How long for broken vertebrae to heal

Doctors may also refer to a broken back as a spinal fracture. A broken back can happen for several reasons, such as an automobile accident or a weakening of the backbone. The symptoms, treatments, and recovery time for a broken back depend on the cause, location, and severity of the fracture.

When someone has a broken back, it means that one or more of these interconnecting bones has fractured or broken. Most spinal fractures occur in the thoracic or lumbar spine. Doctors may divide spinal fractures into mechanism types, such as flexion, extension, and rotation.

However, not all spinal fractures fit neatly into each subdivision. Doctors may also call these distraction fractures. It means the vertebrae have pulled apart.

Head-on automobile collisions are the most common cause of extension fractures. People with health conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis, tumors, or cancer, are susceptible to spinal fractures. It means that even strenuous reaching or twisting can result in a broken back. A broken back will hurt. The pain in the back will come on suddenly and get worse when the person moves. The pain might be moderate or severe. Sometimes, a spinal fracture can also damage the spinal cord.

This can lead to a variety of outcomes, which may include bladder or bowel dysfunction. They may also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in the limbs.

A doctor will diagnose a broken back after performing a physical examination and conducting imaging tests. During the physical exam, the doctor will examine the person from head to toe, including the head, abdomen, pelvis, limbs, and spine. An orthopedic doctor can help repair your broken bone. Physiatrists doctors who specialize in rehabilitation , physical therapists PTs and occupational therapists OTs use a variety of methods to help people with osteoporosis function fully after a broken bone.

Psychiatrists often oversee a team of health professionals that may include PTs, OTs and other healthcare professionals to provide well-rounded rehabilitation for the patient. PTs treat pain and discomfort in many ways.

These often include exercises to keep the joint moving as well as application of ice and heat. Such treatments are especially important in relieving the muscle spasms and pain that often come with broken bones of the spine. In addition, a supervised program of exercises to strengthen the back can help decrease pain and improve function. An OT can teach you techniques that will help you move safely during your daily activities to reduce pain and prevent falls.

Broken wrists are common in people under age Women suffer more broken wrists around the time of menopause than at any other time. This is probably because of the bone loss that occurs during menopause. While a simple broken wrist usually heals with a cast or splint, a more complex break often requires surgery. During this time, a physiatrist or physical therapist can teach you exercises for your hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder.

Doing these daily will help preserve strength and movement of the wrist, fingers and arm. After a broken wrist, you will need help with your daily routine. If the break is in your dominant arm for example, your right wrist if you are right-handed , you may need help with tasks such as getting dressed, making meals and combing your hair.

At the very least, this is frustrating. For people who are frail or have other physical problems, a wrist fracture can be quite disabling.

If you are between the ages of 40 and 60, a broken wrist can be an early warning sign of osteoporosis. If you break a wrist, ask your healthcare provider about getting a bone density test to find out if you have osteoporosis. Broken bones in the spine are also known as vertebral fractures or compression fractures. If you have a broken bone in the spine, it will take several weeks or more to heal. During the first week after a fracture, you will need more rest and less activity in order to heal.

Soon you will be able to rest less and become more active. This will help you get your strength back. It will also help you get around more easily. You may have a change in posture and some limited range of motion following vertebroplasty. Kyphoplasty is a similar procedure. The surgeon places an inflatable balloon inside the broken bone to create a space where bone cement is then used to build the vertebra back up to its original height.

For a burst fracture, treatment options include operating from the front of the body to perform a corpectomy. This is the surgical removal of all or part of a vertebra. After this, the surgeon replaces the missing bone with artificial plates or screws known as instrumentation. It can relieve pressure on those bones and on the spinal cord or nerves that might also be affected. Spinal fusion performed from the back may treat a burst fracture if injury has caused the spine to bulge outward.

Fusion requires instrumentation to join two or more vertebrae into a single bony structure. This helps keep the spine stable and reduces pain. Spinal fusion does reduce the flexibility and range of motion. A posterior backside spinal fusion is also appropriate in treating Chance fractures when a back brace alone is insufficient.

The first option is usually a posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation, as well as a realignment of the vertebra. If your injuries are limited to a spinal fracture that can be treated with a relatively simple kyphoplasty, you may need to stay in the hospital for one night.

More complicated surgeries or treatment of other injuries may need a much longer hospital stay. After this, you may need three to six weeks of physical therapy. Your doctor will advise you when you can resume normal activities. Minor fractures may allow you to return to your usual lifestyle relatively quickly.

Major broken back injuries could require months or years of recovery before you can pick up where you left off. A broken back injury that includes damage to your spinal cord or nervous system can be a life-altering event. Even minor spinal fractures can affect your ability to engage in certain sports or other activities.

You may receive exercises and other lifestyle advice to follow once physical therapy ends. But if you do those things and report any symptoms or changes in your condition to your doctor promptly, you may have a healthy recovery and be able to resume most, if not all, your usual activities.

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