You have probably heard of a compression fracture before… but do you know what this injury actually means?
If not, this blog post is a great place to learn about this injury!
A compression fracture is a fracture that occurs when the bone in your spine becomes compressed for one reason or another.
When this happens, the bones become weakened, causing it to have trouble supporting your spinal column. This can drastically impact all of your daily activities.
This type of fracture can occur anywhere along your spinal column, but it most often occurs in the thoracic region, including your T1-T12 vertebrae; or in the lumbar region of the spine in the L1-L5 vertebrae in the lumbar spine.
Compression fractures occurring above the T7 level of the spine are incredibly rare.
Are you wondering if you are experiencing a compression fracture? The symptoms you may experience from a compression fracture in your spine can vary. That said, the first symptom that might pop up is severe back pain that gets better when you rest. You also might notice that the injured area is sensitive to the touch.
In very rare cases, a collapsed vertebra could compress one or more of your nerves, sending pain that radiates down the path of the nerve and into your legs or arms.
Some treatment options for a spinal compression fracture include:
- Rest
- Pain medication
- Cold and/or heat therapy
- Surgery
If you are concerned that you have a compression fracture, contact a chiropractor in Vancouver WA today! Click here to read more about A Family and Sports Chiropractic Clinic.