Bone spur symptoms can be debilitating and painful if left untreated. Bone spurs, or osteophytes, are excess growths on normal bone that can be caused by aging, disc degeneration, arthritis, poor posture and traumatic injury, among other reasons. Contrary to what many believe, bone spurs are not sharp, pointy structures; rather, they’re smooth growths that are often completely harmless. It is typically only when a bone spur comes into contact with another bone or spinal nerve that an individual will experience any symptoms.

If you are dealing with chronic pain related to a bone spur, treatment that can bring you lasting relief is possible. By learning more about the symptoms and causes, you can better work with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that can get you back to the people and activities you’ve been missing.

Specific bone spur symptoms

The bone spur symptoms that can occur when osteophytes press against a spinal nerve or bone can include:

• Severe neck or back pain
• Weakness in the extremities
• Radiating arm and leg pain
• Restricted movement
• Numbness and tingling

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, you know all too well the effect they can have on your quality of life and level of activity. Even once-simple tasks like driving, grocery shopping or walking your dog become painful and difficult. If conservative treatments like physical therapy, medication, rest and exercise don’t provide relief after weeks or months, your doctor may have recommended bone spur surgery as a treatment option. However, traditional open spine surgeries used to treat bone spurs are often highly invasive, involving large muscle-disrupting incisions, which can require lengthy, painful recoveries.

USA Spine Care

At USA Spine Care, we offer state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgery to treat bone spurs that helps patients experience a shorter recovery time^{^} and less risk of complication when compared to traditional open spine surgery. This is because our surgeons are able to access the spine and decompress nerves with a less than 1-inch incision and other muscle-sparing techniques.

For a no-cost MRI review* to help determine if you are a candidate for one of our procedures, reach out to USA Spine Care today.