How Are Vertebral Compression Fractures Treated?

Lumbar spine x-ray of an 80 year old man who underwent a spinal fusion operation. This patient also had a kyphoplasty for compression fractures of the two vertebrae above the area of spinal fusion. Kyphoplasty is a medical procedure that attempts to sto

Vertebral compression fractures can be difficult to deal with when you don’t have the support of a skilled and dependable physician. The main problem, however, is the pain and the fact that you have to deal with severe discomfort in some cases. Over-the-counter medication and some home remedies can help temporarily, however, they will not provide you with any kind of lasting solution. Muscle relaxants and various painkillers that target nerve and bone pain can also be good, but they should not be used for more than 1-2 weeks continually.

One of the methods for limiting the motion of the fractured bone tissue is back bracing. This is a similar method to that of providing support for a leg or arm fracture. The rigid back brace will prevent motion and pain and allow you to function to some extent in spite of the problem.

Nevertheless, professional treatment is very much required, since the bone tissue will not fuse by itself just because you’re keeping it motionless. Vertebroplasty is one method to go about solving the problem. This procedure has been around since the 1990s, and it only takes about two hours to perform. With the help of x-ray guidance, your doctor will use a small needle that places bone cement into the correct area of the fractured vertebra. After some time, the cement becomes rigid enough to support your fractured bone.

Kyphoplasty is another method that uses a similar technique. However, this time a small balloon is used to guide the cement to the affected area. The space created by the balloon is filled with cement, and the result will be the same. Get the professional answers you need at /back-pain-spine-fractures/.