A spine fracture—or vertebral compression fracture—occurs when one of the bones within the spinal column weakens or collapses. This can cause much pain, and left untreated, can lead to more serious health problems and/or permanent deformity.
Osteoporosis is often the cause of spine fractures. Women over 50 are more at risk for osteoporosis, and Caucasian and Asian women are at a higher risk than other ethnicities. Because osteoporosis is a disease that affects bone density, those with this condition can more easily develop spine fractures. Spine fractures can also occur in patients on steroid therapy, in patients with bone metastasis in the spine or multiple myeloma, and in accident victims.
Back braces, pain medication, and bed rest are conservative methods of treating vertebral compression fractures, but they do not address the root cause of the problem, nor do they provide lasting pain relief.
There is a minimally invasive treatment option available at Precision Therapy of Imaging Healthcare Specialists (IHS) located in Southern California. For most vertebral compression fractures, kyphoplasty is a great procedure that repairs and/or restores height to the fractured vertebra, providing immediate relief of pain and other symptoms.
