Bone spurs, or osteophytes, are naturally occurring growths of bone that are the body’s response to increased friction or injury. These growths are nonreversible and are often a byproduct of spine conditions like spinal osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease due to the increased stress placed on the facet joints by these conditions. Spinal bone spurs are not painful by themselves, but they can cause narrowing in the spinal column that puts pressure on nerves such as the spinal cord or an exiting nerve root.
In addition to a general practitioner, many patients often visit with a chiropractor to help manage pain related to a bone spur. Although a chiropractor cannot fix or heal a bone spur, he or she can provide a number of different bone spur treatments that attempt to reduce painful nerve compression.
How does a chiropractor provide bone spur treatment?
Chiropractors can use the following methods to provide relief from pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness related to a bone spur:
- Manual adjustment — to insure proper spinal alignment
- Therapeutic massage — to relax tense muscles around the bone spurs
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation — or TENS, uses a gentle electric current sent through electrodes to provide pain relief
- Decompression therapy — also known as traction, involves gently stretching the spine to take pressure off discs and joints
When seeking a chiropractor for bone spur treatment, make sure he or she is a licensed and reputable practitioner who has received a doctor of chiropractic degree from an accredited school.
Other bone spur treatments
Chiropractic care is often used as part of a comprehensive bone spur treatment plan that includes other options such as medication, spinal injections, physical therapy, nutritional counseling and regular low-impact exercise. If conservative options have been fully attempted without providing necessary relief, you may be referred to a surgical specialist to discuss the possibility of surgery.
The goal of bone spur surgery is to relieve symptoms by removing the portion of bone growth that is causing nerve compression. At USA Spine Care, our board-certified surgeons+ can provide surgical bone spur treatment with a less than 1-inch incision that allows for an outpatient procedure. To learn more about our minimally invasive spine surgery, get in touch with us today.
We’re pleased to offer a free MRI review* to help you find out if you are a potential candidate for one of our procedures.
