, and our foundational needs. Imbalances here can manifest as tailbone discomfort or sciatic nerve pain down legs.
Some methods to bring root chakra into alignment:
- Yoga – Practice grounding poses like Child’s Pose, Bridge, standing poses
- Dance – Tribal, African, or freestyle dancing
- Massage – Reflexology, Reiki, or crystal layouts on lower back
As you strengthen sense of stability and self, excess tension trapped around the tailbone may release. chakra healing takes consistency over time for full effects.
Changing Thought Patterns
Our thought patterns impact physical health more than we realize. According to mind-body medicine, tailbone pain sometimes arises from self-limiting beliefs or unconscious emotions lodged in the body.
Some methods to shift negative thought patterns:
- Affirmations – “I am safe and supported”
- Visualizations – Picture healthy spine and pelvis
- Cognitive therapy – Uncover and reframe negative core beliefs
Releasing fears or doubts around safety and belonging can remove tension lodged around tailbone. As mindset shifts, the body follows.
When to Seek Medical Care for Tailbone Pain
Most cases of tailbone (coccyx) pain resolve on their own with rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medication. However, it’s important to know when to seek medical attention to rule out serious injury or other underlying conditions.
Seek Emergency Care for:
- Sudden, severe tailbone pain after a major fall or trauma
- Inability to sit or walk without severe pain
- Numbness, tingling, or loss of bowel/bladder control (may indicate spinal injury)
If you experience any of those emergency warning signs after an accident, go to the emergency room or call 9-1-1 right away. Tailbone fractures or spinal injuries require rapid treatment to prevent long-term damage.
See Your Doctor Promptly for:
- Persistent, severe tailbone pain lasting over 2 weeks
- Pain that gets progressively worse over time
- Pain combined with swelling, redness, or bruising over the tailbone
- Pain that interferes with daily activities
- Difficulty having a bowel movement
Make an appointment with your primary care doctor or see an orthopedist. They can evaluate your symptoms, order x-rays or other imaging tests, and provide appropriate treatment.
| Common Treatments May Include: | |
| Immobilizing brace | To stabilize tailbone fractures |
| Physical therapy | To improve flexibility and strength |
| Steroid injection | To reduce inflammation |
Left untreated, chronic tailbone pain can negatively impact quality of life. It pays to seek medical care if self-care isn’t providing relief. đź‘Ť The good news is that over 90% of tailbone pain cases ultimately resolve with appropriate treatment.
Conclusion
As you have learned, tailbone pain can have emotional and spiritual components. By exploring these deeper causes, you open the doorway to full healing.
Approaching tailbone discomfort from a holistic lens empowers you to restore balance physically, emotionally and spiritually. The relief you’ve been searching for may be closer than you think when you embrace personal growth alongside medical care.
Trust in your inner wisdom to guide you. With compassion for yourself and commitment to self-care, you can overcome residual pain patterns and create vibrant health.
