Many people never notice they have a compression fracture. This is especially true if your broken vertebrae happen over time from osteoporosis and not after trauma. You might experience no pain and only find out you’ve had a compression fracture during imaging tests to identify or diagnose other conditions in the future.
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Traumas usually cause burst fractures and Chance fractures. If you experience trauma like a fall or car accident, your broken back will be diagnosed as your injuries are treated. You might not notice specific symptoms from the fracture itself, especially if you’re treated in the emergency room.
If you do experience symptoms, they will include the following:
Fractured spine causes include:
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Your healthcare provider will diagnose a spinal fracture with a physical exam and imaging tests. They’ll look at your back, feel for any spots that are tender or painful and identify any changes to the shape of your spine and posture. Make sure to tell them exactly where you’re hurting and when you noticed any new pain or discomfort.
If you experience trauma, the fracture might be diagnosed by providers in the emergency room. They’ll diagnose your fracture and any other injuries after you’re stabilized.
After a physical exam, you’ll likely need at least one of a few imaging tests to take pictures of your spine:
You’ll probably also need a bone density test (sometimes called a DEXA or DXA scan). This will show if you have osteoporosis, and how much it has weakened your bones.
How your fractured spine is treated depends on a few factors, including:
Most spinal fractures don’t require surgery. The most common treatments include:
If you experience trauma, providers in the emergency room will treat your injuries in the order of severity, especially if some of them are life-threatening.
If the spinal fracture is in danger of damaging your spinal cord, or if your pain doesn’t improve a few months after non-surgical treatments, you might need surgery. The most common surgeries to repair fractures are vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty.
These are both usually outpatient procedures, so you should be able to go home the same day. You’ll need to rest in bed for up to 24 hours before returning to your normal routine. Avoid heavy lifting or intense exercise for up to six weeks after your surgery.
Your provider or surgeon will explain which surgery you need and why. If your spinal fracture was caused by a tumor — either cancerous or benign — you might need different or additional procedures to remove the mass before your spine can be repaired.
Usually, over-the-counter NSAIDs are all you’ll need to reduce the symptoms of a spinal fracture. Talk to your provider or surgeon before taking NSAIDs for more than 10 days in a row.
Your provider might prescribe medications to strengthen your bones if osteoporosis caused your spinal fracture, including:
Your provider may refer you to a bone specialist for additional treatments and to monitor your bone health in the future.
Side effects of NSAIDs include:
Calcitonin salmon can have serious side effects, including:
Spinal fracture surgery complications include:
Most people feel better a few weeks after starting treatment.
How long it takes your vertebrae to heal depends on which type of fracture you have, which of your vertebrae were broken and any other injuries you experienced.
If the spinal fracture didn’t damage your spinal cord, nerves or other tissue around your spine, you shouldn’t have any long-term effects after a spinal fracture. If you were diagnosed with osteoporosis after your fracture, you’ll need regular bone density screenings to monitor how it’s affecting your bones.
If the fracture or other injuries damaged your spinal cord, your ability to move or walk might be permanently affected. These kinds of complications are more common after traumatic injuries, like unstable burst fractures or Chance fractures.
Most spinal fractures heal in around three months if you don’t need surgery.
People who need surgery will need longer to recover. It might take as long as six weeks to recover from the surgery, then an additional few months for your spine to heal. Your surgeon or provider will give you a customized recovery timeline after your procedure.
If you’re receiving non-surgical treatment for a fractured spine, you might not need to miss any time away from work or school if your job or coursework doesn’t involve heavy lifting.
You should be able to return to work or school within a week after spinal fracture surgery, but talk to your surgeon or provider before resuming any intense physical activities.
Follow these general safety tips to reduce your risk of an injury:
You can prevent osteoporosis by eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. A diet rich in calcium and vitamins C and D encourages bone growth and strength. Exercises that make your muscles work against gravity like walking, jogging, aerobics and lifting weights strengthen your bones.
Talk to your provider about a diet and exercise plan that will help you maintain good bone health.
1 in 4 females with a compression fracture caused by osteoporosis never get it diagnosed, even if they’re experiencing mild symptoms. Talk to your provider if you’re having any new pain or discomfort in your back. They can help you figure out what’s causing it, and potentially catch osteoporosis or other health conditions before they cause severe symptoms or fractures.
Get any new symptoms or changes in your back examined by a healthcare provider as soon as possible including:
Go to the emergency room right away if you’ve experienced trauma.
Experiencing a spinal fracture can be scary, especially because it’s usually caused by a sudden accident or over time without you even knowing it. Either way, you don’t know it’s happening until it causes you pain or other symptoms.
The most important thing you can do to avoid the long-term effects of a broken back is to see your healthcare provider right away if you notice any new symptoms.
Talk to your provider about your osteoporosis risk, especially if you’re older than 50 or have a family history.
From sudden injuries to chronic conditions, Cleveland Clinic’s orthopaedic providers can guide you through testing, treatment and beyond.
Last reviewed on 09/12/2022.
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