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As you age, your body changes in many ways, sometimes for the worse. One of the less desirable changes your body may undergo is the development of bone spurs. Bone spurs are not in themselves painful, so you may not know you have one. However, if it compresses your nerves and bones it can cause many symptoms. Knowing these symptoms can help you determine if you have a bone spur and if medical attention is necessary.
Bone spurs (also called osteophytes) are smooth, bony growths that develop over a long time. Bone spurs in the cervical spine (and other areas of the spine) are part of the normal aging process and only require treatment if they protrude onto the spinal cord or nerves and cause pain or other symptoms.
Bones spurs are hard growths on regular bones. Cervical bone spurs can be caused by irregular wear and tear on the vertebrae of the neck. Although an X-ray is the only way to diagnose a bone spur, certain symptoms indicate the possibility that the growths have formed on the neck bones.
In the past, spinal surgery patients faced the risk of improper healing and incomplete fusion of their backbone. Now, however, the post-surgical process of cervical bone growth stimulation provides patients and doctors with a safe and measurable degree of successful healing.
Cervical bone spurs are also known as cervical osteophytes. While not painful in themselves, they can lead to pain if they begin to make contact with other bones. In severe cases, these bone spurs can cause pinching of nerves or narrowing of the spinal cord, leading to pain, numbness and even muscle weakness. Problematic bone spurs can be treated with rest, corticosteroids, surgery, or muscle strengthening exercises.
Cervical bone spurs are also called cervical spondylosis and are a common age-related disorder of the spine as it goes through the neck. Over time, the vertebrae in the neck develop little bone outgrowths called spurs, which also reduce the cushioning that the cervical discs provide. Cervical bone spurs can cause pain, numbness and tingling in the neck as well as the rest of the body.
Cervical radiculopathy is essentially a pinched nerve due to some sort of pressure along the cervical spine, which consists of the first seven vertebrae starting at the base of the skull and making up the entirety of a person's neck. In the case of bone spurs, this pressure will most likely be a result of degeneration. Sometimes when a person experiences degeneration along this area of the body, a bone spur will eventually form. As the bone spur gets bigger, it can begin to place pressure on the nerve until it becomes irritated and inflamed. This could then prompt a…
