Explore
Jul 02, 2021 · What are the Treatment Options? A spinal compression fracture can be treated in several ways, including with surgery. The non-surgical options include: Bed rest – Many fractures heal independently, so physicians may prescribe a few days of inactivity and then nothing for up to three months. Back brace – Sometimes, fractures don’t need anything more than support …
How to treat spinal compression fractures without surgery?
Oct 05, 2020 · The two most successful surgical treatment types for spinal compression fractures are: Kyphoplasty: Patients undergoing this minimally invasive surgery will have a thin tube called a catheter inserted in the back into the damaged vertebrae by their orthopedic surgeon. This catheter is guided into the vertebra, and an attached balloon at the end of the tube inflates to …
What are the symptoms of a compression fracture?
Providers treat compression fractures with medications and a special type of back brace. Some people require a minimally invasive procedure to strengthen the vertebrae and stabilize their spine. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission.
Can compression fractures heal?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Computed Tomography Scan (CT or CAT scan) Compression Fracture Treatment Treatment for a compression fracture depends on the nature of the break and the likely cause. Our non-surgical approaches include: Taking pain medications Resting in bed until better Wearing a back brace Going to physical therapy
What do doctors do for broken vertebrae?
Compression fractures usually heal on their own in about 3 months. While that happens, your doctor may suggest you try some things at home that can …
How is a compression fracture of the lower back treated?
How is a compression fracture treated?Pain medicine to relieve your back pain.Bed rest for a short time, followed by limited activity while your bones heal.Wearing a back brace.Physical therapy to help you move better and strengthen the muscles around your spine.
Can you walk with a compression fracture in your back?
However, this does not mean you should stay sedentary until the fracture heals. Low impact activities, such as walking or tai chi, are good for your heart, and a healthy circulatory system can increase blood flow to the fracture and help your bones heal faster.
Do you need surgery for a compression fracture?
If a spine compression fracture causes significant back pain that persists for more than two months despite nonsurgical treatment such as pain medication, activity modification, and bracing, doctors may recommend surgery to relieve pain and stabilize the spine.
Can a spinal compression fracture be fixed?
How are spine compression fractures treated? Some spine compression fractures heal on their own with rest and time. Natural healing can take up to three months. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help with pain relief.Nov 19, 2021
What happens if a compression fracture goes untreated?
If left untreated, the fractured vertebra can eventually collapse causing pain, limited mobility, and deformity. These fractures are most common in the thoracic spine, which is below the upper body and centered in the middle of the back.
Is bed rest good for compression fracture?
Bed rest may help with acute pain, but it can also lead to further bone loss and worsening osteoporosis, which raises your risk for future compression fractures. Doctors may recommend a short period of bed rest for no more than a few days. However, prolonged inactivity should be avoided. Back bracing.Nov 21, 2021
Can a compression fracture get worse?
The main symptom you'll notice with a spinal compression fracture is back pain. It may start gradually and get worse over time or come on suddenly and sharply.Jul 30, 2021
How long does it take for a compression fracture to stop hurting?
Most compression fractures due to injury heal in 8 to 10 weeks with rest, wearing of a brace, and pain medicines. However, recovery can take much longer if surgery was done.
What is a compression brace?
The brace used to treat a compression fracture of the spine is designed to keep you from bending forward. It holds the spine in hyperextension (meaning more extension, or straightening, than normal). This takes most of the pressure off the fractured vertebral body, and allows the vertebrae to heal.
Why do vertebrae fracture?
Vertebra fractures are usually due to conditions such as: osteoporosis (a condition which weakens the bones), a very hard fall, excessive pressure, or some kind of physical injury.
What is it called when a bone in the spine collapses?
When a bone in the spine collapses, it is called a vertebral compression fracture. These fractures happen most commonly in the thoracic spine (the middle portion of the spine), particularly in the lower vertebrae of the thoracic spine. The purpose of this document is to help you understand:
How to diagnose a fracture?
Before your doctor can diagnose your condition and design a treatment plan, a complete history and physical examination are necessary. There are many possible internal causes of pain. It is important to determine what is and is not the root of the problem. After the physician has a better idea of what is causing your discomfort, diagnostic tests of some sort may be recommended.
Why does my spine feel numb?
You might also feel weakness or numbness in these areas if the fracture injures the nerves of the spine. If the bone collapse is gradual - such as a fracture from bone thinning, the pain will usually be milder. There might not be any pain at all until the bone actually breaks.
What is the most common type of osteoporotic fracture?
The thinning bones can collapse during normal activity, leading to a spinal compression fracture . In fact, spinal compression fractures are the most common type of osteoporotic fractures. Forty percent of all women will have at least one by the time they are 80 years old.
How to remove pressure from spinal cord?
When surgery is necessary to remove pressure from the spinal cord, your surgeon may suggest an operation from the front of the spine. During an anterior approach an incision is made in the chest to allow the surgeon to see the front of the spine and locate the vertebra that has been crushed. Once the vertebra has been located, the bone fragments may be removed to remove the pressure from the spinal cord. Once this has been accomplished, a spine fusion is usually performed.
What is the best treatment for spinal compression fracture?
The two most successful surgical treatment types for spinal compression fractures are: Kyphoplasty: Patients undergoing this minimally invasive surgery will have a thin tube called a catheter inserted in the back into the damaged vertebrae by their orthopedic surgeon.
What is spinal compression fracture?
A common injury among older adults is called a spinal compression fracture, which occurs when one or more of the spinal bones, called vertebrae, collapse. These fractures can happen to anyone, but are more common among older women with osteoporosis. In fact, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimates that spinal compression fractures affect as many as 1 in every 4 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis in the U.S. and as many as 40% of women age 80 and older. Unfortunately, those who have had one osteoporotic spinal compression fracture have a fivefold risk of having another, making it very important to reduce the likelihood of falls.
How to heal a spinal fracture?
Many who suffer a spinal compression fracture heal with nonsurgical treatments. Your orthopedic/spine specialist may recommend physical therapy, a well-fitted back brace, pain medication, bone density stabilizing medication, and activity modifications. Your doctor will also help advise how to prevent future falls if it was a fall ...
Can osteoporosis cause back pain?
You don’t have to live with unexplained back pain. If you are a postmenopausal woman, you may not even realize you have osteoporosis until sustaining a fracture, so it is best to have an evaluation from an orthopedic physician to treat the fracture itself and the underlying osteoporosis. Treatment for osteoporosis involves any combination of the following: calcium supplements, vitamin D supplements, prescribed exercise, and hormone replacement therapy.
What is compression fracture?
What is a Compression Fracture? A compression fracture is a type of broken bone that can cause your vertebrae to collapse, making them shorter. This often happens to the front of the vertebrae but not the back, causing you to stoop forward over time.Compression fractures are caused by:
How to reduce risk of fracture?
You can reduce your risk for a compression fracture by taking a few key steps , similar to the precautions for avoiding osteoporosis: Consume enough vitamin D and calcium — including such calcium-rich foods as milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, sardines and broccoli.
How to prevent bone loss?
Take medications to prevent bone loss or spur bone growth, as prescribed by your doctor (fracture patients are at high risk for additional fractures) Stop smoking, to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and some types of cancer that can spread to the bones. Avoid excessive drinking.
Can a compression fracture cause back pain?
If a compression fracture develops quickly, you may feel sudden, severe back pain. A fracture doesn’t always cause immediate symptoms, though. Instead, your doctor may notice it when giving you an X-ray for another reason.When a compression fracture starts harming vertebrae, you may feel: Slowly worsening back pain — lying on your back may relieve ...
How to avoid a compression fracture?
Physical Therapy. Once you're feeling better, ask your doctor if you should join a rehab program or work with a physical therapist. Exercises that strengthen your back can help you avoid having more compression fractures. Check with your doctor about the best weight -bearing exercises for you, such as: Walking. Yoga.
How long does it take for a compression fracture to heal?
Compression fractures usually heal on their own in about 3 months. While that happens, your doctor may suggest you try some things at home that can make you feel better, such as pain medicines, rest, physical therapy, or a back brace.
What are the best exercises for weight loss?
Check with your doctor about the best weight -bearing exercises for you, such as: 1 Walking 2 Yoga 3 Dancing
Why do you wear a back brace?
Wearing a back brace when you have a spinal compression fracture is similar to wearing a cast when you have a broken arm. It's made of a rigid frame that takes pressure off the painful bone and limits your movement. It gives your injured vertebrae -- the small bones that make up your spinal column -- time to heal.
What is the best medicine for pain?
Pain Medicine. You can often get relief with an over-the counter drug like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Check with your doctor to see which one is right for you. Your doctor might prescribe a stronger medicine for more intense or persistent pain. The doctor might also suggest you take the hormone calcitonin.
Can you have surgery for a compression fracture?
You want to ease the pain, heal the fracture, and treat the osteoporosis that weakened your bones and caused them to collapse. There's a good chance you won't need surgery.
Anatomy
Causes
- There is not one single cause of compression fractures, though the word compressionwould indicate that the fracture occurs because of too much pressure being placedon the bone. If the bone is too weak to hold normal pressure, it may not takemuch pressure to cause the vertebral body to collapse. Most healthy bones canwithstand a lot of pressure and the spine will bend to a…
Symptoms
- If the fracture is caused by a sudden, forceful injury, you will probably feelsevere pain in your back, legs, and arms. You might also feel weakness or numbnessin these areas if the fracture injures the nerves of the spine. If the bonecollapse is gradual - such as a fracture from bone thinning, the pain will usuallybe milder. There might not be any pain at all until the bone actually breaks.
Diagnosis
- In order for a fracture to be diagnosed, you will need to visit a health careprovider. Before your doctor can diagnose your condition and design a treatmentplan, a complete history and physical examination are necessary. There are manypossible internal causes of pain. It is important to determine what is and isnot the root of the problem. After the physician has a better idea of wha…
History
- First, you will be asked for a complete history of your condition. This maybegin by filling out a written form that asks you a number of questions relatingto your pain. The more information you share with your provider, the easieryour problem will be to diagnose. Your history is important because it helpsyour doctor understand: when the pain began, anything that could have causeda…
Physical Examination
- After taking your history, the physician will give you a physical examination.This allows the doctor to rule out possible causes of pain and to try to determinewhat is causing your problem. The areas of your body that will be examined dependupon where you are experiencing pain - neck, lower back, arms, legs, etc. Neurologicalproblems are rare except in younger patients who have …
Treatment
- The most common treatments for a thoracic compression fracture are: pain medications,decreasing activity, and bracing. In rare cases, surgery may also be necessary.
Pain Medications
- Mild pain medications can reduce pain when taken properly. However, rememberthat medications will not help the fracture to heal. The medication is simplyto help with pain control. To review the types of medications used for back pain, please review document,entitled: 1. A Patient's Guide to Medications for Back Pain
Decreasing Activity
- You will most likely have to limit your normal activities. You should avoidany strenuous activity or exercise. You will definitely need to avoid heavylifting and anything else that might place too much strain on your fracturedvertebra. If you are elderly, your doctor might also put you on bed rest. Olderbones take longer to heal and are typically thinner and weaker than youngerbones. Tr…
Bracing
- Another common form of treatment for some types of vertebral compression fracturesis bracing. Your doctor may prescribe a back support (often officially calledan orthosis). The brace supports the back and restricts movement; just as anarm brace would support a fracture of the arm. The brace is well molded to conformtightly to your body, like a cast for any other fracture. The brace …