Vertebral Compression Fracture
Loss of vertebral body height that can appear after fragility injury, trauma, or pathologic bone weakening
A vertebral compression fracture means part of a vertebral body has collapsed or lost height, often due to osteoporosis, trauma, or underlying bone disease.
A vertebral compression fracture means one of the spinal bones has lost height or partly collapsed. These fractures are common in osteoporosis but can also happen after trauma or from other bone-weakening problems.
Representative X-ray
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What it is
- This is a structural fracture of a vertebral body, often seen as wedge deformity, central endplate depression, or more generalized height loss
How it appears on chest X-ray
- On X-ray, the vertebral body may appear wedge-shaped, flattened, or otherwise shortened compared with adjacent levels
- Multiple compression fractures can alter posture and increase kyphosis
What radiologists look for
- Radiologists assess the level involved, degree of height loss, acuity clues, retropulsion risk, and whether the pattern suggests benign osteoporotic fracture or another process such as malignancy
How X-ray helps
- X-ray often reveals the fracture pattern, but MRI or CT may be needed to assess acuity, stability, or suspicious underlying causes
Common causes
- Causes include osteoporosis, trauma, metastatic disease, myeloma, chronic steroid exposure, and other bone-weakening disorders
Symptoms / associated symptoms
- Symptoms may include sudden back pain, tenderness, height loss, posture change, or no symptoms if the fracture is older and already healed
Risk factors
- Risk factors include osteoporosis, older age, prior fractures, steroid use, trauma, cancer, and low bone density
Why it can matter clinically
- Complications can include persistent pain, progressive kyphosis, reduced mobility, repeated fractures, and in severe cases neurologic compromise
When to seek medical care
- Seek prompt care for new severe back pain after fall or strain, height loss, numbness, weakness, or possible spinal fracture
Evaluation and diagnosis
- Evaluation may include bone-health workup, trauma assessment, MRI or CT when needed, and review for cancer or neurologic symptoms in selected cases
Treatment approaches
- Management may include pain control, bracing in selected cases, bone-health treatment, activity guidance, and specialist evaluation when instability or neurologic risk is present
Medication classes clinicians may use
Medication may address pain and the underlying bone disease rather than repairing the collapsed vertebra itself.
Treatment modalities commonly paired with medication decisions
- Pain control
- Bone-health treatment
- Bracing in selected cases
- Spine specialist review when indicated
Analgesics
Used for short-term pain control after compression fracture.
- acetaminophen
- ibuprofen
Bone-directed therapies
Used when low bone density or osteoporosis contributes to vertebral fragility.
- alendronate
- vitamin D
FAQ
Can a vertebral compression fracture happen without major trauma?
Yes. In osteoporosis, even minor strain or low-impact events can cause vertebral compression fractures.
Does X-ray show if the fracture is new?
Sometimes there are clues, but MRI is often better for deciding whether a vertebral fracture is acute.