Spinal Fractures: Causes, Types, Symptoms & Effective Treatments 

The human spine is a well constructed network of 33 bones called the vertebrae, which are further classified into 5 distinct kinds- the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal vertebrae respectively. The last two types get fused together as one grows older. The spine forms the backbone literally and hence, injuries to this bone can also be referred to as a broken back or spine, or more commonly as a spinal fracture. 

Causes of Spinal Fractures

Spinal fractures occur mainly due to falls, traumatic injuries or accidents and with degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis or bone tumours. Spinal fractures are much more common in older individuals as their bones are already worn down and brittle. We at SBJI offer top notch elderly spine fracture care in Hyderabad, so call us right away if you have any concerns. 

Types Of Spinal Fractures

There are 4 distinct types of spinal fractures:

• Compression Fracture– These fractures occur due to brittle, structurally compromised bones and hence are much more common in people who have osteoporosis, bone cancers, osteopenia etc. Any fall or blunt force trauma of some kind can cause the bone to break. 
• Burst Fracture- The bones in the spine break and small pieces get lodged in different areas of the body and back. This is why burst fractures are very hard to repair. They normally occur in car accidents or major falls. 
• Fracture Dislocation- The vertebrae get unstabilised in this type- where it can move from back to the front or even from one side to the other. This can occur due to accidents and results in major issues. 
• Flexion-Distraction Fractures- In this situation, the vertebrae get broken due to high rebound forces- like from a car crash and you hitting some hard surface, with your sat belt on or not. Mostly the middle and posterior parts of the spine get damaged in such accidents. 

These  types are further classified into different categories based on the symptoms they cause and how they affect you- like stable, unstable, minor and major fractures respectively. Stable fractures do not cause any structural issues and the spine can hence carry your weight like before. Unstable fractures are the opposite of stable fractures and if not treated, can lead to permanent spinal deformities. Minor fractures affect outer parts of the spine and are not that bad while major fractures can cause long term nerve damage and instability. 

Symptoms Of Spinal Fractures

If you notice weakness or numbness in your limbs, radiculopathy, are not able to control your urges to pee or poop properly or cannot move or walk freely- then you may be dealing with some spinal issue. Paralysis rarely occurs, but it is a possibility to be aware of. 

Effective Treatments For Spinal Fractures 

Treatment approaches are recommended and refined, based  on how severe your fracture and the symptoms are. If it is minor or stable, then you may get better with just plenty of bed rest and pain killers or even hot and cold therapy. Balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are two minimally invasive procedures which can help in this regard. But, for more serious cases, spinal surgery may be necessary. SBJI hospital has the best spine surgeon in Hyderabad for fractures. They will help formulate a treatment plan and also assist you with rehabilitation and physiotherapy afterwards. 

While surgery is suggested only in some cases, other approaches may work well for you too. So talk to your doctor about the severity of your symptoms and how it is affecting your daily quality of life. SBJI offers exceptional non-surgical spinal fracture treatment in Hyderabad too. In such cases, you will need to use a spinal brace so that you heal well and don’t strain your back. You will be fine in 6-12 weeks, if surgery is not necessary. Recovery is generally much longer if major surgery is involved.