Compression Fracture Care: Understanding Your Treatment Options

Compression fractures happen when the vertebrae, or bones in your spine, crack or break. These broken bones can even collapse, eventually shortening your spine and affecting your posture. They’re especially common in people who have osteoporosis, a condition that causes their bones to lose density. 

At Integrated Spine and Pain Services in Falls Church and Alexandria, Virginia, board-certified physiatrists Stephanie Clop, MD, and Alexander Behnaz, MD, frequently treat compression fractures. They use leading strategies to reduce your pain and stabilize your spine. 

Compression fractures are quite common, with up to 1.5 million occurring in the United States each year. Our experts can help reduce your pain, improve your posture, and prevent back mobility issues. 

Using conservative care first

Dr. Clop and Dr. Behnaz prefer to treat compression fractures with noninvasive care when possible. They recommend strategies after evaluating the fractured vertebrae and your symptoms. 

Beyond back pain, a compression fracture can cause numbness or tingling if the bone presses on nearby nerves. Severe compression fractures can even cause a reduction in height. 

Milder compression fractures might respond well to noninvasive treatments like:

• Physical therapy
• Pain management medications
• Medications that make your bones stronger
• A back brace

Some compression fractures can heal on their own. Still, a detailed evaluation can help determine if yours requires more advanced care. 

When compression fractures need more advanced treatment

At Integrated Spine and Pain Services, Dr. Clop and Dr. Behnaz specialize in treating compression fractures with minimally invasive outpatient procedures. These treatments can address severe compression fractures that fragment or collapse the vertebrae. 

Our experts use two minimally invasive techniques to treat compression fractures when noninvasive care doesn’t improve symptoms:

Vertebroplasty

During vertebroplasty, the team guides a needle into your back using X-ray imaging to position it accurately. They carefully inject surgical cement through the needle to fuse the bone fragments and restore the structure of the broken vertebrae. 

Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty involves guiding a balloon-like device into your spine through a needle, utilizing X-ray guidance. They inflate the balloon through the needle to expand the compressed vertebrae and make space for surgical cement. 

Kyphoplasty helps prevent kyphosis, or a hunched-over appearance, that can occur when a compression fracture affects the spine's shape. 

Recovering after outpatient treatment

Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty both have high rates of pain relief, and each takes less than an hour to complete. Dr. Clop and Dr. Behnaz provide you with instructions to follow when you leave the office to ensure a smooth recovery. They might advise you to:

• Have someone pick you up
• Keep a bandage over the injection site for several days
• Rest and recover for around 24 hours
• Avoid strenuous exercise for a few weeks
• Report any severe pain or swelling during your recovery

Kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty can resolve your pain all on its own. In most cases, you won't need to continue any physical therapy after your procedure. 

Get in touch

Do you have back pain that keeps getting worse and flares up when you stand up? It could be a compression fracture. Call Integrated Spine and Pain Services to schedule a treatment consultation today.