Your spine is comprised of vertebrae, and each vertebral body has a small bony section that points out towards your back. These bony sections are known as the spinal process. Ligaments and muscles attach to the spinal processes in order to help aid in flexibility and movement. However, like any bone, the spinal process can be prone to fracture if it is subjected to trauma. Below, we take a look at what occurs during a spinal process fracture, and explain how it’s treated.
Causes and Symptoms of Spinal Process Fractures
Spinal process fractures are typically caused by acute trauma to the spine. Some of the more common actions that can result in such trauma include:
- Automobile accidents
- Falls
- Being thrown from bicycles, ATV or other personal transportation devices
- Ski or snowboard crashes
- Trauma from fights
- Collisions during athletic activity
Aside from these direct causes, there are also some factors that put you at an increased risk for suffering a process fracture. Those risks include being older, having osteoporosis, or having another health conditions that weakens bones or muscle mass. Symptoms of a spinal process fracture include severe pain in the region that is worsened by movement or breathing, tenderness, swelling, numbness, a tingling sensation, decreased range of motion in the spine and potentially inhibited bladder control. In rare cases, an unstable spinal process fracture can lead to spinal cord damage.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Process Fractures
The diagnostic process involves a review of your symptoms and medical history, as well as a consultation with a specialist about the circumstances that led to your injury. Since there are a lot of small parts in your spine, your doctor will want to confirm your diagnosis with the assistance of an imaging test like an X-ray, MRI or CT scan. This will allow the doctor to figure out what type of fracture has occurred, and the location of the affected vertebrae.
Once you’ve been diagnosed with a specific process fracture, your doctor will walk you through come of the more common treatment options. Odds are they’ll recommend that you try a combination of conservative techniques to address your fracture. Some of the most common treatment options include:
- Immobilization, either with a brace or simple activity limitation.
- Rest.
- Physical therapy to strengthen supportive structures.
- Anti-inflammatory and OTC pain medications.
The good news is that most spinal process fractures heal on their own without surgery, so rest and physical therapy can have you back to normal in a number of weeks. If your fracture is unstable or it is threatening the integrity of your spinal cord, then surgery may be in order. During a surgical operation, the doctor will use spinal hardware to hold the process in place to allow adequate healing and stabilize the injury site. Any vertebral fractures or spinal cord compression will also be addressed during the operation.
Overall, the outlook is good for patients who suffer a process fracture, but even if you don’t think you’ll need surgery, it’s in your best interest to seek out an evaluation from a spinal surgeon like Dr. Sinicropi. Contact his office today if you have any questions or concerns.
