Compression Fractures Treatment in NJ

Compression Fracture Symptoms

When compression fractures appear suddenly after an accident, sports injury, or sudden inappropriate movement, they tend to exhibit symptoms that include:

• Immediate severe stabbing pain that may take weeks to months to dissipate
• Middle or lower back pain
• The sides and front of the spine are more sensitive than the back of the spine

Compression fractures due to osteoporosis tend to develop over time and have symptoms such as:

• Back pain that increases with activity and decreases with bed rest
• A decrease in height
• Reduced spinal mobility
• Kyphosis, is characterized by a hunched-over posture with accompanying symptoms such as:
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Trouble walking
• Lack of bowel and bladder control
• Eventual deformity and disability

Compression Fracture Treatment

Once diagnosed by your northern New Jersey physician, the treatment for compression fractures depends on the cause of the damage. If osteoporosis is responsible, your doctor begins treating it with calcium and vitamin D supplements to improve bone density.

If the compression fracture did not injure the spinal cord, basic treatments might include:

• Activity reduction, but not complete inactivity
• Over-the-counter pain medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen
• Muscle relaxants
• Short-term opioid medication
• Back braces, used sparingly to limit spinal movement enough to alleviate pain
• Physical therapy to increase strength and mobility
• Calcitonin for relieving bone pain

If these treatments for compression fractures don’t stop your pain, surgical procedures are available. Your pain management specialist may recommend:

• Vertebroplasty. Your doctor injects quick-drying cement into your broken vertebrae. The additional strength and support you get from the treatment reduce the pain.
• Balloon kyphoplasty. Similar to vertebroplasty, the procedure first inflates the space between the vertebrae with a balloon. Once the spine returns to its original length, your doctor removes the balloon and injects the medical-grade cement to provide stability and reduce the pressure on the nerves exiting your spine.

Regardless of the cause of your injury, the doctors at Redefine Healthcare can treat your compression fracture with the least invasive and most cutting-edge techniques available. Contact the pain management experts today for a definitive diagnosis and the best compression fracture treatment for your specific needs.