The spine is made up of 24 vertebral bones along with the coccyx and sacral structures of the spine. If any of these bones is broken or fractured then the condition is commonly known as a broken back or broken spine.

This kind of severe back injury does not necessarily mean that damage has been sustained to the spinal cord itself or any of the associated spinal nerves, this can only be diagnosed by a doctor.

In a broken back, the bones of the vertebrae have been caused to fracture, break or become misaligned and have wide spread health implications for the sufferer, and correct diagnosis is vital for the patient.

Any patient with a broken spine will be subjected to either MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or a CT scan (computed tomography) to ascertain for any neurological damage which may have been caused by the trauma to the injured vertebrae. Signs of tingling, numbness or weakness are a good indication of nerve damage having been sustained.

Causes of a Broken Back.

Obviously the injury may have been caused as a result of a fall, sports injury, or in a traffic collision, but there are other lesser known causes of this kind of injury, for example.

Osteoporosis.  It is not uncommon for any person suffering from osteoporosis, to experience a broken back, this can often occur in an aging person, or where a person has low bone density.

No trauma is experienced by the person, and the vertebral fracture is actually caused by the weight of the person acting on the osteoporosis embrittled bones, causing them to fracture.

It is surprising, but a person can have a fracture of a single vertebrae bone, and the condition can be unnoticed. Indeed in sports activities, a violent fall, or any other trauma to the back resulting in a back injury, vertebral bones can be fractured, which by definition, is a broken back, but have little significant effect on the person.

and often the condition is not serious enough to warrant intense medical treatment.

On the other hand however, any serious, or multiple fractures or breaks of the spinal bones can cause big problems for the patient, especially if the diagnosis indicates any threat to either the spinal cord, or spinal nerves, which in extreme cases, can lead to spinal instability, and require surgical intervention.

Any severe back injury must be considered seriously. Even though minor spinal damage may at first appear to be of little significance, it can lead to later complications affecting the person functionality.

Severe injuries to the spinal cord are the worst kind of injury and can have a major impact on the patients lifestyle. In such serious cases following treatment, the patient will require to undergo a rehabilitation program to help regain some of the faculties, which will undoubtably be lost as a result of the broken back

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