The consequences of a fracture of the lumbar vertebrae are very serious, often irreversible for he alth. It is often the result of a fall from a height or an accident, although there may be other causes. In what other situations can a compression fracture of the lumbar vertebrae occur with consequences? What symptoms point to it? What is the treatment? How to provide first aid to a person with a suspected fracture of 1 lumbar vertebra before treatment?
Consequences
This phenomenon is directly life threatening and has serious, often irreversible he alth consequences. As the experience of doctors shows, fractures and other injuries of the spine most often concern the cervical region. The most serious injury in this part of the spine is damage to the spinal cord, which causes paralysis or paresis of the upper or lower extremities, as well as respiratory problems, bladder control and anal sphincters.
Types and causes
The most common type of spinal fracture is a neck fracture. In this case, it comes to bending the spine forward to a degree that exceeds the physiological range of motion. This most often occurs as a result of a sharp turn of the head or forward torso, for example, the passengers of a car in an accident (if they are wearing seat belts).
The most common causes of spinal fractures in Russia are falls from a height (especially jumping "on your head" into the water) and traffic accidents. Other causes are crushing with a heavy object and bone loss. In all cases, treatment of a compression fracture of a lumbar vertebra must begin immediately.
Especially dangerous cases of injury or fracture of the cervical spine. They occur when performing long and hard physical work. Injury to the thoracic spine, coccyx occurs as a result of a sharp impact on these parts. This type of injury rarely causes damage to the spinal cord, so it is not considered the most life-threatening.
Compression fracture of the spine is a disorder in which there is compression of the vertebrae, mainly in the front. This type of violation usually occurs as a result of an external force in the parietal region of the skull (for example, in an accident) or as a result of a fall from a height onto the legs or buttocks. A risk factor for a compression fracture of the spine is also cancer, advanced age, and osteoporosis or otherdiseases that reduce bone quality.
Fracture of 1 lumbar vertebra with consequences most often affects young males of working age.
Cases where there is no pressure on the spinal cord are considered less dangerous, because it does not come to moving the vertebrae. However, if the force is large, then the spinal cord may be damaged. Such spinal fractures are known as the most dangerous, occur most often in the cervical region and occur as a result of a fall on the head from a great height, jumping into shallow water (when the head hits the bottom or something hard that lies on the bottom) or in an accident.
Fractured spine: symptoms
The first symptoms are pain in the back, neck or shoulders. Their strongest focus is at the fracture site, it "diverges" along the entire back. Symptoms appear in case of a sudden fracture of the spine. A fracture of 1 vertebra of the lumbar spine before the consequences of the most dangerous kind (for example, this may occur as a result of osteoporosis) may not give any symptoms.
Additional symptoms:
- swelling or deformity along the spine;
- numbness or lack of sensation below a certain level and/or in limbs;
- flabbiness of the limbs, inability to perform movements;
- low heart rate (below 50 beats per minute);
- difficulty breathing (damage to the spinal cord can cause muscle or diaphragm paralysis);
- urinary incontinence andfeces (dysfunction of the sphincters);
- persistent erection of the penis (priapism);
- hot and dry skin.
First Aid
The consequences of a compression fracture of a lumbar vertebra are considered serious, treatment for this reason is started immediately. It is important to be able to provide first aid in such cases. If a casu alty is suspected to have a spinal fracture, during first aid, the casu alty should be left in the position in which he was found so as not to expose him to additional injuries.
The exception is when it is necessary to give artificial respiration or stop the bleeding. When it is necessary to move the victim to another place, stabilize the head, keeping it along the axis of the body, and then lay the patient on a hard surface.
Diagnosis and treatment
In diagnostics, visual examination is used - X-ray, computed tomography or MRI. Treatment depends on the type of fracture (stable, unstable). If a fracture occurs but the spine is stabilized with ligaments and bursae and there is no risk of spinal cord injury, surgery is not required.
The most serious injury is a fracture of the spine in the cervical region. In this case, the damaged sections are immobilized with the help of a collar or orthopedic corset. Stable vertebral fractures include, for example, injuries resulting from osteoporosis.
In case of fractures that cause the spine to becomeunstable, perform the operation. Its purpose is to fuse the damaged sections and free the spinal cord or nerve roots from excessive compression. The operation is urgently performed in patients with signs of partial damage to the spinal cord, this becomes noticeable in the course of research. After the operation, rehabilitation is necessary. The consequences of treating a fracture of 1 lumbar vertebra after surgery can be favorable.
Rehab
In relation to a patient with a similar injury, the full range of rehabilitation actions is used. In the initial period, procedures are used, the purpose of which is to restore and stimulate bone growth (magnetic laser therapy) and improve blood supply and nutrition to soft tissues (low-frequency pulsed currents, massage). Cryotherapy can be used to reduce pain.
The next stage of rehabilitation, after the stabilization of the bone, is kinesitherapy, that is, exercises, the purpose of which is to strengthen the muscles of the spine. It is also useful to wear special flexible plates that have a stabilizing effect.
When a lumbar vertebral fracture occurs, treatment is not immediate in all cases, as symptoms are not always visible immediately. A spinal fracture is most often the result of a mechanical injury or a bone disorder.
The consequences of treatment of a fracture of 1st lumbar vertebra are considered extremely serious. Depending on whether inhow much damage was, they will be different.
Can I walk?
The answer depends on the type of injury, the situation in which the fracture occurred, and the degree of damage to the spinal cord. When it comes to a fracture of 1 lumbar vertebra, treatment (with consequences, whatever they may be) suggests that the patient can most often continue to walk, sometimes even desirable. Cells that produce bone tissue are stimulated, they contribute to the healing of the damaged area. But keep in mind that there may be violations that do not give out obvious symptoms. The patient is active, and the vertebrae wear out, cracks appear.
Among spinal fractures, there are cases when it is stable and unstable. The first case is quite safe, it excludes damage to the spinal cord. The consequences of a fracture do not threaten nearby tissues. In this case, conservative treatment is often sufficient, the use of means that additionally stabilize the column, for example, orthopedics and rehabilitation, including physiotherapy.
In the second case, the vertebrae are damaged so much that the column is crushed in places of injury, and the branches of the vertebrae threaten the integrity of the spinal cord. It reaches life-threatening conditions.
Osteoporosis
The question of the consequences of treating a fracture of the 3rd vertebra of the lumbar spine is often asked by people with osteoporosis. An osteoporotic fracture is a type of compression fracture of the spine. Due to this disease, changes in bone tissues lead to the fact that they become much lessstrong, under pressure and the weight of their own body, they do not withstand long. Overweight women and postmenopausal women often struggle with osteoporosis. When 3 vertebrae of the lumbar spine are fractured in this way, the treatment of the consequences focuses on the region of the lumbosacral region, in these places the violation occurs most often in osteoporosis.
Injury to the neck occurs most often as a result of a blow to the head, falling from a height on the head and jumping into the water. When there is a fracture of the body of the spine without damage to the spinal cord, rehabilitation supports a rapid recovery of he alth. However, when a compression fracture occurs, treatment can be complex and time-consuming, often starting with surgery. A fracture of the cervical spine is the most life-threatening injury due to the fact that the main centers of life, such as the respiratory organs, are concentrated nearby. A fracture in the cervical spine with spinal cord injury can lead to upper and lower extremity involvement, breathing problems, and lack of bladder or anal sphincter control.
A broken thoracic region is common after falling from a height on the back, buttocks, straight legs and during a strong sharp bend of the spine. Even a minor fracture of the thoracic spine with displacement can cause neurological disorders, so it is important that rehabilitation after such an injury is of high quality.
Consequences
The consequences of lumbar vertebral fracture rarely interact with disorders during treatmentneurological. Rehabilitation in this case is milder due to the stable state, the continuation of the normal functioning of the body.
It is important to remember that the consequences of treating a lumbar vertebral fracture for this reason do not always occur immediately after the injury. Detection of violations of this type occurs in the course of studies conducted against the background of other diseases, for example, x-rays of the lungs. Typical symptoms of a fracture are swelling and deformity of the spine in the place where there are violations, severe diffuse pain in the area of injury, irradiation to the limb, difficulty walking, change in posture, decreased body height, numbness, impaired sensitivity below the fracture site, flabbiness of the limbs, reduced heart rate, dry skin.
How treatment is chosen
When pathological changes occur, fracture of the lumbar vertebrae, treatment of the consequences is necessary. Often the most important thing is first aid. With any type of spinal injury, lower back pain, swelling and hematoma appear. It is mainly used conservative treatment by using immobilization of the spine. After treatment, proper rehabilitation is important. Bruises, fractures of the lumbar vertebrae in the treatment of consequences are less common than injuries of the cervical spine.
Orthopedist
Injuries to the spine can be life threatening. If there is severe pain even when trying to move or numbness of the limbs, it is necessary to fix the spine in the cervical region. Then it should be transportedpatient to the hospital for a full examination and treatment. In case of minor ailments, rest for a few days and painkillers may be sufficient. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
Additional information
Injuries to the lumbar spine occur as a result of a fall on the back, buttocks or lower limbs, as well as a blow to the spine. Sometimes a fracture of the spine in several episodes may indicate a pathological situation as a result of comorbidities, such as osteoporosis, Paget's disease, or cancer metastases.
In the case of osteoporosis, compression fractures of the 4th lumbar vertebra with consequences occur much more often. The impact for injury should not be large - it can be caused, for example, by bending over or lifting a slightly heavier than usual object.
Such a vertebral fracture can also proceed slowly and gradually. In this case, pain may be less severe, chronic, or absent altogether.
Characteristic, and sometimes the only symptoms, may be: reduced growth and deformation of posture (deepening of kyphosis of the chest).
Osteoporosis develops typically in postmenopausal women and less frequently in older men.
Risk factors for osteoporosis:
- old age;
- female;
- white race;
- low BMI;
- tobacco smoking;
- genetic predisposition;
- deficiency of sex hormones: for example, earlymenopause, premature ovarian failure, late puberty;
- calcium and vitamin D3 deficiency;
- certain drugs: long-term use of glucocorticoids, high doses of thyroid hormones, heparin, anticonvulsants.
In addition, some diseases affect the appearance of osteoporosis.
