The spinal cord and back are some of the areas that are most affected by bone disorders. One of them is spinal bone spurs. You should visit an orthopedic surgeon for back and spine problems. Below are the things to know about this bone disorder and how to treat, manage, and diagnose it.

Spinal Bone Spurs

Bone spurs are the abnormal bony growth or the projections of the bone in the joints or any other part of the bone.

Spurs occur with old age and they can also be caused by various other bone-related diseases. If a bone spur occurs in the spinal cord or the back, then it is called a spinal bone spur. The spur in the spinal cord can either be smooth or protruding outwards.

Even though a spur isn’t dangerous for the most part, in the spinal cord, it’s a different story. It can lead to a lot of pain and there might also be problems with your posture and other things. Your back or spinal cord for that matter isn’t just there to make you walk or sit straight. It is also something that houses endless nerve endings that branch out from the brain and into every single part of your body.

This is why you need to act quickly when you’re up against a bone spur especially in the spinal area, because things can take a detrimental turn. If you feel any sort of pain or discomfort in the back, then it’s time to see a doctor immediately.

Causes Of Spinal Bone Spurs

Bone spurs sound bizarre and painful and they are. However, you also need to know the causes of it, so that you can try to contain it as much as you can or get it treated as soon as possible.

Here are some of the causes of spinal bone spurs.

• Bone spurs occur with age. If you’re growing old, then spurs will be common and sadly, there isn’t anything you can do about it other than trying to manage it and treat it once you see it.
• Another main cause of spinal bone spur can be arthritis. Arthritis is a bone disorder in which the bones get weakened over time and they degenerate as each day passes. The main areas affected by arthritis are the different joints of the body and this is also where bone spurs can take root. So, if your joints are getting weak, you may as well get them checked for any spurs too, because those will follow soon after.
• If you’ve had a bad accident and there was significant damage to your joints, then you certainly need to look out for bone spurs. This is common to occur, because if the damage is untreated, then it can lead to problems of spurs forming all over the damaged and affected area. So, you want to ensure that the damage doesn’t pose any threat of bone spurs.
• Lastly, fractures and untreated bone fissures can also cause bone spurs. If the damage is near your spine, then bone spurs will follow suit. This is why spinal cord injuries need to be treated as soon as possible because if not, then they can lead to a whole array of problems and discomfort and you don’t want that.

Symptoms Of Spinal Bone Spurs

Now you know what spinal bone spur is and how it can be caused. Here are some symptoms that will help you figure things out easily.

Back Pain

You will feel immense pain in the back. This is common with all kinds of bone spurs no matter where they are. But, if they’re on the back or the spine, then they can hurt a lot more. Think about it, there is a literal bony growth that is poking your muscles and interrupting the integrity of your bones.

Of course, it’s going to hurt. This is why it’s advised that you don’t wallow in the pain and see a doctor immediately.

Numbness In The Back

You will also feel numbness in your back and this can turn into something alarming. See, your spine has a lot of nerve endings and if there is a bony growth that is pressing down on the nerves every passing minute, then there will come a time when the nerves will get damaged and you won’t feel anything.

This is very serious and you need to do something about it before you lose sensation in the area permanently, which is just as scary as it is irreversible.

Weak Arms And Legs

You will feel weakness in the arms and legs. If you didn’t know this already, the spine also houses a lot of sensation signal-receiving nerves and if those are pressed down by the bony growth, then it will lead to a lot of weakness and numbness in the arms and legs.

Swollen Spine

You will also experience swelling in the spine. It will be a characteristic swelling and when you try to lie down on your back then you will feel shooting pain rise up and down your spine. There is hardly any way to relax.

Keep in mind that bone spurs can occur in any part of the body where two bones meet. It’s also common in the shoulder. So, visit a shoulder specialist Woodbridge for shoulder bone spurs.

Diagnosis & Treatment For Spinal Bone Spurs

Before jumping into the treatment, you want to figure out how a bone spur is diagnosed.

Well, an X-ray is enough to get the job done. It is done to show the bony growth in your spine and other areas and that’s how your doctor will know where the spur is.

Once the x-ray and the physical examination is done, you want to figure out the best treatment option.

Non-Surgical Methods

If you don’t want to opt for surgery and the pain is pretty manageable, then here are some things you can try:

• Icing on the spur will alleviate the pain and if it’s not as serious, the swelling will go down too.
• You can use pain medication to help with the pain, especially if you know that you have a long day coming and there is going to be a lot of movement and you can’t afford to endure the pain.
• You can use chair and sofa pads to provide a cushion of sorts to your back. If your spine is in pain, this will give you instant relief and the pain won’t be as bad either, especially if there is something soft cushioning you from the back.

Surgical Method

If the bone spur is bad, then there is no choice but to remove it surgically. It is a spinal surgery that is done to remove the bone spur and it is done after a thorough consultation with your doctor and when you know that the above-mentioned treatments aren’t working.

The overgrown bone is shaved off during surgery and more space is created to ensure that the nerves don’t get pressed later on. This is a quick surgery and after a few weeks, you can go back to your normal life and you won’t even feel any pain or swelling.

Conclusion

Bone spurs are quite common to occur in people who already have underlying bone issues. Well, now you know the things to look out for when it comes to spinal bone spurs. Back pain is a general symptom but you should never ignore it because there can be a major problem so see a back pain doctor Woodbridge.