Can You Have a Spine Fracture Without Realizing It?

Most people associate broken bones with intense pain, but what if a fracture causes little or no pain? Read on to learn if a spinal fracture can come without symptoms and how to tell if you have one without pain.

Many people have ignored back pain that doesn’t feel intense. In many cases, that pain goes away on its own. A spinal fracture is probably your last thought when this happens, especially if your back pain is only mild.

Anesthesiologist and pain management specialist Haddis Hagos, MD, routinely evaluates back pain and related symptoms at Pain Management Associates LLC in Greenbelt, Maryland. He feels your back for tender spots and may use imaging tests to look for spinal fractures.

A fracture without pain may come as a surprise, as most bone fractures are associated with pain. If you have a spinal fracture, it might not be as painful as you would think. In this article, we elaborate on painless or minimally painful spinal fractures and how to recognize their signs.

Causes of spinal fractures

Most spinal fractures happen somewhere in the thoracic spine, which is your spine’s middle section between your neck and lower back. They can come from car accidents, falls, and sports injuries. But accidents aren’t the most common causes of spinal fractures.

The majority of spinal fractures happen because of osteoporosis, which is a bone-weakening condition. Osteoporosis makes your bones more brittle and prone to breaking. They may fracture under surprisingly little force, like when you cough or sneeze.

Osteoporosis is more common in women than men, but it can affect anyone as they age. It’s often associated with a decline in the hormone estrogen, which occurs when women approach menopause.

What a spinal fracture might feel like

Spinal fractures don’t always cause pain. When they do, the pain can be deceptively mild. While some people might experience sharp and sudden back pain upon getting a spinal fracture, others may feel tingling or numbness instead.

Pain from a spinal fracture may not be apparent at first, but it can gradually worsen the longer you go without treatment. Any discomfort you feel might flare up with movement and decrease with rest.

How to tell if you have a spinal fracture without pain

It’s possible to have a compression fracture in your spine that you never notice because of the lack of severe pain, especially if the fracture is associated with osteoporosis. If you know what to look for, you may notice other symptoms that indicate a spinal fracture.

Nonpain signs of a spinal fracture can include:

Reduced height

Compression fractures in the spine can make you shorter as the vertebrae in your spine collapse. People can lose up to six inches of height from spinal fractures alone, often seeing a change in posture at the same time.

Swelling

Like other injuries, spinal fractures can involve some swelling and tenderness in the area. Look for signs of inflammation, like redness and swelling, or feel your back for areas that are tender to the touch.

Incontinence

New or sudden urinary incontinence could be telling you something about your spine rather than something about your urinary health. It’s also possible for spinal fractures to cause bowel incontinence or trouble holding in your stool.

Kyphosis

Kyphosis is the medical term for developing a hump or hunch in your back. This can occur if you have two or more vertebral compression fractures in your middle or upper back.

If you notice any of these signs or are concerned about your back pain, call Pain Management Associates LLC or request an appointment online for an evaluation.