Can a pilonidal cyst cause tailbone pain?

There’s a type of cyst you can get at the bottom of your tailbone, or coccyx. It’s called a pilonidal cyst, and it can become infected and filled with pus. Once infected, the technical term is “pilonidal abscess,” and it can be painful. It looks like a large pimple at the bottom of your tailbone.

Is a sacral dimple the same as a pilonidal cyst?

pilonidal cyst. Sacral dimples can be confused with pilonidal cysts because they generally occur in the same area of the body, near the tailbone and just above the buttocks. A pilonidal cyst is a collection of fluid, hair, and debris that forms within a sac.

How serious is a pilonidal cyst?

While the cyst is not serious, it can become an infection and should therefore be treated. When a pilonidal cyst gets infected, it forms an abscess, eventually draining pus through a sinus. The abscess causes pain, a foul smell, and drainage. This condition is not serious.

Can a pilonidal cyst heal on its own?

Pilonidal cysts sometimes drain and disappear on their own. If you have chronic pilonidal cysts, your symptoms may come and go over time.

Can you get sepsis from pilonidal cyst?

Chronic pilonidal disease is often regarded by surgeons as relatively trivial, but it causes prolonged and troublesome sepsis for a group of patients who are young and physically active.

Why does my tailbone keep hurting?

There are three types of events that cause tailbone pain: External Trauma: A bruised, broken or dislocated coccyx caused by a fall. Internal Trauma: Trauma caused by a difficult childbirth or from sitting on a narrow or hard surface for too long. Others: Infection, abscess and tumors.

Why is there a hole near my tailbone?

A pilonidal (pie-low-NIE-dul) cyst is an abnormal pocket in the skin that usually contains hair and skin debris. A pilonidal cyst is almost always located near the tailbone at the top of the cleft of the buttocks. Pilonidal cysts usually occur when hair punctures the skin and then becomes embedded.

How rare is a sacral dimple?

How common are sacral dimples? Roughly 3 to 8 percent of babies are born with a sacral dimple.

What happens if you ignore a pilonidal cyst?

A pilonidal cyst may be a one-time event. However, when left untreated, your acute pilonidal cyst may turn into a chronic condition in which you develop recurrent pilonidal cysts or the formation of new pilonidal cysts. Your pilonidal cyst may also increase your risk of developing a life-threatening systemic infection.

Should I go to the ER for a pilonidal cyst?

Some people may just experience a bit of a pain when sitting, others may only have some drainage and no pain, still others will be making a trip to the ER or surgeon because they are in excruciating pain. The usual signs of an acute infection are swelling and pain in the tailbone region.

What happens if a pilonidal sinus goes untreated?

If left untreated, the cyst can drain pus or other fluids, or develop a pilonidal sinus, which is an opening that grows under the skin from the hair follicle. Some of the most common symptoms of a pilonidal cyst infection include skin reddening, pain, and draining of blood or pus.

Should I go to ER for pilonidal cyst?

Where does a pilonidal cyst occur in the sacrum?

Pilonidal cysts tend to occur at the back of the sacrum and coccyx. So the area is generally very similar for both pilonidal cysts and for coccydynia. The other thing that they have in common is that both of them not only are painful but they can happen after a sudden trauma, but they can also happen without trauma.

Why do I have pilonidal cysts around my tailbone?

Responding to the hair as a foreign substance, the body creates a cyst around the hair. This explanation accounts for rare cases of pilonidal cysts that occur in parts of the body other than near the tailbone. For example, barbers, dog groomers and sheep shearers have developed pilonidal cysts in the skin between fingers.

Can a X-ray show a pilonidal cyst?

X-rays can show abnormalities of the coccyx, including fractures, dislocations, arthritis, bone spurs, etc.. X-rays generally will NOT show the pilonidal cyst. MRI can show BOTH the coccyx AND the pilonidal cyst. Unfortunately, medical imaging studies in the tailbone region frequently are NOT done correctly.

When does a pilonidal cyst become an abscess?

Pilonidal cyst. Pilonidal cysts usually occur when hair punctures the skin and then becomes embedded. If a pilonidal cyst becomes infected, the resulting abscess is often extremely painful. The cyst can be drained through a small incision or removed surgically. Pilonidal cysts most commonly occur in young men, and the problem has a tendency…