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Spinal compression fractures, caused by weakened vertebrae due to osteoporosis or bone cancer, can lead to back pain and a weakened spine. They are often mistaken for age-associated back pain and can go untreated, leading to more fractures and breathing problems. Treatment options include medication, limited physical activity, wearing a back brace, and surgery. Three surgeries can be performed to heal fractures: vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, and spinal fusion.
A spinal compression is a fracture of a small bone or bones within the spine, otherwise known as the vertebrae. Vertebrae that become soft and weak, commonly caused by osteoporosis, can fracture and cause terrible back pain. Spinal compression fractures can also occur in the spine of someone with bone cancer.
As we age, our bones become more fragile. Normal daily activities can wear out the body when bones are weakened. Bending over, lifting up, and even tripping can trigger these tiny fractures within the spine. The small fractures eventually lead to the collapse of a vertebra.
Spinal compression fractures cause pain that is commonly mistaken for a normal part of aging. However, an untreated spinal compression fracture can lead to a weakened spine. It can also alter the shape of the spine causing people to shorten.
A spinal compression fracture occurs only in the front of the vertebra, leaving the back of the vertebra intact. The vertebra becomes wedge-shaped and can make a person’s posture appear as if they have a hump in their back. With the common misconception of a spinal compression as age-associated back pain, spinal compression fractures tend to go untreated. Untreated fractures often lead to more fractures, more pain, and sometimes even breathing problems.
You can take preventative measures by taking prescription medications to avoid osteoporosis and strengthen the bones within the body. If prescribed medications don’t work, the good news is that typical spinal compression fractures can often be treated with pain medication, limited physical activity, and wearing a back brace. The back brace restricts body movement, allowing the body to heal. Severe cases require surgery. When regular treatment doesn’t help, surgery is usually the last resort.
There are three surgeries that can be performed to heal fractures. A vertebroplasty helps relieve pain and stabilize fractures by inserting a needle into the vertebra and injecting a bone cement mixture that hardens. A kyphoplasty helps correct the deformity and relieve pain by inserting a tube into the damaged vertebra, inflating it like a balloon, and injecting a bone cement mixture inside. Spinal fusions are performed to fuse two vertebrae together to eliminate movement altogether and relieve pain. Screws attached to metal rods or plates are bolted to the spine, halting all movement of the vertebrae, allowing for fusion.
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