Compression Fracture Treatment in Brooklyn & Manhattan, NY

Our physicians provide effective pain relief from compression fracture using the latest non-surgical treatment options, including anti-inflammatory steroid injections. As experts in pain management and pain control, our physicians offer a comprehensive, personalized, and time-tested treatment plan that focuses on your specific level of pain. Visit our pain management clinics and meet our physicians to get the pain under control in the safe, reassuring hands of New York’s best sports injury doctor, Dr. Raj Raval, MD, located in Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan.

Compression fracture in Downtown Brooklyn & Lower Manhattan

A compression fracture is a type of break in the vertebrae or a type of fracture in it. The vertebrae are bones located in the back, which are stacked on top of each other and make the spine. The spine has the function of supporting the weight, allowing us to move and to protect the spinal cord and nerves which go from the spine to the rest of the body.

A compression fracture can lead to the vertebrae collapsing, which would make them shorter in height. This collapse can also lead to areas of the bone pressing on the nerves and spinel ford, which also decreased the amount of oxygen and blood which gets to the spinal cord. Fractures can cause the vertebrae to collapse, making them shorter in height.

What is the cause of a compression fracture?

One of the most common causes of compression fractures is osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition where bone loss leads to the bones breaking easily. Other causes of a compression fracture include injuries to the spine, such as due to sports injuries or a car accident, or tumors in the spine. Tumors in the spine might begin in the vertebrae, however, most commonly spread to the spine from another area of the body and to the bone.

Are there risk factors for a compression fracture?

Osteoporosis is, as mentioned, one of the most common causes of compression fracture. Therefore, if you want to decrease the risk of suffering from a compression fracture, it is important to prevent and treat osteoporosis first. Most compression fractures connected to osteoporosis are located in women, and women after menopause are at an even greater risk of suffering from them. However, osteoporosis and compression fractures are seen in men as well. Those who have already suffered a compression fracture are at an increased risk of suffering from another one.

What symptoms do compression fractures lead to?

Once compression fractures first begin to develop, they might not lead to symptoms. It might be necessary for a healthcare provider to discover them on an X-ray. Symptoms that might develop with time include a decrease in height, slowly worsening back pain, which worsens as you stand and gets better when you lie down limited movement in the spine or a stooped-over posture. Some people also experience weak muscles, issues walking, numbness, tingling, or an impossibility of controlling the bladder or bowels due to nerve damage. In cases where the fracture occurs rapidly, you might also experience sudden and severe back pain.

What does diagnosing compression fractures look like?

To be able to diagnose a compression fracture, your doctor might first ask you about any recent injuries and your medical history. Your doctor will then also do a physical exam and check the area that is affected by pain. Some additional images of your spine might be necessary, such as with the use of an X-ray, a computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Treatment for compression fractures

In cases where compression fracture is connected to osteoporosis, the healthcare provider will want to treat osteoporosis first. You might need to take vitamin D supplements, as well as bone-strengthening medicine and calcium. Your doctor might also recommend that you visit a physical therapist, who can show you stretches and exercises, which can help to strengthen your bones and muscles and decrease the risk of a further injury.

There are also other types of compression fracture treatment. You might need to wear a back brace, on bed rest for a short time and limited activity, during the healing period, or take pain medicine, which can provide back pain relief.

Another way of treatment for compression fractures relies on anti-inflammatory steroids, which are injected directly into the affected area. They are more powerful and effective, however, it might take a couple of days until you can feel the effects of the steroid injection.

In cases where everything fails to work, surgery might need to be taken into consideration.
One surgical approach that might be used is vertebroplasty. During vertebroplasty, your spine surgeon will use a small needle and inject quick-setting cement into the vertebra that is fractured. This can provide support for the broken vertebra while strengthening the affected area.

If a cancerous tumor is the cause of your symptoms, you might need radiation therapy, in addition to surgery, to get rid of some of the bone and treat the tumor. In cases where an injury has caused the fracture, you might need surgery to repair the joint vertebrae and the bone together. It is a procedure other referred to as a fusion.

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Can compression fractures lead to complications?

A fractured bone that does not heal, even after treatment, might lead to damage to the nearby vertebra. A blood clot can be caused by a compression fracture, due to a decrease in mobility. Another complication of a compression fracture includes chronic pain and nerve issues or spinal cord issues.

Can you prevent a compression fracture?

One of the best ways of preventing compression fractures is to prevent osteoporosis. Speak to a healthcare provider about the possibility of getting a bone density test, which can tell you whether you are at risk of suffering from osteoporosis or not. You must reduce the risk of osteoporosis and other types of cancer by avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol use. Weight-bearing exercises can help to strengthen your bones.

How can you live with a compression fracture?

Compression fractures, which are caused by osteoporosis typically get better with the use of conservative methods. Typically it takes up to 3 months to heal from them. However, there are cases where compression fractures can lead to long-term issues. In most cases, compression fractures, which are caused by an injury, take up to 8 weeks to heal. If a compression fracture is caused by cancer, the outcome can depend on the type of cancer and how well the individual responds to treatment.

You must speak to a healthcare provider in cases where you suffer from back pain and believe that you might be suffering from a compression fracture. If your symptoms continue to worsen or if you have issues controlling your bladder or bowel function.

Do you have any questions about Compression fracture pain management? Would you like to schedule an appointment with the team of pain relief doctors in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan? Please call our office for a consultation and indicate which location you want to visit.