Compression Fractures Specialist

Interventional Spine and Pain Institute

Pain Management Specialists & Interventional Pain Management Specialists located in Vero Beach, FL & Palm Bay, FL

Around 1 million American adults will experience chronic back pain from compression fractures. At Interventional Spine and Pain Institute, Michael Esposito, MD, offers minimally invasive spine surgery to treat the fracture and relieve your pain. Dr. Esposito specializes in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, procedures that require only small incisions to treat the damaged vertebrae and stabilize your spine. Call the office in Vero Beach or Palm Bay, Florida, to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for compression fractures, or book an appointment online today.

Compression Fractures Q & A

What are compression fractures?

Compression fractures are breaks in the bones (vertebrae) of your spine. If the fracture is severe enough, it can cause a vertebra to collapse, leading to severe back pain, spinal deformities, and height loss.

While compression fractures can happen in any part of your spine, they’re most common in the lower part of the thoracic (middle) spine.

Osteoporosis is the leading cause of compression fractures. Osteoporosis is a condition where you lose bone density due to age-related changes in your spine, a calcium deficiency, or underlying medical conditions. Women transitioning to menopause seem to be at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis because of the loss of the hormone estrogen.

You can also develop compression fractures from sports injuries or injuries caused by a fall or car accident.

What are the symptoms of compression fractures?

After a fall or other injury, you can experience immediate symptoms of a compression fracture, like the sudden onset of back pain or limited spinal mobility.

If you have compression fractures caused by osteoarthritis, your symptoms will appear more gradually and include worsening back pain with movement and height loss.

Without treatment, you can develop deformities in your vertebrae that cause disability.

Dr. Esposito offers diagnostic imaging, like X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans, to identify compression fractures and assess their severity. He also physically examines your spine and reviews your medical history to determine which treatment is right for you.

How are compression fractures treated?

Minor compression fractures can heal on their own with changes in your activity level. You can relieve pain with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications. Dr. Esposito might also recommend bracing to stabilize your spine to allow fractures time to heal.

If you’ve suffered a more severe fracture, you could need spine surgery. Dr. Esposito offers several minimally invasive spine procedures, including:

Vertebroplasty

Vertebroplasty is an outpatient procedure to repair fractures with injections of bone cement. Dr. Esposito uses a small needle and real-time X-ray guidance (fluoroscopy) to inject the cement into the precise site in your vertebra.

As the cement hardens, it stabilizes and strengthens the bone.

Kyphoplasty

In kyphoplasty, Dr. Esposito uses a balloon to restore the original height of the vertebrae. He guides the balloon into place with a needle and gently inflates it to move the bone.

After deflating the balloon, Dr. Esposito fills the empty space with bone cement to stabilize both the treated bone and your spine.

If you have symptoms of a compression fracture, schedule a diagnostic consultation by calling Interventional Spine and Pain Institute or booking one online today.