Vertebral Compression Fracture Treatment 

What Is a Vertebral Compression Fracture?

A vertebral compression fracture (VCFs) is a type of spinal injury that occurs when one or more bones in the spine collapse. These fractures can cause severe pain, decreased physical function, and even reduced height. Typically, vertebral compression factures are caused by conditions like osteoporosis or trauma, such as a fall or car accident.

Vertebral compression fractures are quite common, especially among older adults. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, an estimated 700,000 cases of VCFs occur annually in the United States alone. While anyone can suffer a vertebral compression fracture, specific demographics are at a higher risk. The prevalence increases with age, with about 40% of women aged 80 and above likely to experience a VCF.

Older adults, particularly post-menopausal women, are significantly more likely to experience a VCF due to the increased risk of osteoporosis in this demographic. However, individuals with certain types of cancer, long-term steroid use, or a history of significant trauma could also be at risk.

Long-Term Effects of Spinal Compression Fractures

Vertebral compression fractures primarily affect the vertebral bodies in the spine. Most commonly, they occur in the thoracic spine, the middle portion of the spine, or the upper lumbar spine, the lower part of the spine. A VCF can lead to severe back pain, a hunched forward posture, and a decrease in overall height.

At Pain and Spine Specialists, our dedicated healthcare professionals understand the long-term effects of spinal compression fracture on your mobility. We're here to help with comprehensive, compassionate care to manage pain, improve function, and get you back to living the life you love.

Anatomy of the Spine

The spinal column comprises 24 individual bones, known as the vertebrae, and two naturally fused at the base of the spine. The vertebrae are stacked on top of each other to create a canal for the spinal cord. Then there is the sacrem, a triangular-shaped bone connected to the bottom of the last lumbar vertebrae and between the hip bones. The coccyx or tailbone is three to five small bones fused and located right below the sacrem.

The spine does not just have vertebrae. There are also 23 intervertebral discs or spinal discs between the bones. Your discs are the cushions between the vertebrates along your spinal column, and your discs act as shock absorbers that allow for comfortable bending, twisting, and flexing.

The spinal cord and nerves, part of the central nervous system and send messages from the brain to the muscles down the vertebral column. The nerves connect to the base of the brain and travel down the column, where the nerve roots branch off through the space known as the foramen and connect with the peripheral nervous system.

How Do You Get a Compression Fracture?

Vertebral compression fractures can occur for various reasons, but osteoporosis is the most common cause. 

Compression Fractures and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common cause of compression fractures and occurs in millions of people in the United States. Osteoporosis is when bones weaken with age due to losing calcium and other minerals.

Bones are living tissue that have blood vessels and are made up of proteins, minerals, and vitamins. This living tissue allows your bones to grow and repair as needed throughout your lifespan. As people age, their ability to renew and regrow bone slows down, and bone mass decreases as it is lost faster than the body can replace it, weakening the bones.

Osteoporosis can develop in anyone at any age, but it is most often found in older women. It can also happen in those who are smaller in the frame, have a family history of osteoporosis, naturally has a low bone density, and anyone who takes certain medications associated with getting this condition.

Many people do not even realize they have osteoporosis until a bone fracture forms and starts to cause someone pain. When osteoporosis sets in, your bones not only become thin and weak, but they also become brittle. Most often, this condition affects the hips, wrists, and especially the spine. When the bones become so weak and brittle in cases of severe osteoporosis, any simple daily activity, such as lifting objects, moving around, coughing, or sneezing, can result in a compression fracture. For compression fractures to happen, moderate cases require more forceful activities or traumas, like lifting significantly heavier objects or falling on hard ground.

Compression fractures caused by osteoporosis are characterized by back pain, a hunched posture, and bones that more easily break altogether.

Other causes of compression fractures include:

Reduce Your Risk of Compression Fractures

While compression fractures may sometimes be unavoidable in situations like a fall or an accident, there are certain behaviors people can engage in or avoid to lower the risks for compression fractures.

Some methods for avoiding VCFs include:

Understanding these causes and risk factors can help in the prevention and early detection of VCFs. If you're experiencing back pain or other symptoms, compression fracture pain management is essential to prevent further complications.

Vertebral Compression Fracture Symptoms

Compression fracture symptoms can occur suddenly, leading to severe pain in your back region, most commonly felt in the front of the spine or the middle or lower spine. The pain experienced is usually intense and described by some patients as similar to that of a knife. It can be debilitating and persist for several weeks to months before subsiding.

Some compression fracture symptoms and signs are:

It should be noted that some vertebral compression fractures might not produce any noticeable symptoms, especially if they are small or occur gradually over time. In such cases, they may only be discovered during an X-ray or other imaging study for another reason.

Diagnosis of Vertebral Compression Fractures

At Pain and Spine Specialists, we use a comprehensive, multi-modal approach to diagnose vertebral compression fractures. Using advanced diagnostic techniques, our back pain specialists will find out the reason for your pain and then get you on the road to better health immediately.

Vertebral Compression Fracture Treatment

At Pain and Spine Specialists, we offer a comprehensive range of treatments for vertebral compression fractures. We aim to reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance quality of life.

Treatment of compression fractures include:

Injection Therapies

Injection therapies are minimally invasive procedures can help alleviate pain by reducing inflammation and blocking pain signals. For VCFs, the most commonly used injection therapies include:

• Epidural Steroid Injections: Epidural steroid injections deliver steroids directly into the epidural space in your spine to reduce inflammation and pain.
• Facet Joint Injections: Facet joint injections can help diagnose the source of your back pain and provide pain relief.
• Medial Branch Block: A medial branch block is a diagnostic test determines whether the facet joints are the source of pain.

Advanced Interventional Procedures

For patients with more severe or persistent VCFs, we offer several advanced interventional procedures, including:

• The Minuteman Procedure: The Minuteman Procedure is a minimally invasive procedure that can stabilize the fracture and provide immediate pain relief.
• Vertiflex: Vertiflex is a minimally invasive indirect decompression procedure that can help relieve spinal stenosis symptoms.
• Radiofrequency Ablation: Radiofrequency ablation uses heat to disrupt nerve function, preventing the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain.

Conventional Treatment of Compression Fractures

Along with our advanced procedures, we also offer conventional treatments such as:

• Medication Management Programs: Medication management programs can help manage pain and inflammation and may include over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription medications, or osteoporosis medications.
• Referrals to Physical Therapy: Compression physical therapy can strengthen the muscles around the spine, improve mobility, and help manage pain.

Alternative Therapies

In collaboration with our sister company, Shakthi Health and Wellness Center, we also offer a variety of alternative therapies that can complement your existing treatment for lumbar compression fractures.

• Acupuncture: Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique can help manage pain and promote healing.
• Infrared Sauna: Our infrared sauna uses heat to help reduce muscle tension and promote relaxation.
• IV Therapy: Intravenous therapy is a terrific way to improve overall wellness and boost recovery.

We believe in a personalized approach to care. After a thorough evaluation, we'll work with you to develop a treatment plan that best fits your needs and lifestyle.