Spinal compression

[anapurna]

Hi there

I have crushed my T7 vertebrae by stupidly falling over. Anyone else experienced and recovered from this type of injury?

[makemepainfree]

There could be nerve damage done have you had an mri scan done?

[anapurna in reply to makemepainfree]

No just an X-ray but the GP says the referred pain is evidence of nerve damage. She is putting me on a weekly bone medication to assist healing but warned me to read the side effects and have any outstanding dental work done first! Any information on this would be welcome.

[jezr45 in reply to anapurna]

Nerve damage can be longterm, if its still going on ask for and MRI to properly check the area.Generally as long as the discs and the vertebae aren't damaged and only bruised recovery will take time . The reason you are on bone medication is to aid recovery, as its probably calcium based this will affect your teeth, which is why you she wants you to get them checked before you get much further in your treatment.

If you are offered physiotherapy take it and continue with the exercises. Take the pain medaction offered but be aware that it can take upto a week before you feel the benefit. Be aware of the side affects though, monitor yourself religiously whilst taking pain medication. If its going to be longterm, insist on regular Full-Blood-Count test to be carried out as some meds have an adverse affect on your liver and kidneys.Main thing is to keep active, don't ignore the pain signals though. Rest when you need to and protect it whilst it heals by not heavy lifting and no turning your upper body past the pain limit.

You are lucky with where the damage is, I'm living with damage to C1, C7/T1 and L4-5/S1. None of the damage for me is repairable, I'm stuck in a damage limitation exercise with pain meds until I physically cannot walk anymore.

Take care and good luck. Don't be afraid to question your GP, their general practitioners, not specialists.

[anapurna in reply to jezr45]

Thanks for all this good advice Jezr. I’m hoping that the bone meds will add strength and that the referred nerve pain will cease in time. I have good days and less good days! I am sorry to hear about your own spinal injury and realise that mine has been a simpler compression. I hope that your pain is minimised as much as possible and your mobility is maintained. All my best wishes.

[jezr45 in reply to anapurna]

Thank you, I'm lucky in that I try not to dwell on it too much. I've friends who have steel rods in their back as their spine crumbles from osteoarthritus, she's in a wheelchair, another broke his neck diving, he's also in a wheelchair.

I'm very lucky in being only in pain. Thats easy to cope with after a while, my accident was in 1992, one month after I married. We went on to have four beautiful children, so I see myself as very lucky in life.

Take care, and hope it all goes well.

[Celtic in reply to anapurna]

If the “bone treatment ‘ to which you refer is bisohosphonates, the need for any major dental work to be carried out before embarking on it is because bisphosphonates carry a risk of necrosis if the jaw bone.