If you have a fractured vertebra, there are various treatment options available. Contact the Ramos Center for Interventional & Functional Pain Medicine to schedule an appointment with our team of professionals or visit our website to book an appointment online. Our medical experts are committed to helping you reduce your pain and enhance your quality of life.
What is a vertebral fracture?
A vertebral fracture can occur when one or more bones in the spine weaken and collapse, and can happen anywhere on the spine, resulting in dislocation or fracture of the backbone. Often, spinal fractures result from trauma or high-velocity impacts, such as a fall, sports accident, or car crash.
Such accidents can cause injuries ranging from mild muscle strains to severe issues like vertebral fractures. While some spinal fractures can heal on their own, others require noninvasive treatment, and especially severe or unique cases may necessitate surgery to realign the bones.
Left untreated, spinal fractures can lead to nerve damage, permanent spinal cord injury, and even paralysis. A compression fracture can also occur as a result of osteoporosis, which involves a loss of bone mass that occurs as one ages. With a decline in bone mass, even minor trauma such as lifting a heavy object, falling, or coughing can cause a vertebral fracture.
Symptoms of a vertebral fracture include severe back pain, height loss, and a hunched-forward posture. Vertebral compression fractures (VCF) are a frequent and serious problem, with roughly 700,000 occurring each year, equating to 40 VCFs every thirty minutes. About 25% of men and 50% of women experience an osteoporotic fracture at some point in their lives, and fragility fractures are an increasing issue for older adults in America.
How do you treat a fractured vertebrae?
Receiving prompt treatment for a fractured vertebra is crucial, as symptoms can range from discomfort to debilitation, including numbness or tingling, neck or back pain, limb weakness or paralysis, loss of bowel or urinary control, uncontrolled muscle spasms, and more. If left untreated, the condition can worsen.
Fortunately, vertebral augmentation kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty can significantly alleviate pain in most cases. Both methods involve the injection of a medical cement, and promote faster pain relief than other treatments.
The Ramos Center has achieved great success using the iVAS Inflatable Vertebral Augmentation System for many years. The equipment used comprises a mixer and delivery system, cavity formation devices, needles, and bone cement.
The procedure involves using a balloon catheter to compact and push the bone inside the fractured vertebra to facilitate a controlled delivery of cement into the collapsed vertebra. When the cement hardens, it forms an internal cast that stabilizes the fracture and relieves pain in approximately ninety percent of patients.
How long does a vertebral fracture take to heal?
In most cases, a vertebral fracture will heal within eight weeks, but with vertebral augmentation kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty, patients will notice pain relief within 24 to 48 hours following surgery.
While strenuous activity may be advised against for up to a six-week period, patients can expect to return to their usual routine quickly. Those who choose to undergo this treatment will experience faster pain relief and a quicker return to their normal lives compared to alternative options.
Dr. Fabian Ramos, MD, and his team of medical experts strive to reduce patients’ pain and improve their quality of life. Our services offer the leading options in interventional and functional pain medicine, providing the fastest and most effective pain relief available. Contact us through our website or call our clinic to learn how we can help treat a fractured vertebra. We serve patients from Bradenton FL, Sarasota FL, Venice FL, Englewood FL, Palmetto FL, Laurel FL, Memphis FL, Port Charlotte FL, Cortez FL, and Dunedin FL.