Compression Fracture
A compression fracture happens when a vertebra in the spine collapses or partially caves in.
When to get help quickly: Urgent review is important after trauma, if pain is severe, or if there is numbness, weakness, trouble walking, or loss of bladder or bowel control.
Common symptoms
Common symptoms include sudden back pain, pain that is worse when standing or walking, tenderness over the spine, reduced height, and sometimes a more stooped posture.
When imaging helps
Imaging helps confirm the fracture, show which vertebra is involved, assess severity, and help doctors decide whether it looks recent, older, osteoporotic, or related to another disease.
What radiology does
X-rays, CT, and MRI help show the level involved, the severity, and whether the fracture is new, old, benign, or suspicious.
What usually happens next
Treatment may include pain control, bracing, osteoporosis treatment, vertebral augmentation, or surgery depending on the case.
Seen this on your report?
Your doctor or the radiologist who wrote it can tell you what it means for you.
Related scan guides
- Spine X-RayA spine X-ray is a scan that uses a small amount of radiation to show the bones and alignment of your neck, upper back, lower back, or tailbone. It is often requested for pain, injury, posture changes, arthritis, or scoliosis.
- Vertebroplasty and KyphoplastyVertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty act as an internal cast for collapsed spinal bones — injecting medical-grade cement into fractured vertebrae to quickly stabilize the break and relieve severe back pain.
- Thoracic Spine (Upper Back) MRIA Thoracic Spine MRI is a specialized scan focusing on the middle portion of your back attached to your rib cage. It is highly effective for investigating persistent mid-back pain, nerve pain wrapping around the chest, or lower extremity weakness.