Some minor aches and pains are normal as you get older, but sudden or persistent back pain could signal a more serious issue: a vertebral compression fracture. Over 700,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with these fractures each year.
At Northeast Ohio Spine Center, orthopedic surgeon Mark Grubb, MD, offers comprehensive evaluations and specialized care for a wide range of spinal conditions, including compression fractures.
Can the spine heal on its own, or is surgery always necessary? Here’s what you should know.
This type of fracture occurs when small cracks form in one or more vertebrae — the bones that make up your spine. These cracks weaken the bone, which can cause it to collapse.
While a spinal fracture might sound alarming, it’s a more common issue than you may think. It often stems from a gradual loss of bone density due to conditions like osteoporosis. A fall, car accident, or other trauma to the spine can also result in a compression fracture.
Your symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the fracture. In milder cases, you might not notice any problems. But if you’re dealing with a more severe compression fracture, you may experience:
Over time, the compression of the vertebrae can also lead to a hunched-over posture (kyphosis).
The good news is that many compression fractures can heal on their own, thanks to your body’s natural ability to repair bone. This process happens in stages.
First, the body responds to the injury by sending specialized cells to form a blood clot around the injury and clear away any damaged tissue.
Next, a soft callus made of cartilage and fibrous tissue begins to form, providing stability. Over the next weeks and months, as your body generates new bone to heal the break, this callus hardens and the remodeling phase begins.
As with any injury, however, certain factors can influence how well and how quickly a compression fracture heals. These include your age, nutrition, underlying conditions like osteoporosis, and the stability of the fracture.
With an unstable fracture, the shifting of bone fragments can potentially irritate nerves and surrounding tissues. By contrast, stable fractures, where the bone fragments remain in place, generally heal faster.
How do you know what your path to recovery will look like? Dr. Grubb can perform a thorough evaluation to determine whether the fracture is likely to heal naturally with time, rest, and medication to manage pain.
In some cases, medical intervention may be necessary to assist the healing process. Depending on your situation, Dr. Grubb may suggest treatments like bracing to provide support and limit movement, physical therapy to maintain strength, and medications, such as bisphosphonates, to strengthen weakened bones.
If these conservative therapies aren’t sufficient, or if you have a more severe or unstable fracture, he may recommend minimally invasive spinal surgery to provide more immediate stability and long-term pain relief.
Discover the source of your back pain and explore your options for recovery at Northeast Ohio Spine Center in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
