If you are experiencing pain resulting from bone spurs in your spine, you are likely considering your various treatment options. A bone spur, which is referred to medically as an osteophyte, is really a smooth growth of bone that is formed by the body as a response to damaged bone. As we grow older, the spinal anatomy naturally begins to deteriorate, and the body creates osteophytes in the spine to combat this degeneration and the loss of bone mass. A bone spur becomes painful when this growth of bone comes into contact with a nerve, soft tissue or another piece of bone. Read on to learn about the variety of treatment options that can help relieve the pain associated with a bone spur.

Treatment options for bone spurs

Treatment of an osteophyte in the spine is usually conservative at first and can address either the cause or the symptoms of the bone spur. This is an important distinction. Treating the cause of the bone spur can entail:

• Losing a few extra pounds to alleviate stress on the spine
• Thoroughly stretching the affected area
• Strengthening the neck or back
• Improving your posture to ensure the correct alignment of the spine

Your doctor could also recommend a combination of pain management techniques to alleviate your symptoms. These can include:

• Muscle relaxants, pain medication or anti-inflammatory medication
• Cortisone shots
• Heat therapy or ice packs
• Limited rest

Minimally invasive bone spur procedures

In the event that you continue to experience neck or back pain as a result of an osteophyte in the spine, consider seeing if you are a candidate for the outpatient procedures performed at USA Spine Care. Our minimally invasive spine surgery is performed with state-of-the-art technology, which allows our highly experienced surgeons to pinpoint the location of your bone spur and carefully extract it.

Unlike traditional open spine surgery, which requires a lengthy hospitalization and a slow recovery, a minimally invasive procedure from USA Spine Care reduces hospital-associated costs and our patients are up and walking within a few hours after surgery.^

To learn more about the bone spur in your spine and for more information on minimally invasive spine procedures, contact USA Spine Care today and ask for your no-cost MRI review* to determine if our outpatient procedures would be effective in relieving your symptoms.

Browse Related Resources