
When the vertebral body collapses, it is called a vertebral compression fracture (VCF). A vertebra can break just like any other bone in the body. The spine is made up of strong bones called vertebrae. alone, osteoporosis causes 250,000 hip fractures, 250,000 wrist fractures and 700,000 - 750,000 vertebral fractures per year. Osteoporosis can occur at any age and in both males and females. It is now recognized that both bone density and bone quality (architecture, turnover, damage and mineralization) are important determinants of bone strength. You inject it every day for up to 2 years.Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease characterized by compromised bone strength, which predisposes the affected bone to fracture. It's for men and postmenopausal women with severe osteoporosis. One dose of romosozumab consists of two injections, one immediately following the other, given once a month by a health care professional. This drug increases bone formation and decreases bone breakdown.
COMPRESSION FRACTURE SPINE SKIN
You get it as an injection under your skin every 6 months. Your doctor may recommend it if you’ve been through menopause. Some examples are raloxifene ( Evista) and tamoxifen.ĭenosumab ( Prolia). These may help prevent bone loss if you’ve gone through menopause. Your doctor may suggest other medicines, such as: This type of medicine can prevent more bone loss and reduce fracture risk. But you also want to lower your odds of getting more broken bones. In the short term, treatments like pain medicines, physical therapy, and bracing might help ease your pain and get you moving again. There isn't much research to prove that a brace helps heal compression fractures, but one study shows it can ease pain. It gives your injured vertebrae - the small bones that make up your spinal column - time to heal. It's made of a rigid frame that takes pressure off the painful bone and limits your movement. Wearing a back brace when you have a spinal compression fracture is similar to wearing a cast when you have a broken arm. Or try tai chi, which improves balance and helps prevent the falls that lead to fractures. They're all good for strengthening bones. Exercises that strengthen your back can help you avoid having more compression fractures.Ĭheck with your doctor about the best weight-bearing exercises for you, such as: Once you're feeling better, ask your doctor if you should join a rehab program or work with a physical therapist. Ask your doctor when it's safe for you to get active again and what the best ways to get moving are. After several days or as soon as you start to feel better, gradually ease back into your old routine.įor a few weeks or months you may still need to avoid heavy exercise that could make your injury worse.

Your doctor might recommend bed rest for a short period of time. Lying around for too long can weaken your bones even more. You don't want to overdo it with activity, but you also don't want to stop moving entirely. Studies show it can help ease the pain from compression fractures. The doctor might also suggest you take the hormone calcitonin. Your doctor might prescribe a stronger medicine for more intense or persistent pain.


Check with your doctor to see which one is right for you. You can often get relief with an over-the counter drug like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. While that happens, your doctor may suggest you try some things at home that can make you feel better, such as pain medicines, rest, physical therapy, or a back brace. Compression fractures usually heal on their own in about 3 months.

There's a good chance you won't need surgery. You want to ease the pain, heal the fracture, and treat the osteoporosis that weakened your bones and caused them to collapse. You've got a few key treatment goals when you have a compression fracture of the spine.
