The thoracic vertebrae 12, better known as T12, is the last vertebrae in the thoracic spine, just above the curve in your lower back. Because of this location, it is one of the most susceptible to compression fractures from accidents, falls,...
A compression fracture in your back can be the result of a fall, car accident or other trauma, but it can also be the result of conditions like osteoporosis, spinal stenosis or arthritis. The bottom line is that if you support too much weight on...
Compression fractures of the thoracic spine can occur due to osteoporosis or trauma and result in decreased vertebral height. Some compression fractures occur because the vertebrae are weakened due to the presence of a tumor. Osteoporosis is a...
Your spinal cord is enclosed in a series of bones called vertebrae. Between each vertebra is a disc-like cushion that helps your spine absorb pressure. Sometimes pressure breaks vertebrae, either because of the severity of the physical trauma or a...
Bones consist of living cells responsible for breaking down old bone tissue, known as osteoclasts, and cells that build new bone tissue, known as osteoblasts. The process by which these cells digest and reabsorb old bone tissue and lay down new...
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes your bones to become less dense and more fracture-prone. It often affects people who have factors like a family history of osteoporosis, those who drink heavily or smoke, and those who lead a sedentary...
Your spine is very strong and designed to bend forward, back and side-to-side as well as rotate. Repeated spinal compression through heavy exercise, improper form when lifting or a traumatic incident such as an accident, can lead to vertebral...
The flank is the area on the sides of the body between the lower rib and hip bone, including the front and back aspects of the torso. It is commonly referred to as the side. Pain can radiate to the back or flank because of a problem in any of the...
Often referred to as TB, tuberculosis is a dangerous and highly contagious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While TB usually affects the lungs, it can also infect other parts of the body including the spine, brain and...
Back pain and aches cause more visits to doctors or absences from school or work than any other illness, according to the Mayo Clinic. Acute back pain can last a few days or up to three months, but a chronic pain condition lasts three months or...
Back pain is a frequent complaint in individuals suffering from advanced osteoporosis. Often, the sudden onset of pain as a result of spinal fractures is the first sign that someone has osteoporosis, as the disease frequently exhibits no symptoms...
Osteoporosis is a condition in which your bones become very weak and brittle. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of osteoporosis include back pain, kyphosis (a stooping posture) and loss of height. Postmenopausal women over the age of 65 and...
Osteoporosis is a loss of bone mineral density; having osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures that can occur spontaneously or from a fall. Osteoporosis is more common in women, because they have less dense bones than men, especially after...
Back pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint. According to the American Chiropractic Association, Americans spend about $50 billion each year on back pain treatments, and up to 80 percent of Americans will experience a back problem at some...
Prednisone is a corticosteroid medication used to treat a wide variety of medical conditions such as allergies, ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory disease of the bowel), arthritis and psoriasis (type of skin disorder). It reduces inflammation and...
Osteoporosis, arthritis or cancer can lead to compression fractures in the vertebrae of the back, abbreviated as VCF. Kyphoplasty is a surgical procedure used to correct VCF and to give height back to the vertebrae. During a kyphoplasty, the...
A compression fracture of the lumbar spine is also known as a wedge fracture. The lumbar area of the spine contains five vertebrae known as L1 through L5, situated between the thoracic or chest area and the buttocks. The lowest lumbar vertebra is...
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects approximately 28 million people, according to the American Physical Therapists Association. The word "osteoporosis" means "porous bones." Bones lose their strength and become brittle and porous. Weak bones...
Continuous back pain is a common complaint of many patients. According to MayoClinic.com, back pain is the most common reason people go to the doctor or miss work. The back is composed of muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones and nerves that, if...
Spinal compression occurs when the bones in your spinal column are forced down on each other, compressing the shock absorbing cartilage that helps cushion your spine. This compression can result in back pain, the inability to move and even...
Back pain is a common complaint that most people will experience in their lives at one time or another. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Americans will spend at least $50 billion each year to diagnose and...
Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones frail and susceptible to fractures. There are many risk factors for this condition. Some you can not control, such as age, gender and nationality. Others, such as a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy...
Throughout life, old bone is constantly being broken down and replaced with new bone. New bone is replaced faster then it is broken down in childhood, and peak bone strength is usually obtained in the twenties. After that, bone is broken down...
Kyphoplasty is a radiologic procedure in which a balloon is inserted between vertebrae to restore them to their normal height and position. Then, bone concrete is injected between the bones to keep them in their correct positions. According to...
Compression fractures occur in the vertebral bones of your spine. Typically due to traumatic force, compression fractures are also the result of osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease. Most fractures are healed over time through rest, careful...
The structure and strength of the muscles and bones of the back provide humans with the capability to stand upright and ambulate on two legs. While an upright posture proves distinctly advantageous, it is not without problems. The weight of the...
Osteoporosis is a common disorder characterized by abnormalities in the production or replacement of the tissues that make up your bones. These abnormalities trigger bone thinning and a loss of bone density or mass. In certain circumstances,...
Osteoporosis is a serious condition that makes the bones frail and susceptible to fractures. If it is caught in the early stages, it can be managed successfully and sometimes reversed. If it is diagnosed in the beginning stages of bone loss,...
Dowager's hump, or kyphosis, describes a condition in which there is an abnormality in the curve of the spine. Kyphosis is specifically the extreme curvature of the spinal column in the chest. The excessive curvature causes the formation of a hump...
