A second scenario is the patient who is seen in the emergency room, but did not complain of pain in the back. The pain is so severe in another region, that the patient does not realize he or she has pain in the back or neck and that area does not receive the attention of a physician. Alternatively, the patient may be feeling a euphoria or adrenaline rush from the excitement of the injury and surrounding circumstances that may temporarily mask a broken bone. This situation can be seen when another individual has been hurt and the patient s focus is on that person, instead of himself. A final scenario is one in which the patient is seen by a physician, x-rays are taken, and no fracture is seen.
Pain continues and there is no improvement in the condition of the patient.
Some fractures in the spine are subtle and can be difficult to detect on plain x-rays. Some injury patterns are breaks only through the soft tissue that cannot be seen on x-rays. The treatment of spine fractures is dependent on the type of injury, the neurological status of the patient, the general health of the patient, and the amount of time that has passed since the injury. The most important aspect of treatment is diagnosis. Early diagnosis will improve the outcome through prompt and appropriate treatment.