Overcoming Osteoporotic Spine Fractures: Minimally Invasive Solutions to Restore Mobility

Osteoporosis is tricky. It develops over the course of years as you start to lose old, damaged bone faster than your body can produce new, strong bone.

This can weaken your bones over time without causing noticeable symptoms — until those brittle, weak bones fracture from a common motion, such as a cough, a sudden twist, or an otherwise innocuous fall from standing height.

If osteoporosis has affected your vertebrae, you could very well end up with a vertebral compression fracture as your weakened vertebrae collapse under pressure.

At Pain Management Associates, we treat problems like this every day. Here’s more information about how you can overcome osteoporotic spine fractures with minimally invasive solutions that can restore your mobility.

What are spine fractures?

Vertebral compression fractures can occur anywhere in your spine when weakened vertebrae collapse under pressure that otherwise would be considered normal as you go about your everyday life.

These fractures cause the vertebrae to break down on the front side while the stronger bone in the back stays intact and maintains its height. This imbalance creates a wedge shape in the vertebrae with the wide side in the back and the narrow side in the front.

Symptoms of a spinal fracture can include sudden, sharp pain, pain that gets worse when you move and improves when you rest, difficulty walking, and decreased mobility. If you have multiple vertebrae that become compressed, you may also develop a curvature of your spine, making your back seem more rounded. (This is called kyphosis.)

How do you treat them?

Depending on the seriousness of your condition, treatment can start conservatively, with activity modification, pain medication, and bracing. If you do have a vertebral compression fracture, you’ll likely need a minimally invasive procedure called kyphoplasty that’s designed to stabilize your fractured vertebrae.

To perform a kyphoplasty, Dr. Haddis Hagos uses a needle to carefully inflate a balloon to create space inside your compressed vertebra. He then removes the balloon and injects bone cement into the area, strengthening the bone, stabilizing the vertebra, and reducing (or even eliminating) your pain.

Depending on your situation, this procedure may help you return to normal activities, and it may even restore some of the height of your compressed vertebrae. 

If you’re living with a vertebral fracture, our team at Pain Management Associates is here to help. To schedule an appointment, call one of our Greenbelt offices or use our online scheduler to pick a time that works for you.