Osteoporosis Fractures
Osteoporosis weakens bones, including the vertebrae in your spine, and is commonly seen in post-menopausal women due to hormonal changes. Pain may occur suddenly, often without realizing a fracture. Other symptoms include difficulty standing, chest or back pain, and stiffness when sitting or standing.
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On this page
- What Are Osteoporosis Fractures?
- What Are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis Fractures?
- How Do You Diagnose Osteoporosis Fractures?
- How Do You Treat Osteoporosis Fractures?
What Are Osteoporosis Fractures?
Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that results in a decrease in bone mineral density, making bones more fragile and increasing the risk of fractures. Women are more vulnerable than men to developing osteoporosis, mainly due to the hormonal changes that occur during menopause, which directly affect bone density.
What Are the Symptoms of Osteoporosis Fractures?
Patients with osteoporosis may experience sudden and intense pain and may not realize they have a fracture until they feel this pain. Some common symptoms include:
- Difficulty standing.
- Chest or back pain.
- Slowness or stiffness when sitting or standing.
- Postural imbalances.
- Height reduction.
How Do You Diagnose Osteoporosis Fractures?
Your spine specialist may order an MRI to diagnose an osteoporosis fracture. This imaging allows the doctor to determine new fractures from older ones.
How Do You Treat Osteoporosis Fractures?
Osteoporosis-related fractures are often treated with bed rest for three weeks. You may need to wear a back brace for 2-4 months. During the first weeks following the fracture, the vertebrae may deform or crush. The back brace will help prevent this to some degree, but the spine specialist may recommend a vertebroplasty or a kyphoplasty to prevent further damage.
- Vertebroplasty – In this procedure, the surgeon injects acrylic cement (the same cement used for hip or knee implants) into the vertebra to strengthen the bone. The insertion of thin plastic strips with cement is another option, among others.
- Kyphoplasty – In this procedure, the spine surgeon will use radiological guidance to move a needle to the site of the fracture and once at the fracture, inflate a small balloon into the vertebrae to create more space for the spinal nerves. Cement is then injected into the space to further strengthen the vertebrae and prevent future collapse.
Both methods are recommended for fractures no older than four months, with the presence of swelling that is likely causing pain. These procedures cannot be used in older fractures because surgeons will be unable to inject an adequate amount of cement to strengthen the vertebrae.
The goal of these procedures is pain reduction. The degree to which pain is reduced will depend on how quickly the condition is diagnosed and the amount of cement that can be injected into the vertebrae to strengthen it.
Reviewed April 2024.