A spinal fracture is a serious injury in which one or more vertebra in the spinal column collapses, causing the vertebra to become compressed.
It is typically caused by high-impact trauma, such as a car accident or long-distance fall, but can also be caused by osteoporosis in older individuals with weakened bones.
Symptoms
- The primary symptom is moderate to severe back pain that is made worse by movement.
- When the spinal cord is also involved, numbness, tingling, weakness, or bowel/bladder dysfunction may occur.
Treatment
-
- Bed rest, analgesics
- Surgery
- Minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation
- Decompression and fixation