Compression fractures are painful and progressive, and many people who suffer from a compression fracture have also suffered from the change it brings to their lifestyle. However, thanks to kyphoplasty, the lives of people living with a compression fracture have improved significantly. The life-changing procedure is now becoming more common, as there is an increase in the number of elderly patients requiring the procedure.
Compression Fractures
Compression fractures target the spinal cord. A patient suffering from a compression fracture experiences pain in the back. A compression fracture that is left untreated will progress to kyphosis, a postural deformity characterized by a C-shaped abnormality of the spine. Kyphosis is common among elderly patients. As mentioned, there is an increase in the number of elderly patients, and it is the very reason kyphoplasty is a much needed procedure. Without kyphoplasty, the postural deformity can worsen and cause bone fragments to be pushed into the spinal cord.
How Kyphoplasty Works
There are three advantages of using kyphoplasty as a procedure in the treatment of compression fractures. First, it can reverse the effects of the postural deformity, so the vertebral body can return to its normal configuration. What makes a compression fracture a painful condition is that it causes the fractured bone to move around, which leads to the fibrous lining of the backbone to be irritated. The second advantage of kyphoplasty is that it frees patients from pain as it fixes the bone problem. Finally, the procedure prevents the postural deformity to progress.
If you or your loved ones are suffering from back pain, it is important to consult a doctor to know what is causing it. The pain could be a symptom of a compression fracture, and without any treatment, the condition can lead to a more serious problem.
