It is unfortunately VERY common that patients suffering from coccyx pain (tailbone pain, coccydynia) end up having the wrong imaging studies done or they end up with a radiology report that fails to even mention the coccyx!
There are multiple reasons why this problem happens:
- The ordering physician: If your doctor ordered imaging studies of the LUMBAR spine, or the LUMBOSACRAL spine, then those images usually will NOT actually show the coccyx! The ordering doctors needs to EXPLICITLY request that the imaging studies INCLUDE the COCCYX.
- The radiology technician: If your treating physician DID order the radiology test properly, it is still common that the Radiology center might not do them properly. This is because they may not be very experienced with doing imaging studies specifically for the tailbone pain.
- The Radiologist who reads the images: Even if the technician at the Radiology center maybe DID the test properly, it is still common that the Radiologist fails to actually even mention or comment upon the appearance of the coccyx! It is crazy, but this happen VERY commonly!
What can a patient do?
- When your doctor orders imaging studies for your coccyx pain, make sure to ask them if it EXPLICITLY requests that the imaging studies INCLUDE THE COCCYX!
- Remind the radiology technician that you really need the imaging studies to INCLUDE THE COCCYX.
- LOOK at the radiology report. Use a yellow highlighter to highlight every time you see the word coccyx or coccygeal. Unfortunately, in many cases you will be disappointed to discover that the Radiology never even mentioned the coccyx.
- If your radiology report failed to mention the coccyx, you can ask the ordering physician to request an “Addendum” to the radiology report, specifically requesting that the radiologist specifically comment on the appearance of the coccyx.
- If the imaging studies failed to include the coccyx, you can ask your treating physician to start over with a new set of orders, this time specifically requesting imaging of the coccyx.
- You can search for another doctor with more expertise in evaluating and treating tailbone pain.
COME FOR RELIEF: For more information on coccyx pain, or to be evaluated in-person by Dr. Foye’s Coccyx Pain Center in the United States, go to: www.TailboneDoctor.com
– Patrick Foye, M.D., Director of the Tailbone Pain Center, New Jersey, United States.
Founder and Director at Tailbone Pain Center
Dr. Foye is an expert at treating tailbone pain (coccyx pain).
His personable, private-practice office is located on a modern, renowned, academic medical school campus, at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
For an appointment, call 973-972-2802.
https://tailbonedoctor.com/
His personable, private-practice office is located on a modern, renowned, academic medical school campus, at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
For an appointment, call 973-972-2802.
https://tailbonedoctor.com/
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