Ask the Doctor: New Options Available to Treat Spinal Fractures Caused By Osteoporosis

Northwest Radiology has found a surprising way to help spines fractured by osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis, a disease in which bones become fragile and easily broken, causes over 700,000 spinal fractures annually in the U.S. – more than in the hip and wrist combined.

50 percent of women and 25 percent of men older than 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture and bone loss can begin as early as 25.  Through proper diagnosis and treatment spinal fracture sufferers can significantly improve their ability to perform normal activities of daily living and enjoy an overall improvement in their quality of life.

Dr. Michael Kuharik, Dr. Frank Pistoia, and Dr. Jeff Reider offer some answers.

How do I know if I have osteoporosis?

Bone loss happens without notice - it doesn’t hurt or cause much trouble at first, though left unchecked it might cause a lifetime of disability and even hasten death.  Talk to your doctor about bone health and taking a bone density test.

With osteoporosis, bones in our spine, hips and wrist deteriorate and might become susceptible to fractures.  In the spine small fractures cause the bones to compress upon each other (called vertebral compression fractures or VCFs).  Left untreated, these VCFs create a curvature of the spine, sometimes referred to as “dowager’s hump”.  Over time, this curvature can become more pronounced, painful and debilitating.

What options do I have if I suffer a spinal fracture?

Traditional treatments for spinal fractures include extended bed rest, pain medication and back braces, all of which can relieve pain but do not address the deformity caused by the fracture.  Balloon Kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure, is designed to repair the fracture and restore the vertebra to the correct position.  Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to significantly reduce back pain, correct spinal deformity and improve quality of life.