Before a doctor can diagnose your condition and design a treatment plan, a complete history and physical exam are necessary. There are many possible internal causes of pain. It is important to determine what is and is not the root of the problem.
After your doctor has a better idea of what is causing your discomfort, diagnostic tests may be recommended.
An X-ray of the spine will usually show where the vertebra is broken.
If the X-ray shows a fracture, your doctor may also suggest a CT scan to make sure that the broken bone is stable and that the nerves are not in danger. The CT scan will be combined with a myelogram if there are any concerns about the spinal cord.
An MRI might be recommended if there is a chance that nerves are hurt in the fracture or if there is some question about what is causing the pain.
A bone scan might be ordered to help determine the age of a fracture. If the fracture is old and there appear to be other fractures that have healed, this may indicate osteoporosis. This is important in older patients, particularly women. If osteoporosis is a factor, treatment will include preventive measures to try to stop other vertebral fractures from occurring.
A neurological exam will also be given. This includes testing the nerves by checking your reflexes, muscle strength, and sensory perception. Abnormalities in the neurological examination can point to nerve damage. If there is damage to the spinal nerves, your body movement and neurological responses will be affected. Neurological problems are rare- except in younger patients who have experienced a violent injury, such as a car crash.