vertebrae fracture

[Qscrabble8]

hi

I suffered severe pain in my lower back, which has gone, now my back up to my head feels very uncomfortable and stiff.

Is this the symptom of a vertebrae fracture

[Scandi123]

hello - I’m really not sure, but it might be that the initial pain was due to a fracture but that the current stiffness is related to muscles in the rest of your back having to work extra hard to protect the sore bit when it was at its worse. Just a guess though…🤷🏼‍♀️

[Haz58]

I had a compression fracture of T9 vertabrae in October. Don't know how it happened but I was in absolute agony! Everytime I tried to move, even a little, I screamed. Gas and air needed to get me in an ambulance. Took me 3 weeks to finally get an x-ray.l as a & e didn't do one! I kept being told it was muscular and to do stretching exercises! I could have ended up paralysed doing this! If you are in any doubt insist on an x-ray. It's the only way to rule a fracture out. Good luck.

[elaine2447 in reply to Haz58]

Really sorry to hear this. I have severe osteoporosis and I tripped on the stairs back in December 2015, was taken into hospital a famouse teaching hospital in Cambridge!!!!!!) where they had all my records, did not x ray me. I spent 13 months just carrying on with "unexplained back pain" until I saw a rheumatologist in January 2017 and he said I think we should xray your back. Hmmm, guess what, a compression fracture at T5 so 13 months on too late for any kyphoplasty or help.

[Haz58 in reply to elaine2447]

That's dreadful! I got no treatment even they did find out just put me on morphine and told me to be very careful! I still feel it in bed and the mornings. But at least it's not agony now.

[fraid]

The only way to be sure is to have an xray. Have you been diagnosed with OP? The fact that the pain has now moved would indicate referred pain, perhaps a word with gp or Osteo?

[GMOI]

2016 surgery from MRI showing multiple vertebrae fractures from T6 to T12. Unfortunately repair was scratchy due to OP bone condition. Presently they have healed the best they can the pain was worse after surgery but I’m functional and the muscle fatigue and doing more than I should keeps me managing pain daily. Just giving my experience, X-rays don’t see OP!

[Southerngirl2787]

We all experience these differently...but a commonality is severe pain if it's a bad fracture, likely 50% compression or greater. I have 9 spinal fractures currently, all in less than a year, thoracic to lumbar. I first feel a sharp pain, kin to a nerve pain, hot stabbing, hurting when I get up or down, moving around. The muscles will spasm, get stiff, they are usually in line with the nerve pain, as the nerves around the fracture will be angry. You also are holding your head/body differently now, that causes muscle pain. My huge pain area are abdominal muscles, and when the fractures were at their worse, it was hard to hold up my torso, the harder I tried, the more spasms, and nerve shooting pains. I have to lie down to decompression the spine multiple times a day, give the spine time to re-hydrate and stop the stabbing, burning pain.

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

So sorry to hear that 9 fractures in a year sounds like you were given denosumab and then told to leave it off. That is the only reason I've heard of multiple fractures. It must be agony for you. Just my one fracture (as far as I know) is awful, so much worse than 7 years ago and affects my abdomen as well as the burning back pain. I too have to lie down but that sets my headaches off as a chiropractor foolishly cracked my neck 3 years ago. I've just managed to walk to pharmacy today as I also have peripheral neuropathy caused by the Pfizer vaccine and it made me smirk to see piffling 15mg cocodomol - 1 or 2 when necessary for moderate pain. I feel like asking what do you give for b... dy awful pain 🤬

[Southerngirl2787 in reply to elaine2447]

Forgot to respond...nope, no Prolia, no BIS drugs at all. I had a parathyroid tumor that has caused great damage! Doctors that ignore you are as dangerous as Prolia. I'm on #12 surgeries since 2014 when the damage started to happen, but they didn't know why. I had severe OP diagnosed with an age 50 DEXA, surprise!! Docs just stared at me. Took a few years to destroy nerves, bones, horrible headaches. I finally starting running my own labs, got my records, and figured it out, found a surgeon in Florida, and had it removed. I am now on Tymlos, and it's working well! Yes, the early side effects were awful, but in two weeks time, they were settled down.

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

How strange, similar story. Thanks to our "lovely" NOT, NHS ignoring hyperparathyroidism for 5 years, my severe osteoporosis getting worse and worse. In the end 3 days before lockdown in March 2020 I had to pay £11k for a private operation with our best surgeon in London and had three glands removed. That was the start of my new life. May 2021 was the start of the end of it thanks Pfizer for the Chinese virus 🤬

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

Have you tried something like this. I've got 3 of them. I look like a telly tubby when I wear one on my back and the other around the front I don't care, it helps as stomach painful from thoracic compression fracture

Hotties Soothing Backwrap Microwavable Heat Wrap for Lower Back Pain Relief - Black Quilted amzn.eu/d/g1TtLJm

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

Have you tried something like this. I've got 3 of them. I look like a telly tubby when I wear one on my back and the other around the front I don't care, it helps as stomach painful from thoracic compression fracture

Hotties Soothing Backwrap Microwavable Heat Wrap for Lower Back Pain Relief - Black Quilted amzn.eu/d/g1TtLJm

[Southerngirl2787 in reply to elaine2447]

I haven't seen these, will have to get some. I have plug in heating wrap, it's great when it's not so hot, we have been in 100+ since June, but down from 108 days now...So tired of summer, started in March, maybe it will end in November. I live in Texas, close to the Gulf. I have a brace that looks like a TellyTubby as well, but it feels great, keeps everything tight full torso. I can breathe in it, not sure about eating, but it feels best when something is very very tight on me. I now have three more fractures, L1, 2, and 3, and they are right up on three discs that are rupturing. I'm one week post surgery, and now this again! OH, how long do the Hotties stay hot?

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

Possibly about two hours but my spinal fracture is affecting my front almost as badly as my back so I found an old usb heated belt earlier on and have a charge bank. The problem with the plug in is unplugging every time you need to get up.

[Southerngirl2787 in reply to elaine2447]

Yes, having an attachment is confining. My abdominal area is so sore with these lower fractures, and yes, the front and back torso are horrible. I've had 4 fusions, told the neurosurgeon I'd have more of those over these awful fractures. Each kypho has been awful as well, since I have a bunch of fractures, there is no time of pain relief!

[elaine2447 in reply to Southerngirl2787]

I would be too nervous to have kyphoplasty unless it was in the US where they use bone cells instead of cement.

[Southerngirl2787]

I'll also add that a routine X-ray may not show the fracture, it's the cheapest radiology, but it's flawed. I experienced that twice...then asked for MRI, and voila, I "suddenly" had 5 fractures, all severe.