Most compression fractures -- tiny cracks in the bones of your spine, or vertebra -- in women at this age happen because of osteoporosis, ...MenuMedicalReferenceSlideshows&ImagesNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersFindanEndocrinologistMedicationsWebMDRxSavingsCardOverviewSymptoms&TypesRisks&PreventionDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareComplications&RelatedDiseasesLiving&ManagingBoneDensityTestsDrugInteractionCheckerHealthyAgingLivingHealthyMenopauseOsteopeniaWomen’sHealthOsteoporosisGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyMelindaRatini, DO, MSonJuly30,2021InthisArticleSymptomsDifferentSignsofSpinalCompressionFracturesSignsofMultipleSpinalCompressionFracturesDiagnosingSpinalCompressionFracturesThemainsymptomyou’llnoticewithaspinalcompressionfractureisbackpain.Itmaystartgraduallyandgetworseovertimeorcomeonsuddenlyandsharply.Butregardlessofhowithappens,it’simportanttoletyourdoctorknowaboutit,especiallyifyou’reawomanwhoisnearoroverage50.Mostcompressionfractures--tinycracksinthebonesofyourspine,orvertebra--inwomenatthisagehappenbecauseofosteoporosis,aconditiondefinedbybonesthatareweakandbrittle.Treatmentofacompressionfracturecanhelploweryourriskformorefractures.SymptomsAlongwithbackpain,spinalcompressionfracturesalsocancause:PainthatgetsworsewhenyoustandorwalkbutwithsomereliefwhenyouliedownTroublebendingortwistingyourbodyLossofheightAcurved,stoopedshapetoyourspineThepaintypicallyhappenswithaslightbackstrainduringaneverydayactivitylike:LiftingabagofgroceriesBendingtothefloortopicksomethingupSlippingonarugormakingamisstepLiftingasuitcaseoutofthetrunkofacarLiftingthecornerofamattresswhenchangingbedlinensDifferentSignsofSpinalCompressionFracturesFormanypeople,aspinalcompressionfracturewillhurtlessastheboneheals.Thatcantakeupto2or3months.Otherpeoplewillstillhavepainafterthefracturehashealed.Somepeoplefeelalmostnosymptomsfromspinalcompressionfractures.Thecracksmayhappensograduallythatthepainisrelativelymildorunnoticeable.Forothers,thepainmayturnintoachronicbackacheintheinjureda