The vertebral body is the thick block of bone at the front of each vertebra. A VCF is a break in the vertebral body which causes it to collapse. This in turn causes the spinal column above it to curve forward. The drawing on the next page shows three vertebra, where the middle vertebral body has a fracture. The collapse of the vertebral body.
Bones progressively lose calcium.
Certain drugs, such as steroids, also cause calcium loss from bones. When too much calcium is lost from a vertebral body, it becomes brittle and can easily break. Even normal activities, like picking up a grandchild or stepping off a curb, can break a vertebral body made brittle by calcium loss. The usual treatment for a painful VCF is short-term bed rest, pain medication and possibly a body brace. The pain can last from weeks to several months.