Can Osteoporosis or Osteopenia effect a compression fracture contained by the spinal vertebrae?
Does anyone know the most common causes of compression fractures of the cervical vertebrae? My mother was lately diagnosed with a compression fracture in her spinal cord at C7 (neck area).
She was Dx w/osteopenia 4 years ago, but hasn't taken any steps to prevent further progression excluding calcium supplements (and not routinely). She has a history of bone fractures, as she fractured her wrist about 2 years ago in a minor slump.
She has yearly mammograms and had lung X-rays taken concluding year as part of her annual physical. Everything was fine: no traces of cancer in any place. She is 64 y/o, caucasian, non-smoker, healthy and active, and other than have hypothyroidism, she has no other history of disease.
Her recent MRI did not reveal any type of tumor at the sight, however, they want to do further testing to receive sure she doesn't have a malignancy anywhere else in her body. Apparently many cancer can matastasize in the spine.
What are the chances this compression fracture is due to a lack of bone density and NOT to an undisclosed malignancy elsewhere in the body?
Please sight any references, first.
Thanks for your help.
Answers: go here. lots of sites with lots of info.
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Can+...
This is most predictable due to your mother's osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes the bones to weaken, which in turn puts your mother at greater risk for fractures and breaks. This includes the bony spinal column. If she is not taking Cal/Mag supplements, her osteoporosis will verbs to progress, and she will continue to be at high risk for fractures and breaks. Maybe this incident will encourage her to start taking better contemplation of herself, to prevent this from recurring. Well, Do what the doctors say, they do know what they are talking almost. But to snswer your question. Yes osteoporosis can and does cause compression fractures. It did on my mom.
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