If you’ve just heard about the pain relief a coccyx cushion can provide, you’re probably eager to rush out and buy one. Yet before you invest in any cushion, it’s important to consider your diagnosis. Considering the reason or cause of your coccyx pain can provide valuable insight you can use to make the right choice the first time you make a purchase.

Before you buy a coccyx cushion, try to determine whether your pain is expected to be temporary or long term. The reason this matters is simple: you will want to invest in the most durable, highest quality cushion you can if your pain is expected to be chronic or long lasting.

If you’re recovering from a bruise or injury, quality will still be important. But you may be able to avoid investing in more the most durable, long-lasting yet more expensive cushion options.

It’s also important to understand your diagnosis before buying a cushion as one type of cushion may not be best for your unique condition. You may for example need not only a pillow designed for coccyx pain, but one that also provides lumbar support.

In some cases, seat cushions can provide more than one type of back and spine support. Depending on your situation and your budget, it may make more sense to invest in a quality ergonomic chair that’s designed for lumbar support, then add a basic coccyx cushion.

There’s also the possibility that another back condition is contributing to or even causing your coccyx pain, or vice versa. As an example, if you’re regularly sitting on one side of the buttocks to alleviate coccyx pain, this improper sitting posture could be causing pain in other areas of your back as well as your shoulders. The use of a coccyx cushion could eliminate the need for other types of special pillows or ergonomic chairs.

If your chair lacks proper lumbar support you desperately need to improve your posture, you could be sitting in such a way that you’re putting unnecessary pressure on your tailbone. By correcting the problem with lumbar support, you could eliminate the root cause of what ends up manifesting as coccyx pain.

These examples make it clear why understanding your diagnosis is important. Yet in some cases of coccyx pain, a direct cause can’t be identified. In this type of situation, you should consider investing in a quality coccyx cushion that seems to help those with chronic conditions. This way, if it does turn out that your pain is chronic, you’ll be well prepared with a cushion that’s effective at eliminating pain as well as durable.

Some coccyx cushions offer more than just the ability to "float" the coccyx while in a seated position, thus alleviating pressure. They may encourage muscle relaxation or posture correction. Materials and designs may offer varying or adjustable levels of support you can control as your condition improves.

Obviously, if you anticipate your condition will be more or less permanent, adjustability may not be much of an issue. If you’re recuperating form an injury on the other hand, you may appreciate the ability to adjust your cushion as your condition improves.