Broken back / NHS never x-rayed

[Prettypaisleyslippers]

My DM fell on a stone floor at home and hurt her back, she called an ambulance, they talked to her, poked her back, didn’t take her to hospital. Suggested paracetamol pain relief. Two weeks later in terrific pain/crying and vomiting she called again, hospital transport took her to hospital, not an ambulance as not life threatening. They felt/poked ger spine and because she didn’t react at a poke they sent her home, with tramedol, again no x-Ray.

in short, after major new mobility issues a consultant said that her back could be the issue, sent for MRI, she has a wedge fracture. What should we do? Can this be healed?

The fall was two years ago, mobility has declined since. She lives alone in a rural location.

I'd complain. That's bloody awful.

As for practical things, is she thinking of moving somewhere more suitable? Has she got a care package?

That's awful for her. Poor lady.

The questions she probably needs to ask before complaining if she hasen’t already are whether the fracture correlates with the injury (wedge fractures are pretty common and don’t always have an obvious preceding injury)/would it have warranted specific management if it had been identified at the time (they don’t always)/are the current mobility problems caused by that injury/could the current mobility problems have been prevented by identifying the wedge earlier. Not sure anyone on here can really advise much more than that.

Sorry to hear she has had a rotten couple of years. It does sound as thought they could have investigated more instead of sending her home.
You haven’t mentioned DM’s age but it may be worth noting that spinal wedge fractures often occur without any known cause in the elderly due to the natural weakening of the bones. It may have have been caused by the fall but you would struggle to prove that one way or the other.
I believe there are some options available for treatment but would have to be appropriate considering her frailty as may have a negative impact on her quality of life vs conservative treatment (treating symptoms rather than cause). Her consultant would be best placed to advise.
If you’d like someone to have a look at whether her treatment was adequate then PALS should be your first port of call.
Sorry that’s a bit vague but there are lots of variables. If it were my mum I’d be looking at the big picture, suitable housing, practical help with housework/ meal prep/ care etc.