Being diagnosed with a bone spur in the spine is not necessarily a sentence to a lifetime of debilitating neck or back pain. Yes, these smooth, bony protuberances - also known as osteophytes - do have the potential to cause a great deal of discomfort. Quite often, though, they remain undetected. The trouble arises when spinal bone spurs, which can occur at any level of the vertebral column, begin to make contact with the spinal cord or adjacent nerve roots. This is known as nerve compression, and while it can cause chronic pain and other symptoms, there are many ways to help ensure that the condition has a minimal effect on a patient's quality of life.
How a Spinal Bone Spur Occurs
To understand how best to manage symptoms associated with a spinal bone spur, it's important to have a basic understanding of how the condition occurs, as well as how it produces those symptoms. Put simply, osteophytes are often the body's response to reduced stability within a joint. As the body ages, the cartilage that lines the joints becomes worn. In the spine, the joints where the vertebrae meet are known as facet joints. The cartilage that lines the facet joints is subjected to a great deal of wear and tear associated with bending, twisting, and turning. In addition, the joints within the cervical (neck) region and the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine aid in supporting the weight of the head and the upper body, respectively. This combination of movement and weight make the neck and lower back regions most vulnerable to the development of osteoarthritis, a common precursor to the growth of bone spurs. As the cartilage wears down and a spinal joint becomes unstable, a bone spur might begin to grow along the edge of the vertebral body.
How a Bone Spur Causes Symptoms
As mentioned earlier, bone spurs are not necessarily symptomatic in and of themselves. The first sign of a spinal bone spur might be a popping or grinding sound known as crepitus, along with a slight reduction in range of motion. As the bone spur becomes larger, it may begin to encroach on the space occupied by a spinal nerve root, or the spinal cord itself. Certain movements might cause the osteophyte to make temporary contact with a nerve structure, or the contact might be constant if the bone spur is large enough. Contact between an osteophyte and a nerve root can produce the following symptoms:
* Localized pain
* Radiating pain
* Tingling or numbness in the extremities
* Weakness or loss of function in the muscle groups innervated by the affected nerve
Treating a Spinal Bone Spur
About 90 percent of people affected by symptoms associated with a bone spur in the spine can manage these symptoms using a combination of conservative, non-surgical treatments. This regimen may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen. It may also include a doctor-approved course of exercise, physical therapy, posture modification training, stretching, hot/cold therapy, and intermittent periods of rest. In general, surgery becomes an option only after all conservative treatment methods have been attempted and failed to provide relief over the course of several weeks or months.
