Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers Treatments For A Dowager’s Hump

Thinning of the bones can occur at any age, but it is most commonly noticed in elderly people. As the bones weaken, they can collapse or compress, causing fractures in the spine. In some cases, a dowager’s hump (also sometimes called a widow’s hump) can develop as a result of several collapsed bones. This can be quite painful, as you could imagine, but there is hope. Our Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers team offers a treatment for spine fractures.

How do you know if you have a dowager’s hump?

The hump is simply a severe rounding of the upper back. This causes poor, stooped posture for those suffering from the alteration in the shape of their spine due to the weakened, damaged bones. For elderly women, this is often a sign of advanced osteoporosis.

The procedure, “percutaneous vertebroplasty,” involves placing a small needle into the crushed bone. Our Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers team does not require our patients to endure open surgery for this procedure as the doctor will utilize x-ray equipment to position the needle into the correct location. Bone cement is injected into the bone to secure or stabilize the spine. If more than one bone needs to be treated, they can all be injected within one visit to avoid multiple appointments to the Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers facility.

The procedure is safe and most patients can resume normal activity within 24 hours. If you have special circumstances, your doctor will discuss them with you on an individual basis.

Do you have ongoing back pain caused by broken bones in your back? If so, vertebroplasty may be your solution!

To determine if you’re a good candidate for a vertebroplasty procedure, you’ll need to talk to an Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers physician. An x-ray and an MRI or bone scan may be necessary to identify the fractures and determine their age.

To make an appointment or speak with Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers, please feel free to give us a call at 405-751-0011.