A fracture of any kind is never good news, and this holds true for fractures in the vertebrae in your spine. Called compression fractures, about 1 million to 1.5 million of them occur each year in the United States, and women account for a larger share of cases than men, by a lot.
Unlike other broken bones, compression fractures can develop over time and the symptoms can be more subtle. To help you identify a compression fracture, Dr. Jeffrey Glaser, Dr. John Zheng, and the support team at Glaser Pain Relief Center dive into this common driver of back pain, as well as how we can restore your spine health on the heels of a compression fracture.
As the name suggests, compression fractures occur when a vertebra in your spine weakens and collapses inward. These types of fractures tend to occur in your thoracic spine, which encompasses your upper and mid back.
The leading driver of compression fractures is a loss of bone density, which is why they tend to develop more frequently as you get older — up to half of people have a compression fracture by age 80. And the reason why women are far more prone to compression fractures is because they outpace men by four to one when it comes to bone loss and osteoporosis.
Whether you’re male or female, the signs of compression fractures are the same and include:
The pain in your back can come on suddenly or it can develop over time depending upon how the compression fracture occurs. This pain may lessen when you rest and flare up when you’re active.
Another common sign of a compression fracture is difficulty moving around, especially if it involves your back, such as bending over or twisting.
Other common side effects of vertebral compression fractures are the formation of a hump in your back and a loss of overall height.
If the compression fracture compresses a nearby nerve root, you might experience numbness and tingling in your back.
Bear in mind that not all compression fractures lead to uncomfortable symptoms — some people experience a loss of height and nothing else.
If you’re dealing with discomfort due to a compression fracture, the good news is that we offer a procedure that can restore your fractured vertebrae — a balloon kyphoplasty.
During this procedure, we insert and inflate a balloon inside the vertebra to restore the bony structure to its original height. From there, we inject a special cement inside that holds the vertebra in position.
In most cases, we perform a balloon kyphoplasty on an outpatient basis, which means you can go home afterward. Within a day or two, you can get back to your normal activities, but you’ll need to avoid strenuous activities and lifting for up to six weeks.
If you suspect that you might be dealing with a compression fracture, it’s a good idea to visit with one of our spine experts. To get that ball rolling, please contact Glaser Pain Relief Center in Encino, California, to schedule an appointment today.
