no fracture-- now what? - Osteoporosis Message Board

elphers · 11-27-2007, 12:00 PM

I just got a call from my gyno who ordered my back xray yesterday. It showed no compression fracture, which is what I thought that I had. Someone said that it might not show up on a reg. xray, that an MRI is better. The pain in my middle back when I sit is awful! Should I just try to live with it and get the nose spray that I was prescribed?
Thanks!

DesertBloom · 11-27-2007, 03:12 PM

Hi Elphers: Sorry that you don't have an answer to your back pain. It's true that some compression fractures don't show up on an x-ray and some people have to go through a mri to find it. That's not to say that your problem isn't something else either.

If you could go to a spine specialist or ortho they would probably run a whole battery of tests including an mri, ct scan and possibly a emg. Have you injured your back lately?

I've had many back surgeries so I'm familiar with many different types of problems, but the first thing you have to do is get a diagnosis. I was also thinking about something else and wondered; did the gyno look at the actual films from the x-rays, or did they read the radiologists report? If you go to a surgeon, (ortho, neuro) they won't read a radilogists report because they aren't that accurate on fx's etc. A surgeon will only look at the actual film to determine if there is a problem. If you can get to a different dr (surgeon) you'd be much better off on a dx. If you haven't injured your back recently you still need to find the cause of the pain.

Good luck with this, if you have any specific questions fire away.

BoomerBones · 11-27-2007, 03:36 PM

Elphers,

I just went through a compression fracture and DesertBloom's advice is on the money. The hospital ER totally missed my fracture when they took X-rays after I fell. It was only when I continued to complain about really nasty pain that the dr ordered an MRI which showed T11 compression fracture.

If at all possible, you really want to see an ortho who has more than a little knowledge about osteo. Not all of them do as you probably know. And try to get a second opinion. If the last 4 months has taught me anything, it's that the doctors are too keen to offer advice even when they're not the experts in that subject. But your gyno is only reading the radiologists report and you want a doctor to put up the film who knows how to read it.

Good luck! I hope it all works out well for you.

elphers · 11-27-2007, 04:19 PM

Thanks Desert and Boomers for the info! Boomers, what was the treatment for your compression fracture? Did you have kyphoplasty?
If I go to an ortho, do I request the xray films from my gyno to be sent to him or should I get new pictures?
I'm sure you guys are right-- that my gyno was just going by the radiologist's report.
Just sitting here at the computer is killing my back! I didn't fall or anything-- I think the pain is from my osteoporosis.
I went today to pick up my new presc. for the nose spray, but was told that I have to come back tomorrow. Hope that the spray helps!
Thanks!

BoomerBones · 11-27-2007, 05:57 PM

I did have the Kyphoplasty. What I've learned is that everybody responds differently and it has to do with the degree of fracture, where it is, if it's pressing on a nerve, etc. It's worth exploring the procedure and I did get relief just not to the extent that the surgeon led me to believe.
First thing of course is to determine IF you have a fracture and then what the best approach is. I was told the only reasons to do the Kyphoplasty are (a) degree of pain and (b) if the fracture isn't healing on its own. In my case, it just wasn't healing.
Good luck! Please let me know if you have any other questions.