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Spinal Bone Spurs

Extensive treatment

Spinal bone spurs

Bone spurs also called osteophytes, are tiny pieces of bone that stick out or project from a normal bone. Bone spurs often occur in areas of inflammation, where friction against existing bone stimulates that area to produce additional bone cells.

They often form where bones meet each other — in your joints throughout the body, but spinal bone spurs are one of the most common types.

A spinal bone spur can develop anywhere along the spine, but are most often problematic in the lower back and neck.

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How do you know if you have spinal bone spurs?

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Most bone spurs cause no signs or symptoms. You might not realize you have bone spurs until an X-ray for another condition reveals the growths. In some cases, though, bone spurs can cause pain and loss of motion in your joints.

In some cases these tiny bone projections can press on spinal nerves causing tingling, numbness, pain or tenderness that radiates into the arms, neck or legs. The area in which the affected nerve leads to may also feel weak.

Causes of spinal bone spurs

In most cases, spinal bone spurs form as a result of persistent inflammation.

If you have a form of spinal arthritis, for example, bone spurs often develop within bone areas where cartilage has begun to wear away.

Tendonitis, sudden injury or trauma, genetics or even your nutrition and lifestyle (such as poor posture, repetitive twisting or excessive weight-lifting) can also cause spinal bone spurs to develop.

Spinal bone spurs can also be caused by another underlying condition, such as spinal stenosis, a condition in which the opening of the spinal column begins narrowing, causing friction and inflammation.

Spinal spondylolisthesis and spondylosis, two similar conditions which often occur with aging, can cause shrinking of the discs, slippage of the discs, and other spine elements that can cause a bone spur.

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Diagnosis of spinal bone spurs

The diagnosis of bone spurs can be easily made with x-rays. Other imaging modalities, such as MRI and CT scan, show bone spurs and can assess surrounding nerves and soft tissues.

These imaging tests help to determine the extent of bone spur formation.

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What is the right treatment of spinal bone spurs?

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Most patients with mild or moderate nerve compression and irritation from bone spurs can manage their symptoms effectively with nonoperative back care such as anti-inflammatory medication, rest, activity modification, exercises to strengthen core muscles that provide support for our back.

After 1-2 weeks, physical therapy and chiropractic adjustment often alleviates the painful joint conditions. These modalities attempt to restore flexibility and strength to the neck and back, improving posture and possibly decreasing the compression on the nerves.

At NSOC, we may also recommend epidural steroid injections as an initial bone spur treatment depending on the advancement of your condition. Epidural injections can help you feel more comfortable so that you are more likely to successfully progress during physical therapy.

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Spine surgery for bone spurs

If 6 – 8 weeks of conservative treatment fail to relieve your pain, spinal bone spur removal may be the next proper course of treatment. If however, you have loss of coordination in your arms or legs, you may need to undergo bone spur surgery sooner.

  • Surgery, such as a laminectomy, is designed to relieve the pain and neurological symptoms by removing the bone spurs and thickened ligaments causing painful nerve compression.

  • Endoscopic Foraminotomy: The surgeon will make a small incision in the back of the patient to insert a special small tube. Through this tube the surgeon is then able to gain access to the bone spur and clean away any it and any other debris.

    It is a same day procedure that doesn’t require general anesthesia.

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