Spinal fissure: symptoms, treatment, causes

A fissure in the spine is a serious pathology that is not much different from a full-fledged fracture. In simple terms, a crack in bone tissue means that there are no signs of a final breakdown of integrity. But it can arise at any moment. Therefore, immobilization measures for bone cracks are mandatory.

You can find out more reliable information about the symptoms and treatment of spinal fissures from the material presented to your attention. It also talks about the potential causes of this bone lesion. Methods for restoring the health of the spinal column using manual therapy methods are presented.

So, a crack in the spine can occur in its different structures:

most often it is determined in the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc, which is dehydrated against the background of a long course of degenerative dystrophic disease (osteochondrosis);
in second place in terms of frequency of diagnosis is a crack in the spinous or arcuate process of the vertebra - the injury is often found in young people leading an active, mobile lifestyle;
in third place, radiologists confidently locate cracks in the vertebral bodies, but these types of injuries are often diagnosed in patients who have suffered an accident or in elderly people with developing osteoporosis.

A crack is a violation of the integrity of bone tissue without displacement and divergence of fragments. Those. There is no complete violation of integrity. The damaged element retains its physiological shape, but does not have the same properties as completely healthy tissue. With the continuation of traumatic effects of even low intensity, the crack always passes into the stage of a full fracture. It differs in that it causes complete separation of bone tissue fragments.

With regard to the fibrous ring of the intervertebral disc, we can say that if the doctor’s recommendations are not followed, the crack can at any time go into the stage of extrusion (rupture) with the formation of an intervertebral hernia.

Do not underestimate the seriousness of your condition when diagnosing a fissure in the spine; in fact, this can lead to a complete fracture and paralysis of the body. Follow all doctor's recommendations. Get full treatment. Be sure to carry out rehabilitation in order to restore the functionality of all tissues of the spinal column. If this stage is skipped, then there is a high probability of developing a variety of negative health consequences.

In Moscow, to undergo rehabilitation after suffering a fissure in the spine, you can contact our manual therapy clinic. Experienced doctors conduct consultations here. You can make an appointment right now for a free appointment with a vertebrologist. To do this, fill out the registration form located at the bottom of the page.

During your initial free consultation, the doctor will conduct a full examination, review your medical documentation and give individual recommendations for comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation with complete restoration of all functions of the spinal column.

general characteristics

The term “fissure in the spine” is not in any medical reference book. This is due to the fact that the pathological condition involves an incomplete fracture of the ridge. In some cases, the severity of the condition is not inferior to a full-fledged fracture, so ignoring such a diagnosis is dangerous. The crack can be localized on the vertebral body, process or arch. The injury usually does not affect the spinal cord since there is no displacement, but it all depends on the nature of the injury.

A crack in a vertebra in most cases appears as a result of compression and is diagnosed using an x-ray. In the image, the doctor notices a violation of the integrity of the bone tissue, which requires long-term treatment. In general, the course takes up to 12 weeks.

Reasons for appearance

A crack appears in the spine as a result of strong pressure or compression of bone tissue. A person can receive such a mechanical impact at work, when falling from a height, or even in a fight. The reasons are varied, but the main ones are:

Road traffic accident.
Falling from stairs or a high climb onto your back.
Hitting the spine with a heavy object.
A heavy object falling on your back.
A sharp turn of the body.
Lifting weights without adequate physical training.
Chronic pathologies that systemically destroy bone or connective tissue (intervertebral discs).
Age-related changes in the spine.

In general, there are only two reasons for loss of bone tissue integrity: injury or disease. If in the first case external physical influence is required, then in the second a careless rotation of the body is sufficient. Contributing factors include alcohol abuse, increased strength training without specialist supervision, a sedentary lifestyle, excess weight, and lack of treatment for osteochondrosis or arthrosis.

Symptoms

Signs of a crack in the spine directly depend on the nature of the injury. If these are injuries, then the victim feels acute pain or limited mobility, numbness of the limbs. When the cause is pathology or senile changes, patients complain of loss of sensitivity in certain areas of the body, as well as muscle hypertonicity.

The pathological condition is characterized by:

Rehabilitation after a spinal fracture

Aching pain in the affected area, which manifests itself even at rest.
Discomfort increases with changes in body position.
When palpating the painful area, acute discomfort is felt.
Hypertonicity or tightening of muscle tissue located next to the damaged area.
Mobility of the area during palpation.
Acute muscle pain when moving.
Inability to raise a straight leg while lying on your back without an attack of acute pain.
Limitation of spinal mobility.

Patients consult a doctor with back pain, stiffness, swelling, hematomas, or changes in gait. Also, the symptoms largely depend on the location of the crack:

Cervical region. Frequent headaches, flashing “black spots” before the eyes, dizziness, numbness of the arms or shoulders.
Thoracic department. Persistent impairment of the normal functioning of the upper extremities, frequent cough, girdle pain, problems with respiratory function, angina pectoris.
Lumbar region. Paresis of the legs, dysfunction of the genital organs, girdle pain in the lower back, paresis of the lower extremities, disruption of the functioning of the internal organs.

During the diagnostic process, the cause of the pathological condition is discovered and a suitable course of treatment is prescribed. It is quite difficult to suspect a crack on your own, since the symptoms are similar to a number of other diseases. Therefore, a comprehensive study is required.

Degree of damage

Traumatologists and orthopedists divide fractures according to their location in the spine. More often than others, the lower thoracic region is susceptible to damage, at the junction of the thoracic and lumbar. The lumbar region is rarely injured, and even less often the cervical region is injured. Due to the tightly fused bone of five vertebrae, fractures in the sacral region are practically impossible.

The degree of damage is determined by the changed vertebral height:

first – decrease by less than a third;
second – reduction by less than half;
third – a decrease by more than half.

Diagnostic procedures

When a patient consults a doctor, it is important to fully describe at what point the symptoms began and what contributed to the injury. If spinal injuries are suspected, the patient is prescribed a number of diagnostic procedures. The following types of hardware techniques allow visualization of a crack in the spine:

X-ray.
CT.
MRI.

Angiography and electroneurography are used as additional techniques if, in addition to the crack, there are concomitant pathological conditions of soft tissues. They allow you to determine the neglect of the situation, assess the progression and condition of blood vessels, soft tissues, and nerve endings.

Falling from a height is one of the most common causes of spinal fractures.

Alternative methods of rehabilitation and restoration of normal functioning of the spine

Alternative methods include swimming and yoga, using a special diet and taking vitamins.

Nutrition during this period should include a sufficient amount of protein foods of plant and animal origin, as well as jelly-like foods, which are necessary to restore the normal functioning of cartilage. You should also consume low-fat dairy products. You need to eat fractionally, eating food 5-6 times a day in small portions. During the rehabilitation period, B vitamins are used, as well as calcium, vitamins C and D, and phosphorus.

Fractures and other spinal injuries are a serious problem that should not be joked about. Failure to see a doctor in a timely manner and negligent attitude towards oneself during the rehabilitation period can lead to a number of complications and related problems. such as treatment of osteochondrosis.

First aid for injury

If a person was injured in an accident or at home, it is important to know how to help him before the ambulance arrives. There is no need for the patient to try to stand up abruptly, since it is impossible to immediately determine the degree of injury by eye. For some time it is better not to change the position of the body at all. Immobility of the injured area is the key to worsening the injury.

When a victim is injured as a result of a fall, he may experience pain shock for some time, which does not allow him to give an objective assessment of his sensations. He may insist that he is fine and try to get up. To prevent rupture of the spinal cord, first aid is required. It is as follows:

Transfer the person as carefully as possible onto a stretcher or shield, using a large number of people, to avoid changing the position of the spine.
Using available means and things, fix the person in one position (cardboard, sheets, tourniquets, corset).
The neck is fixed using a cotton-gauze collar if the technique for performing the procedure is known, otherwise it is better not to do so as not to cause harm.
Do not attempt to move or transport the patient to the hospital yourself.
If a person experiences severe excruciating pain, before doctors arrive, it is allowed to use drugs such as Ibuprofen or Analgin.

Before the ambulance arrives, the severity of the injuries received should be determined. To do this, attention is paid to the presence of clear and coherent speech, clear consciousness, sensitivity of the limbs, pulse rate and blood pressure. All this data is transmitted to doctors to quickly provide the necessary assistance.

Treatment of a fissure in the spine

Treatment of a crack in the spine begins with establishing the location and extent of damage to the bone tissue. Depending on the results obtained, adequate therapy is prescribed, aimed at improving well-being, eliminating autonomic disorders and complete rehabilitation. The course includes taking medications, visiting a physiotherapist and exercise therapy. Full recovery from such an injury occurs in about a year.

As many people as possible should be involved in shifting a person with an injury

Drug therapy

If there is acute pain or inflammation, swelling, the doctor prescribes a set of drugs aimed at relieving unpleasant symptoms. Typically it includes the following groups:

Analgesics (“Paracetamol”, “Analgin”, “Pentalgin”). They are aimed at relieving pain, normalizing the condition as a whole, and returning sound sleep at night. They are used in the form of injections in a hospital setting, or tablets for outpatient treatment. The painkiller is selected individually, taking into account the severity of the injury and the presence of neurological symptoms.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Nise, Nurofen, Diclofenac). They are prescribed as an alternative to painkillers and help to cope not only with unpleasant symptoms, but also eliminate swelling and inflammation. Prescribed in the form of tablets, capsules or injections. It is permissible to combine NSAIDs in the form of an ointment or gel with any type of pain reliever.
Muscle relaxants (Sirdalud, Baclofen). They effectively eliminate tension and hypertonicity of muscle tissue in the affected area. They are not always used, but only when indicated.
Chondroprotectors (“Teraflex”, “Dona”, “Arthra”). If the cause of a compression fracture, even if incomplete, is damage to the cartilage tissue, the doctor prescribes a course to stimulate its recovery. On average, the course lasts from 3 months to six months.
Mineral complexes (“Milgamma”, “Complivit”, “VitaMin”). During the treatment period, it is extremely important to increase the body's resistance and restore the conductivity of nerve fibers. For this purpose, vitamin-containing preparations are prescribed; vitamin B, selenium, calcium, and silicon are especially useful.

For swelling, diuretics and drugs that improve blood flow are also used. Drug therapy is auxiliary in nature and after the relief of unpleasant symptoms, physiotherapeutic procedures are required.

Physiotherapy

Rehabilitation of a patient with a spinal fissure includes various physiotherapeutic procedures. All of them are aimed at relieving acute pain, strengthening the immune system, stimulating blood circulation, and eliminating swelling of soft tissues. The following modern techniques are used:

Electrophoresis with a drug.
Paraffin applications.
Magnetotherapy.
Inductotherapy.
UV therapy.

The method of exposure and duration of the course are selected by the doctor, taking into account the general condition of the patient and existing concomitant pathologies. In general, at least 5-10 repetitions will be required to obtain a lasting result. You should start visiting a physiotherapist a week after the start of conservative treatment and the absence of pain.

Physiotherapy

Exercise therapy is recommended for patients with a fissure in the spine after the condition has returned to normal. The course is selected taking into account the localization of the lesion. It is aimed at restoring the tone of the muscle corset, as well as improving overall health. All exercises do not involve excessive activity or significant stress on the back. The main approaches that include in the complex:

Raising and lowering the pelvis, with a combination of inhalation and exhalation.
Deflections of the chest area.
Elements from yoga.
Walking on all fours.
Breathing exercises.

The complex helps restore normal mobility of the spine, improves blood flow, making it easier for nutrients to penetrate the affected area. They can be performed both at home and in a hospital setting, using sports equipment, or working only with your own body weight. It all depends on the doctor's recommendations.

Massage treatments

It is recommended that patients visit a chiropractor in a hospital setting on the 3rd day after admission with a diagnosis of a fissure in the spine. Massage is only a complement to physical therapy, and allows you to stimulate metabolic processes in the affected area and achieve lasting improvement. What happens during the session?

The chest is being worked on.
The muscles in the area of the costal spaces are warmed up.
Gentle effect on the stomach and thighs.
The shoulders, lower and upper limbs are worked out.

Rehabilitation includes working out all muscle groups to reduce pain and gradually improve the patient’s condition. The massage is performed exclusively by a specialist to eliminate the possibility of serious complications.

What verteboplasty looks like visually

Surgical intervention

If conservative treatment is ineffective, the doctor prescribes surgery. It is carried out using one of the following methods:

Vertebroplasty. It involves placing a metal conductor into the affected area. All actions are performed under control using an X-ray machine. On average, the procedure lasts one hour.
Kyphoplasty. It involves elevating the affected vertebra using an air capsule and fixing it in the correct position using medical cement.

If serious deformations of bone tissue are observed, or the spinal cord is affected, the use of minimally invasive techniques is unacceptable. In this case, radical intervention and a long course of rehabilitation are required.

How is osteoporosis diagnosed?

The most informative, simple, painless and fastest diagnostic method is ultrasound densitometry. This study allows you to determine bone density and the level of risk of fractures in literally 5 minutes. Densitometry can detect osteoporosis at an early stage and even minimal bone loss. During treatment, it is carried out to determine the effectiveness of therapy and the dynamics of changes in bone density.

Laboratory research:

determination of TSH level (in osteoporosis it is elevated);
general blood test (reduced hemoglobin level);
a blood test to check calcium levels (it will be elevated because calcium is washed out of the bones in the blood);
determination of alkaline phosphatase in the blood (will be increased);
urine test for calcium (any deviation may indicate pathology);
determination of testosterone levels in men (in osteoporosis it is reduced);
markers of bone destruction - deoxypyridinoline, pyridinoline, C- and N-terminal telopeptide, beta-CrossLaps (these indicators will be increased in the presence of the disease).

Additional instrumental and hardware studies:

radiography (reveals a severe stage of osteoporosis of the spine, the treatment of which will be difficult);
osteoscintigraphy (an isotope method that allows you to exclude other causes of pain in the spine and detects recent fractures);
bone biopsy (needed for atypical types of osteoporosis);
MRI (can detect fractures and bone marrow swelling).

Possible consequences

Many patients underestimate the diagnosis of spinal fissure, considering it insignificant. But self-medicating or ignoring symptoms and recommendations given by a doctor is dangerous. The consequences of the progression of the pathological condition are unpredictable, as they depend on the location of the damage. If the patient does not receive medical care, the following complications are possible:

Loss of sensation or complete numbness in the affected area of the back.
Constant headaches and migraines.
Paresis of the lower or upper extremities.
Difficulty performing simple body movements.
Pain in the affected area, limiting mobility.
Permanent disability.
Complete paralysis.

In general, if you receive timely, qualified medical care, the patient can expect a full recovery. Therefore, you should not ignore the doctor’s recommendations and follow them to the required extent.

Forecast

At the initial stages of treatment of the spinal column, doctors give cautious prognoses, even if there is a closed, uncomplicated fracture. Practice demonstrates that many patients die from spinal shock without even having time to get to the hospital emergency department. The reason is incorrectly provided first aid or its absence.

Dangerous consequences of uncomplicated injuries are the development of osteochondrosis and intervertebral hernia. If the fracture leads to damage to the spinal cord, paralysis of the limbs and loss of sensitivity are possible, which will cause disability for the victim.

To prevent damage to the spine from being fatal, it is necessary to go to a doctor at the first sign of a problem for diagnosis and follow his recommendations regarding treatment and rehabilitation.

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Preventive actions

Protecting yourself from spinal injuries is quite simple. Any negative effects on the musculoskeletal system should be avoided as much as possible, and safety rules should be followed when working at height. The following rules will also help you stay safe:

Avoid excessive physical activity, including sports.
Choose gentle activities aimed at strengthening your back (swimming, yoga, fitness).
Control your diet, avoiding acute deficiency of calcium and other beneficial components.
Promptly treat diseases that affect the condition of bone tissue or cartilage. To do this, you need to seek medical help in a timely manner and follow all doctor’s recommendations.
Adhere to the personal safety rules established by the enterprise.
Lead a healthy lifestyle and devote enough time to preventing infectious diseases.

If you receive any injuries or bruises, you should not self-medicate, but consult a doctor to prevent the crack from progressing. It is important to notify relatives and call a doctor to the place, and not try to get to a medical facility on your own.

A fissure in the spine is a serious pathological condition that is dangerous to the life and health of the patient. Therefore, it is unacceptable to treat it on your own. In order to prevent permanent disruption of the functioning of internal organs or the musculoskeletal system, you should be examined by a doctor if you receive any injuries.