Spinal Fracture

Common Causes of Spinal Fracture

What causes a spinal fracture? Spinal fractures can be caused by several primary issues, including:

• Trauma: A traumatic injury is one that typically involves a hard or high-velocity impact, such as car accidents (chance fractures due to seatbelt trauma), serious falls or sports injuries.
• Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis affects bone density and causes weakening in the vertebrae, which can result in an increased risk of spinal fracture.
• Spinal tumors: Spinal cancer or other forms of cancer can cause spinal tumors that lead to spinal cord compression and, eventually, fractures in the vertebrae.

Other incidents, such as a trampoline accident or physical assault, can also cause a spinal fracture.

Types of Spinal Fractures

There are four main types of spinal fractures:

• Burst fracture: A result of substantial impact or great force, this happens when the vertebra shatters into many pieces.
• Flexion-distraction fracture: This injury is often a result of a car accident when a driver or passenger is pushed forward forcefully. In these cases, the vertebrae are pulled apart, leading to a fracture.
• Fracture-dislocation: This is a complicated and severe injury, usually caused by trauma, in which the vertebra is so damaged it can move freely from side-to-side or top-to-bottom, and thus damages surrounding tissue.
• Vertebral compression fracture: This occurs when vertebrae are weak and collapse onto each other. This is more common with osteoporosis.

Any portion of the spine can experience a fracture:

• Cervical spine fracture: A break in the neck
• Thoracic spine fracture: A break in the middle to upper back
• Lumbar spine fracture: A break in the lower back

We have the expertise needed to determine the type, location and severity of your fracture.

Signs & Symptoms of Spinal Fractures

Symptoms of a spinal fracture can vary depending on type, severity and location. The most common symptoms include: 

Back Pain

Pain in the back or neck is the most common sign of a spinal fracture, though this is a symptom associated with many other spinal issues and doesn’t mean a fractured vertebra is to blame. Pain from a spinal fracture may be severe and is usually localized to the area of the break. Typically, this pain will worsen with movement.

Neurological Changes

Often, spinal fractures result in compression of the spinal nerves or other spinal cord injury. This can cause numbness and tingling that radiates through the arms or legs, giving what many patients say is a pins and needles feeling. In cases of severe trauma, patients may also experience an inability to use their limbs or even total paralysis.

Physiological Changes

Fractured vertebrae can cause changes to the body, especially in the case of spinal compression fractures. This can result in spinal deformity, presenting as a hunched back known as “kyphosis.” When untreated, a spinal fracture can also lead to height loss, with patients often losing an inch or more.

Weakness

Spinal fractures impact the surrounding tissues, which can lead to muscle spasms and extreme weakness. This may impair a person’s ability to walk, stand or sit normally. In extreme cases, patients may lose control of their bladder or bowels — an indicator that immediate medical attention is required.

Any of these symptoms may instead be caused by something other than a spinal fracture. The only way to know what is causing a particular symptom is to see your doctor.

How Spinal Fractures Are Diagnosed

A spinal fracture is a medical emergency and requires a physical exam from an emergency medicine specialist. Your health care provider may order one or more imaging tests to confirm a diagnosis and assess the severity of the fracture:

• X-ray: An X-ray shows any fractures or abnormal movement in the spine.
• CT scan: A computed tomography scan shows any changes in the bone structure.
• MRI: A magnetic resonance imaging scan shows any soft tissue damage to ligaments, disks or the spinal cord.

A neurological exam may also be conducted to identify if any spinal cord compression or nerve damage occurred. 

If you receive a spinal fracture diagnosis, our specialists work together to create a customized treatment plan to help you find relief, repair damage and restore as much function as possible. 

Treatment Options for Spinal Fracture

Treatment plans for fractured vertebrae vary depending on the type and severity of symptoms. Many spinal fractures don’t require surgery, but certain cases require a more aggressive approach to treatment. 

Non-Surgical Treatment

Your health care team may use one or more of the following non-surgical methods to treat and manage a spinal fracture:

• Bracing: A back brace holds your spine in place as your fracture heals.
• Medication: Your doctor may recommend you take an over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) such as ibuprofen or aspirin for a short period of time to reduce mild pain or swelling. In more severe cases, prescription medicine and more intensive pain management may be required.
• Ice application: Cooling the fracture area can help reduce pain and swelling.
• Physical therapy: Your doctor may suggest you work with a physical therapist for non-surgical ways to reduce your pain and restore function. Rehabilitation therapies commonly used include core strengthening exercises to improve posture, stretching to improve range of motion and gentle massage.
• Lifestyle changes: Your doctor will discuss any recommended lifestyle changes with you, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, if necessary.

Surgical Treatment

If the fracture could damage your spinal cord or your pain remains after several months of non-surgical treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery. Minimally invasive procedures are preferred whenever possible. Spinal surgeries may include:

• Spinal fusion: Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure to stabilize a bone fracture causing abnormal or excessive motion between two vertebrae in the spine.
• Vertebroplasty: In vertebroplasty procedures, your surgeon injects liquid bone cement into the fracture to strengthen it
• Kyphoplasty: During kyphoplasty treatment, your surgeon inserts a tiny balloon that pushes the bones back into place. Then liquid cement is injected into the fracture to strengthen it

Across Houston, our patients have access to our expert neck, back and spine specialists so that you can get the best possible care personalized for your needs — without traveling far from home. Explore our footprint of locations in the Greater Houston area and suburbs below.