Can a compression fracture get worse?

Ah, compression fractures. What a pain in the spine! One thing that we can all agree on is that they do hurt. But apart from hurting like heck, there’s another question that many people don’t know the answer to: can a compression fracture get worse?

In this article, we’re going to dive deep into what causes compression fractures and whether or not they can deteriorate even further. So sit back (if you can) and let’s explore!

Understanding Compression Fractures

First off, let’s start with some definitions so everyone is on the same page.

A compression fracture is when one or more vertebrae in your spine collapse due to excessive pressure being placed upon them. This condition is often caused by trauma such as falling onto your bottom or lifting something heavy incorrectly.

Most of these injuries occur in either the thoracic region (middle of your back) or lumbar region (lower back), but they can happen elsewhere too.

Symptoms associated with this type of fracture include localized pain at the site of injury which often worsens while standing or walking and improves when lying down. Some patients also report numbness/tingling sensations near where their injury occurred.^1

Now that we’ve got an understanding of what a compression fracture actually entails, let’s move onto our main topic:

Can They Deteriorate Further?

The short answer here is ‘sometimes’. It really boils down to why/how you sustained initially injured yourself; if it was simple wear-and-tear then chances are good that you won’t experience any additional damage over time. However if there are underlying issues (<-that means stuff below the surface) causing your condition such as osteoporosis then yes – things could conceivably go downhill quickly if left unchecked.^2

Here are some common factors contributing to worsening symptoms post-compression-fracture:

  • Additional fall(s): once you’ve been injured it’s always going to be more difficult to stabilize yourself. Every additional slip or fall could cause further damage, exacerbating your current situation.
  • Continued heavy lifting/postural strain: this is a no-brainer; if something hurt when it happened then repeatedly doing that same movement is only going to make things worse.
  • Ignoring pain signals: yes we see you out there pretending everything’s okay even though everything hurts like hell you can’t ignore pain forever. Chronic untreated symptoms may worsen over time.

None of these scenarios are fun – so what should you do in the case that one applies (or several)? These suggestions aren’t medical advice but rather our best ideas on how to manage an injury such as this:^3

Possible Maintenance Tips

Do:

  1. Build core strength: working with a physical therapist, trainer or using online resources and low weights will help assist in fortifying healthy protective muscle fibers.

  2. Be honest about limitations on daily activities: sometimes asking for help during healing can expedite rehabilitation length by reducing re-injury chances before full recoveries achieved.

  3. Use heat/cold therapy judiciously : cold compresses typically reduce swelling while heat helps stiff muscles relax and desensitize victim nerves temporarily.

Don’t:

  1. Push through any type of chronic bouts of pain symptoms trying to “tough it out.”

  2. Smoke cigarettes during healing periods–new studies confirm tobacco-use slows bone recovery after fractures.

Overall using common sense and restful care post-compression-fractures maximizes chances for steady recuperation trends.^4

Wrapping Up The Question

In conclusion compression fractures can get worse under some circumstances especially if caused from underlying issues beyond simple wear-and-tear factors ceteris paribus (that means holding all other variables constant). In general though proper attention early-on reduces the chance(s) of these injuries becoming worse over time.

We hope this article provided some insight into the complexities of compression fractures and may have imbued in you a newfound appreciation for your spine (take care out there, folks!).

Cheers! or should we say ‘Stand carefully!’

  1. “Compression Fracture.” OrthoInfo — AAOS.
  2. “Spine Compression Fractures: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments – Healthgrades.” Physical Therapy, Doctor Ratings and Reviews – Healthgrades.
  3. Vanderbilt University Spinal Column Injury Care Basics
  4. NYC Anesthesia Interventional Pain Management Principles Revisited

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