Types of Bone Spurs

Bone spurs are bony projections that are formed anywhere in the body, but especially in joints or where tendons and ligaments attach to bones. They are also called osteophytes. Bone spurs themselves don't hurt, but they can rub against nerves, causing pain or discomfort. Since they usually don't have symptoms, they often are not discovered until an X-ray is taken for another reason. Because of this, bone spurs usually are not removed, except in conjunction with treating the underlying problem that caused them in the first place.

Locations

• While bone spurs can be anywhere, some crop up in specific locations, which determines what symptoms are present. Spurs in the knee make it painful to bend and extend your leg. Spinal bone spurs can compress nerves, which sometimes results in pain or numbness elsewhere in the body. Bone spurs in the neck can press inward, making it hard to breathe or swallow or cutting off blood flow to the brain. Bone spurs in the shoulder can restrict range of motion. They can also rub against the tendons of the rotator cuff, causing inflammation. Bone spurs on the fingers are easy to see; they appear as small, bony bumps. These can sometimes cause pain.

Causes

• The most common cause of bone spurs is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis breaks down the cartilage in joints, and bone spurs form to compensate. Bone spurs can form on their own and are considered a part of aging, even in people who do not have osteoarthritis. There are a few other conditions that can cause bone spurs. Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) causes bony growths on the ligaments of the spine. Bone spurs in spinal stenosis narrow the spinal canal, putting pressure on the spinal cord. Plantar fasciitis is a bone spur that forms where connective tissue (fascia) joins the heel bone, on the sole (plantar) side of the foot. It's the irritation of the connective tissue, not the spur itself, that causes pain. In spondylosis, bone spurs cause and osteoarthritis cause the bones in your neck or lower back to degenerate.

Complications

• The body creates bone spurs to add stability to aging joints or those with degraded cartilage. In that sense, bone spurs can be beneficial. However, they can break loose--becoming what is called loose bodies--and become embedded in the synovial fluid lubricating the joint. If they drift into the joint area, they can lock the joint, which causes the sensation that you can't move or bend the area.

Diagnosis

• Sometimes, your doctor can feel a bone spur, but they often form in spots that can't be felt. Imaging tests, such as X-rays, computerized tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can detect bone spurs.

Treatment

• If bone spurs don't cause pain, they likely won't need treatment. If the doctor does decide on treatment, it will usually be for the underlying problem that caused the bone spurs. For pain, the doctor may recommend NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). If surgery is required, it usually occurs as part of a larger surgery for arthritis. This can be open surgery, in which the skin is cut and folded back, or arthroscopic surgery, in which a tiny camera and special surgical tools are inserted into several small incisions.