Bone spurs in any region of the spine can be a common age-related occurrence. Also known as osteophytes, bone spurs are excess growths that your body produces in response to a number of factors, including aging, arthritis, disc degeneration, traumatic injury, poor posture or overuse. Bone spurs can occur elsewhere in the body, but the three regions of your spine — lumbar (lower), thoracic (middle) and cervical (upper) — are especially prone to developing bone spurs. This is because the spine has so many intricate, moving parts that also bear the weight of the upper body.

Cervical bone spurs happen because these vertebrae are delicately constructed yet still must be able to move and support the head. While you may imagine bone spurs as sharp protrusions digging into nerves or other bones, they are actually smooth excess growths that, by themselves, do not cause any harm. However, if they do cause symptoms they can have a large effect on your life, going so far as to make it difficult to relax after a long day.

Cervical bone spurs — symptoms and treatment

Severe issues arise when cervical bone spurs grow to the point that they compress nerves or other bones. This can result in a number of serious symptoms, including:

• Aches and stiffness in the neck
• Radiating pain in the shoulders, arms and fingers
• Weakness in the extremities
• Numbness
• Restricted movement

If you’ve experienced any of the above symptoms and are wondering if cervical bone spurs might be to blame, contact your physician. If an X-ray or other scan determines that bone spurs are the cause of the pain or other issues you are experiencing, there are a number of bone spur treatment options available. Some are as simple as rest or certain exercise plans. Others are more involved, such as medication, epidural steroid injections, physical therapy and bone spur surgery.

Surgical options for cervical bone spurs

Many of the traditional surgical options for treating lumbar, thoracic or cervical bone spurs are invasive treatments that can leave you facing a long, often painful, recovery process. However, with the state-of-the-art minimally invasive spine surgery offered by USA Spine Care, you can experience relief from the effects of bone spurs with a much shorter recuperation period^{^} and less risk of complication than some other treatment options. To learn more about our state-of-the-art procedures and surgery centers, contact us today.

Reach out to us today for a no-cost MRI review* to see if you may be a candidate for one of our minimally invasive procedures.