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Osteoporosis and Spine Fracture
Ever have back pain and worry it might be a spinal fracture? Many people – especially those with osteoporosis -- have severe back pain that’s caused by spine fractures. A spinal fracture can be extremely painful. Spine fractures can also result in disfigurement and immobility.
What is a spine fracture?
A spine -- or spinal -- fracture is any fracture involving the bones that make up your spinal column. Spine fractures cause severe back pain that can make it difficult for you to stand, walk, sit, or lift objects.
Spine fractures sometimes are also referred to as vertebral compression fractures. A compression fracture is a fracture that’s caused by the compression of one bone against another. A vertebral compression fracture is a fracture involving vertebrae, which are the bones that make up your spine. The most effective way to prevent vertebral compression fractures is to prevent and treat osteoporosis.
In some cases, pain from a spinal fracture can be so debilitating that you have great difficulty making small movements. Spine fractures make any position (standing or sitting) very uncomfortable. Spine fractures can also cause you to lose your independence. Many patients with spine fractures can no longer care for themselves.
Who’s at greatest risk for spine fractures?
Women, especially those older than 50, are at greatest risk for spine fractures. By age 75, more than 50 percent of women have had a spinal fracture. Estimates put the number of vertebral fractures that occur each year at about 500,000.
Men can also have a spinal fracture, and women and men who have osteoporosis have an even greater risk of spine fractures.
Age plays a big role in spine fractures. As you age, your bones may become increasingly thinner and weaker. This is especially true if you have osteoporosis. The tremendous effort required to just hold your body erect can be enough to cause a spinal fracture.
Elderly adults with osteoporosis can stress their weak spines with constant bending. This bending causes pressure on the back that is equivalent to several times the weight of the body. This greatly increased pressure can lead to a spinal fracture.
(For in depth information, see WebMD’s Osteoporosis Risk Factors: Are You at Risk?)
What are the symptoms of a spinal fracture?
Although many patients report some type of back pain, only one third of spine fractures actually produce painful symptoms. That makes early diagnosis of spine fractures extremely difficult. Fractures in the lower spine are associated with greater pain and loss of function than are fractures of the upper spine.
Symptoms of a spinal fracture may include:
- sudden, severe back pain
- worsening of pain when standing or walking
- difficulty and pain when bending or twisting
- loss of height
- deformity of the spine -- the curved, "hunchback" shape also known as dowager’s hump
It is possible to fracture more than one bone in the spine. This can result in pain that lasts longer than a few weeks. If this happens to you and you have severe pain for longer than a few days, check with your doctor. There may be an additional problem in your spine. Also, notify your doctor if you notice a change in your bladder or bowel habits.
WebMD Medical Reference
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
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