What causes vertebral compression fractures
A healthy vertebra will not break unless it is subjected to a forceful injury, such as that occurring in a car accident. By comparison, even minor trauma—such as a sneeze—can cause a compression fracture of a vertebra that has been weakened by other conditions, such as:
• Osteoporosis (reduced bone mass), the most common cause of vertebral compression fractures.
• Paget's disease, which is most common in older individuals. This condition is characterized by excessive breakdown of bone and the formation of weaker, disordered bone, especially in the spine, pelvis, skull, and femur (thighbone). This unorganized bone is weak and prone to fracture, although the condition may produce no symptoms.
• Hyperparathyroidism, which can also cause bone problems. People with hyperparathyroidism have a benign tumor of the parathyroid gland that produces excessive amounts of parathyroid hormone, which weakens bones by stimulating osteoclasts, the cells that break down bones, and by promoting the loss of calcium from bone.
• Cancer. Vertebral compression fractures, although rarely a first sign of cancer, can occur in people with cancer that has spread to the spine. This spread occurs most often with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and multiple myeloma.
Treating Vertebral Compression Fractures
The treatment of vertebral compression fractures includes minimal bed rest, pain medication, exercise, and osteoporosis treatment to reduce the risk of future fractures. In some cases, surgical procedures such as kyphoplasty, spinal fusion, or percutaneous vertebroplasty, are performed, although a growing body of evidence suggests that the latter treatment is no more effective than placebo.
