A compression fracture is when one bone is broken and pressing up against another bone. A great example of this is the vertebral column of the thoracic spine. Compression fractures can be caused from various reasons. One of the most common is osteoporosis, which is bone thinning and usually happens in post menopausal women. Other reasons are METS (metastatic cancer), falling, lifting injuries, and even coughing or sneezing.
There are several different ways of treating this condition. Giving the patient NSAIDS (non-steriod anti-inflammatory drugs) will help with the inflammation and some pain. I found it very supprising that WebMD said, "anti-depressants can also help relieve nerve related pain." Simply wearing a brace can also help or patients could go a completely different route and have surgery done. Kyphoplasty is probably on of the most common types of surgery. It is where the physician injects a substance of bone acrylic in the vertebral body to help stabilize it. The patient must have a new fracture to have this type of procedure done. Vertebroplasty is very similar to kyphoplasty, but it does not use an inflated balloon to help position the vertebral height. Spinal fusions and bone grafts are other methods of treating this condition.
References:
WebMD.com
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