What is an osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture?

Fracture is a very painful thing for many people. There are many factors that lead to fractures, and there are many types of fractures. So what kind of fracture is osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture?

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture

Osteoporosis causes the gradual loss of calcium in the vertebral bone tissue, resulting in a decrease in bone density and strength, causing single or multiple vertebral compression.

Who is prone to osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures?

Menopausal women; elderly men; drug abusers (such as glucocorticoids, thyroxine, cyclosporine A, aluminum-containing antacids, rifampicin, etc.); blood system diseases (multiple myeloma, hemolytic blood), chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease; unhealthy lifestyle habits (including long-term smoking, excessive drinking, high-protein, high-salt diet, drinking a lot of coffee, low physical activity, etc.).

What are the dangers of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures?

1. Chronic chest, waist and back pain that cannot be cured for a long time and seriously affects life, daily activities and health;

2. Spinal deformity and progressive worsening of the "hunchback" may cause cardiopulmonary dysfunction in severe cases;

3. In severe cases, the patient cannot stand and can only stay in bed for a long time, which increases the mortality rate.

How do elderly people detect osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures?

When elderly people experience acute or chronic chest, lumbar and back pain, regardless of whether they have a history of injury, they should consider the presence of vertebral fractures and go to the hospital for X-rays or CT scans in time to rule out vertebral fractures. When ordinary X-rays cannot completely confirm the diagnosis, it is best to do a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination.

How to prevent or avoid vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures in the elderly?

Preventing or avoiding vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures in the elderly is difficult, but the following suggestions may help.

1) Treat and prevent osteoporosis, and persist in long-term treatment;

2) Provide barrier-free buildings and roads for the daily activities of the elderly;

3) When taking a shower, you should be especially careful as the floor is slippery and you may stumble or fall easily;

4) Avoid violent bumps, sudden starts or sudden brakes when riding in a car;

5) Elderly people should exercise according to their ability;

6) Lose weight.

In a word, we should always remember that osteoporosis is prone to fractures, and we should always be careful to reduce the incidence of fractures.