Fractures

[Viking1822]

How do you know you have a fracture ?

[Armagnac]

for a start it is likely to be very painful. I thought my three fractured vertebrae were a muscular problem so I saw an osteopath (in France) and a physiotherapist back in the uk. This probably did no good at all. Best is a MRI scan to say what is going on. I think this also show nerves. Mine showed the three vertebrae with cracks running through them. At this point they had not compressed, this came later.

[Freshair24]

I didn't know I had a compressed vertebrae fracture until I had a dexa scan ,so they can be pain free .

[Lopera in reply to Freshair24]

Hi,

I didn't find out I had fractures until after I had an MRI. I began with mild back pain which got progressively worse until I found I had to sleep in a reclining chair as getting out of bed was too painful. My GP had recommended physio and when I went back and said it's not working, he suggested osteopathy which unfortunately I tried.

I think I may have another right now as I have been getting the same progression of pain over the last 4 or 5 days. Coincidentally I am seeing a Dr privately for osteoporosis today and will ask whether I should have an MRI or xray. I will let you know his recommendation. The pain is fine when lying, worse standing or sitting. I hope that helps and I hop you just have back ache.

[Viking1822 in reply to Freshair24]

That's quite worrying. I think before joining this forum I read if you have backache it doesn't mean it's the osteoporosis that's causing it. I put it down to age and overdoing things but it sounds as if it could be a fracture. Thanks for telling me.

[Viking1822]

Thank you for your replies it sounds awful. Hope you both get satisfactory answers from your appointments. In the past I've had sciatica twice which lasted nearly 2 years both times. You enter another world don't you. The only thing that helped was walking.

[Olliemaya]

I have a doctors appointment because of the pain going down my left leg..some days are worse than others. I am not sure if its sciatica but I do get a pain in my back when I move at times and a pulling under my buttock. Is this the same symptoms that you have had.

[Viking1822 in reply to Olliemaya]

It could be but your Doctor should confirm this. The first time in 2000 I had to pay for an MRI and nerve root injection. I had a trapped nerve. The more recent one was just before covid. By the the time the pain clinic reopened the pain had started to go. I hope your doctor can help. Be very careful living heavy weights and over reaching. Good luck.

[DeannaAlphi]

We are all different and fractures are not all the same. My spinal fractures have all been very sharp pain, and accompaning muscle spasms which are a different pain. Muscle pain has been ongoing is some areas of my back for over ten years.

Recently am seeing a brilliant physio who has completely got rid of one area of pain and is working on another area. I recently learned from him that that pain was due to seized muscles. It is interesting that a consultant told me never to allow anyone to lay hands on me .....and it is just that, massage, which is relieving me of very long term pain.

My most recent thoracic fractures remain so painful I cannot tolerate wearing a bra for long and even then only with 2 bra extenders. These fractures happened just before last Christmas, a year ago and the pain there is still sharp.

Some people feel no pain at all, perhaps a gradual curve of the spine and also a loss of height.

Hope some of this helps answer your question.

[Midori]

It can be difficult to tell without an X-ray. The main things to look for are deformity, if in one of the long bones, swelling, bruising, maybe difficulty in moving it. Pain is usually there, but not always, but it could just be a tenderness.

You really need to get an X-ray.

Cheers, Midori