Compression Fracture
A compression fracture of your spine can be very painful or not painful at all. It occurs — either from a blunt-force injury or gradually over time — when one of the vertebrae in your spine breaks from the pressure of the accident or from constant wear and tear. A vertebra is an individual bone in your spine. Each vertebra is separated from the one above it and below it by a disc. Discs act as shock absorbers, usually keeping your vertebrae from injury.
If you suffer an injury that forces your spine together, either a disc ruptures (also called a herniation) or a vertebral bone cracks under the pressure. Both cause extreme back pain. When you suffer a fracture, you need medical attention in the form of compression fracture treatment to ease your pain and address the fracture.
Compression Fracture NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
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The Anatomy of a Compression Fracture
If you fracture a vertebra, it most often causes middle back pain or lower back pain. A vertebra comprises two parts:
- The vertebral arch, which protects your spinal cord
- The vertebral body, which provides the support in front-facing side of your spine
When you need treatment for a compression fracture, it's because the vertebral body has broken, split or collapsed in some way. Most often, the vertebral body splits, creating a wedge shape, since the vertebral arch is still in one piece. It's also possible that a bad enough accident can fracture multiple vertebrae.
What Causes a Compression Fracture
A fracture can occur over the course of many years. The bone eventually fractures because it's already weak. As a result, these types of fractures occur most often in men and women older than 40. Osteoporosis, a disease that affects the bone density over time, is the most common culprit for weakened mid-back vertebrae.
When a compression fracture is the result of a sudden accident, the mid-back or lower back pain can be excruciating. This type of injury isn't common, though, as healthy vertebrae are fairly tough, well-protected bones. Since a vertebrae fracture is a serious injury, you'll know it when it happens.
Compression Fracture Symptoms Vary
The symptoms can be painful, although there's the chance that if the condition came on over years, you may not notice anything. Otherwise, you may experience:
Sharp pain in your back
Radiating pain in your arms or legs
Numbness in your arms or legs, whether or not you feel other pain
A sense that you're an inch or two shorter than before
When you experience any of these symptoms, get to your Manhattan spine specialist for compression fracture treatment. Surgery is rare, but the doctor can provide treatment for compression fracture that will ease your pain.
Making an Accurate Diagnosis
When you have back pain or radiating pain to your extremities, your doctor has to work through many possible causes to arrive at a correct diagnosis. Many ailments present with similar symptoms, but successful compression fracture treatment relies on an accurate diagnosis. So, your spine physician:
- Examines you thoroughly, testing where your pain originates
- Takes a complete medical history, including information about recent accidents
- Takes an x-ray that can show a bone spur or other nerve impingement
- Orders a CT scan, if necessary, to get a more detailed look at a particular area of your spine
- Recommends an MRI, sometimes to rule out other causes of your pain
- May perform a radioactive CT scan to look for the bone fracture
If there are associated conditions, such as osteoporosis, the best pain specialist in New York City looks for evidence. Treatment for compression fractures often includes treatment for associated conditions.
Ready to find relief from a compression fracture?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Compression Fracture Treatment in Midtown Manhattan, NY
The good news is that it's rare that your compression fracture treatment will involve surgery. The first step in your treatment is to deal with any pain you're experiencing. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medication, but if you've tried that without success, you may get a prescription for:
The second step is to manage your new reality to keep the pain from returning. To accomplish this, you may need physical therapy, some lifestyle changes and at-home exercises and stretches. Over the course of three months, you need to rest more and curtail your activity levels. Your doctor may recommend wearing a brace to support your back during the healing process.
If osteoporosis is the reason for your fracture, your New York City pain specialist has to deal with that disease as well as the fracture. Treatment for compression fracture from osteoporosis involves strengthening your bones. Your doctor may recommend vitamins and supplements, such as Vitamin D or calcium.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Compression Fracture Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to compression fracture is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Compression Fracture Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."