Treatment Options - Compression Fractures
Expert care and relief for compression fractures.
Get past the severe, debilitating pain with effective, minimally invasive treatment.
Because they are part of a major load-bearing structure in the body, vertebrae are particularly prone to fracture. This is why vertebral compression fractures are the most common fracture among people who have osteoporosis, a disease marked by loss of bone mass. When these fractures occur, the vertebral body loses its height (compresses), which can lead to severe pain.
Vertebral fractures are common, painful and serious.
The structure of the human back is an amazing piece of engineering. Vertebrae and discs are held together by an intricate network of ligaments and muscles, allowing your body to bend, twist, run and carry the weight of your body and the many things you’ll lift throughout your life, such as children and grocery bags. The complexity of the back makes it prone to injury.
Each year, roughly 700,000 vertebral fractures occur, about 85% due to osteoporosis. Worse, about a third of vertebral compression fractures will become chronically painful. The reason why is that vertebral compression fractures cause changes in the shape of the spine and compression of nerve roots or even the spinal cord itself. The result can be debilitating pain, lost mobility and function, reduced quality of life and a number of serious potential health problems.
Treating vertebral compression fractures and their pain has been a challenge.
Historically, vertebral compression fractures have been treated conservatively. Surgery is usually a last resort, as osteoporosis patients have a high failure rate for reconstructive surgeries. While conservative treatments work for some, many patients’ pain remains significant and constant. Traditionally, treating this unresolved pain has been a challenge...and did little to address the other health repercussions or increased mortality associated with these fractures.
Get state-of-the-art treatment and comprehensive care for lasting relief.
Today, Dr. Ledbetter, Dr. Forte and Dr. Gordon offer leading-edge treatment that can relieve the pain of vertebral compression fracture, stabilize the vertebral body and help minimize other health consequences. Both fellowship-trained in pain management, they are the area’s only board-certified pain specialists offering the two most successful treatments for vertebral compression fractures:
Vertebroplasty – With the injection of special surgical cement into the vertebral body, this procedure stabilizes it, which can dramatically and permanently reverse a patient’s pain.
Kyphoplasty – For severely compressed vertebrae, kyphoplasty may be the procedure of choice. During this procedure, a small balloon is inflated inside the vertebra, creating a space and often increasing vertebral height before the special stabilizing cement is injected.
Please visit our patient education library to learn more about chronic pain management solutions.
Dedicated to helping you overcome pain.
Don’t let pain prevent you from living your life. Get Northeast Louisiana’s most complete range of modern treatment options — and lasting relief — from highly trained, highly credentialed pain specialists. Dr. Ledbetter, Dr. Forte and Dr. Gordon are the only board-certified and fellowship-trained pain physicians in the northeast Louisiana and south Arkansas area. They have accurately diagnosed painful conditions in thousands of patients, and then successfully controlled their pain while improving their quality of life. They have helped people return to work, sports, activities, hobbies and lifestyles. Discover how they can help you, too.
We encourage, honor and welcome your referrals.
For more information about relief from chronic pain, call Louisiana Pain Care in Monroe or Ruston at (318) 323-6405 today or use our online appointment request form.