Quick Answer: What happens when you break your back?

Can you walk if you break your back?

Depending on how severe your injury is, you may experience pain, difficulty walking, or be unable to move your arms or legs (paralysis). Many fractures heal with conservative treatment; however severe fractures may require surgery to realign the bones.

Is a broken back serious?

Spinal fractures can vary widely in severity. Some fractures are very serious injuries that result from high-energy trauma and require emergency treatment. Other fractures can be the result of a lower-impact event, such as a minor fall, in an older person whose bones are weakened by osteoporosis.

Can you drive with a broken back?

Do not drive unless your doctor says that it is okay. If you are allowed to drive, always wear a seat belt. Talk to your doctor about medicines or changes in your diet that can help make your bones stronger.

How long does it take for bones to heal?

Bone generally takes 6 to 8 weeks to heal to a significant degree. In general, children’s bones heal faster than those of adults.

How do I know if I broke my back?

Severe pain at the site of the fracture is the main symptom of a broken back injury. If back pain is made worse when you move, that’s also a sign that a vertebra may have been broken. If, however, the broken bone compresses the spinal cord’s other nerves, there may be numbness as well as pain.

Can you break your back and not be paralyzed?

A person can “break their back or neck,” yet not sustain a spinal cord injury if only the bones around the spinal cord (the vertebrae) are damaged and the spinal cord is not affected. In these situations, the individual may not experience paralysis after the bones are stabilized.

How do you treat a broken back?

The majority of fractures heal with pain medication, reduction in activity, medications to stabilize bone density, and a good back brace to minimize motion during the healing process. Most people return to their everyday activities. Some may need further treatment, such as surgery.

How do you know if your back injury is serious?

Emergency signs and symptoms

1. Extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back.
2. Weakness, incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body.
3. Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes.
4. Loss of bladder or bowel control.
5. Difficulty with balance and walking.

How do you sleep with a broken back?

Sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees. This will decrease pressure on your back. You may also sleep on your side with 1 or both of your knees bent and a pillow between them. It may also be helpful to sleep on your stomach with a pillow under you at waist level.

How long does it take to recover from a broken vertebrae?

Vertebral fractures usually take about three months to fully heal.

What bone takes the longest to heal?

The femur — your thigh bone — is the largest and strongest bone in your body. When the femur breaks, it takes a long time to heal. Breaking your femur can make everyday tasks much more difficult because it’s one of the main bones used to walk.

What are the 5 stages of fracture healing?

However, these stages have considerable overlap.

• Hematoma Formation (Days 1 to 5)
• Fibrocartilaginous Callus Formation (Days 5 to 11)
• Bony Callus Formation (Days 11 to 28)
• Bone Remodelling (Day 18 onwards, lasting months-years)

What is the least painful bone to break?

What are the Easiest Bones to Break in the Body?

• Clavicle. The clavicle or collarbone is located near the front side of the chest near the shoulders and can fracture when pressure or stress is placed on the shoulders or when the arms are stretched out.
• Arm.
• Leg.
• Hip.
• Wrist.