Discussing the Connect between Menopause and Osteoporotic Spine Fractures

The spine, also known as the backbone, is the body’s primary support structure. The spine is what holds your body upright. Connecting different parts of the musculoskeletal system, it is responsible for carrying out actions like sitting, standing, twisting, and bending.

In a healthy individual, the spine is shaped like a horizontally compressed S.

The following parts comprise the spine -

• Vertebrae

The spine has 33 vertebrae stacked on top of each other to form the spinal canal. The spinal canal protects the spinal cord and nerves from pressure and injuries. Out of 33, 31 vertebrae can move independently, the last 2, namely, the sacrum and coccyx are fused together and are unable to move.

• Facet Joints

The facet joints are the connective tissue between two vertebrae. It is the facet joints that allow the vertebrae to slide against each other, comprising the spine’s range of motion. These joints make the spine flexible and hold it in place. They may become compromised due to bone arthritis; in which case you should seek out pain management options.

• Intervertebral discs

Intervertebral discs are flat, circular cushions made of a soft, jelly-like center known as the nucleus pulposus and an outer ring, named the annulus. The discs act as the spine’s shock absorbers. Herniated discs are a common ailment that many Americans face in their lifetime.

• Spinal Cord (and other Nerves)

The spinal cord is a column of nerves that extend from the base of your head to the lower back, through the spinal canal. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves that branch out from the vertebral openings. The spinal cord is essential to relay stimuli from the muscles to the brain and signals from the brain back to the muscles.

• Soft Tissue

This includes ligaments and tendons that connect the vertebral column and impart mobility and support and connect the bones to the muscles respectively.

Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures and Menopause

A majority of postmenopausal women report feeling back pain. Thankfully in most women, this back pain is not indicative of any serious disease and is often resolved within 2-4 weeks. However, if your back pain shows no signs of submitting and gets progressively worse with time, it may be an acute case.

Acute back pain in postmenopausal women is caused by vertebral fractures. As people near their 30s, the bone’s regenerative capacity slows down and they start losing more bone than what their body can regenerate. This deficit results in weak bones, otherwise known as osteoporosis. Women are four times as likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

This huge disparity is caused by the fact that as women reach menopausal age, the levels of estrogen in their bodies plummet significantly. Low estrogen results in eroding of the bone tissue and ultimately spinal compression fractures (another term for osteoporotic vertebral fractures). Women should immediately see a pain management specialist if they notice persistent back pain after their menopause.

How to Treat Spinal Compression Fractures?

Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers’ pain management doctors are well versed in dealing with weak bones and compression fractures. Our treatment plans are formulated with special attention to the following -

• Alleviating the risk of fractures

• Support and fasten the healing process

• Take care of bone fragility and prevent subsequent fractures

Usually, a regular treatment plan will include -

• Ample rest

• Bracing the troubled region

• Medication for pain

• Chiropractic care and physical therapy

• Surgery (only if all else fails)

Live pain-free with us, call (405) 751-0011 to schedule a consultation.

**Disclaimer: These tips are not advised or suggested by doctors. The products that are promoted here are not FDA CERTIFIED to treat, cure or prevent any disease.