Recently, an artist's "lumbar bone fracture" became a hot search topic. The doctor said that her "left transverse process of the fourth lumbar vertebra was fractured and the bones cannot be reset." Seeing such news, many netizens expressed concern. Yao Bo, Director of the Spinal Surgery Department of Hunan Wangwang Hospital said: Lumbar transverse process fractures are not as serious as netizens say. In most cases, surgery is not required. Follow the doctor's instructions for symptomatic treatment and bed rest. Generally, it will not affect the quality of life in the future.
Popular science knowledge:
1. What is the cause of lumbar transverse process fracture?
Lumbar transverse process fractures are usually caused by external violence or accidents such as falls. When the body is impacted by an external force, because the transverse process of the lumbar vertebrae is the attachment point of the muscles, the pulling and strong contraction of the muscles can easily lead to fractures at the transverse process of the lumbar vertebrae.
2. What are the symptoms of lumbar transverse process fracture?
A common symptom is waist pain. The pain is usually on both sides of the lumbar spine. Patients may have limited waist movement and cannot bend or twist the body normally. Due to the pain and inflammatory reaction, the surrounding muscles are in a state of tension. When the fracture site is gently pressed, the patient will feel pain and may also experience local swelling. Transverse process fracture does not affect the weight-bearing function of the spine, nor does it affect the nerve function of the lower limbs.
3. What are the treatments for lumbar transverse process fractures?
The treatment of lumbar transverse process fracture mainly depends on the severity of the fracture. Generally speaking, mild fractures can be recovered through conservative treatment, such as rest, medication, and physical therapy. If a severely dislocated fracture occurs, transverse process bone resection or internal fixation can be performed after thorough examination to alleviate the pain caused by the fracture. Pain and discomfort. In most cases, conservative treatment is chosen.
Conservative treatment:
1. Bed rest: Patients should pay attention to bed rest and avoid excessive waist activity to avoid aggravating the condition.
2. Waist braking: Wear a waist girdle or waist brace appropriately as directed by your doctor to limit waist movement and avoid fracture displacement, which may affect fracture healing.
3. Rehabilitation physiotherapy: Rehabilitation physiotherapy can be performed on painful areas, such as infrared light irradiation, hot compress, ultrashort wave, magnetic therapy and other physical therapies to promote blood circulation in local tissues to relieve pain symptoms.
4. Drug treatment: Use drugs that promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and relieve pain to relieve symptoms under the doctor's advice.
4. How to prevent lumbar transverse process fractures?
1. Strengthen exercise: Improve the stability of the lumbar spine and reduce the risk of fractures by strengthening core muscle exercises.
2. Pay attention to safety: avoid high-risk activities, or take appropriate protective measures when engaging in these activities.
3. Regular physical examination: Especially for people with a history of fractures, potential health problems can be discovered and dealt with in time.
4. Supplement nutrition: Maintain a balanced diet and ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D to help maintain bone health.
5. Appropriate activities: Avoid staying in the same posture for a long time, take timely rest and move your body.
Overall, understanding the relevant knowledge about transverse process fractures can help to better prevent and treat this injury. In daily life, we should pay attention to safety and take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of transverse process fractures. At the same time, fracture patients should actively cooperate with doctors’ treatment recommendations in order to achieve a speedy recovery.
Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Hunan Wangwang Hospital Spine Surgery Han Ziwei
(editor yh)
