Dr. Stefano Sinicropi, M.D.

Our spines are incredibly strong, but because they handle an immense amount of strain each and every day, eventually some of this natural strength will begin to fade. Bone density can diminish as a result of aging, repetitive stress, injury or due to other underlying health conditions, and this in turn increases your risk of what’s known as a vertebral compression fracture (VCF).

These compression fractures are quite common among older individuals, especially those who have been affected by conditions like osteoporosis or other bone density-related disorders. In fact, estimates suggest that roughly 1 in 4 postmenopausal women will experience at least one vertebral compression fracture in their lifetime.

If you suspect that you may have suffered a compression fracture, or you’re experiencing symptoms that fall in line with a VCF, consult your primary care physician or a spine specialist. Left untreated, some uncomfortable long-term symptoms can develop. In today’s blog, we explore some of the potential long-term consequences of untreated vertebral compression fractures.

Symptoms Of Vertebral Compression Fractures

Older individuals who have experienced some natural degree of bone loss are at a heightened risk for a spinal compression fracture, but because it takes less trauma for the vertebrae to fracture, sometimes people are unaware that their symptoms are actually the result of a compression fracture. Less traumatic actions like moving, jumping and even sneezing can lead to a compression fracture in an at-risk patient. Knowing your individual risk profile and the symptoms of a compression fracture can help you identify a potential compression fracture in its infancy.

Symptoms to watch for include:

• Dull back pain along the spine
• Pain that worsens with movement or activity
• Flexibility limitations
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Loss of height
• Weakness

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, especially if you’re over the age of 50 or at an elevated risk for a compression fracture, set up an appointment with a medical specialist.

Complications Of Untreated Spinal Compression Fractures

While it’s true that the majority of compression fractures heal without surgery, that doesn’t mean that you should just go on with your day like normal and assume it will eventually heal as expected. If not cared for properly, you’re at risk of additional issues, including:

• Additional Fractures – An untreated fracture compromises the spinal column’s ability to handle stress, meaning that other vertebral segments that need to take on a greater load due to the unresolved fracture may be at a heightened risk for fracture. Untreated compression fractures can lead to additional segmental fractures.
• Chronic Pain – Unresolved fractures can cause symptoms to persist indefinitely. The longer the fracture goes untreated, the harder it will be to make a full recovery once you do dive into treatment, making it more likely that symptoms end up lingering.
• Curvature Disorders – Segmental weakness due to a compression fracture can cause the spine to slowly shift out of a healthy alignment. If this happens for an extended period, you may develop a spinal curvature disorder like kyphosis or lordosis. These curvature disorders are difficult to treat with conservative methods once they set in, which means surgery could be in your future.
• Height Loss – If you feel like you’ve shrunk an inch or two in old age, it’s certainly possible if you never helped a compression fracture heal correctly. The loss of vertebral segmental height due to an unresolved fracture can lead to a loss in a person’s overall height.

You don’t want to deal with any of these issues or long-term symptoms associated with your compression fracture, so make sure you treat any and all spine issues proactively as  as you suspect they develop. Dr. Sinicropi soon and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute will be more than happy to help pinpoint the source of your discomfort and develop an individualized care plan for treating it. For more information, or to talk to a back specialist about your spinal discomfort, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi’s office today at (651) 430-3800.

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