Understanding the Symptoms of Bone Spurs
Neck and back pain can severely hinder the way we live our daily lives. It can be hard to enjoy your day when something as simple as sitting in the wrong chair can cause you to experience pain. Neck and back pain can start as a slow burn that eventually erupts into a more significant issue that can affect your job, hobbies, and even your family life if not recognized and treated.
Bone spurs, often popping up in the joints of the neck or back, are a bony growth or hard bump that forms on the ends of bones. These smooth and hard bumps can cause neck and back pain that does not seem to go away. Recognizing the symptoms and then seeking help from professionals like Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery is the only way to ensure a speedy recovery to get back to the life you know and love.
What Are the Symptoms of Bone Spurs?
Understanding the symptoms of bone spurs means also understanding where you are experiencing the painful bumps. Bone spurs can grow on the bones of your neck (cervical spine) or your lower back (lumbar spine). Typically, there is a slow development of pain that worsens with time and activity. The other symptoms for these two regions can vary, so pinpointing where the origin of the pain is coming from is crucial.
Bone Spur Symptoms in the Neck Area
Everyone may experience symptoms differently. Yours will depend on the exact location of the bone spurs. The following is a list of some of the most common symptoms of bone spurs along the cervical spine:
- Pain that radiates in one or both shoulders
- Numbness, tingling, or pain in either or both arms
- Feeling weakness in the upper limbs
- Dull or achy pain in the neck
- Headaches that seem to start with a dull pain in the neck
If you have experienced one or more of the above symptoms, then you likely are experiencing bone spur symptoms and should consult a medical professional for the next steps.
Bone Spur Symptoms in the Lower Back
Bone spurs in the lower back region can cause a condition called spinal stenosis. People with spinal stenosis typically experience the following symptoms:
- Dull pain in your lower back when walking or standing in place
- Numbness, tingling, or pain in the buttocks and back of the thighs
- Weakness in your legs
- Relief from pain when flexing at the waist
Experiencing any of the above symptoms could mean it is time to request the help of a doctor to determine a treatment plan.
Can Bone Spurs Go Away on Their Own?
Unfortunately, bone spurs will not go away on their own. If you have experienced any of the symptoms of bone spurs, you should immediately see your local medical professional to officially be diagnosed and make sure nothing else is going on.
While troublesome on their own, bone spurs can also indicate other issues, like spinal stenosis, degenerating discs, or herniated discs. To prevent further damage or ongoing pain, head to a doctor to ensure you can start on the path to recovery as soon as possible.
Treatment Options for Bone Spurs
When appropriately treated, bone spurs are not permanent. This should give you a much-needed sigh of relief as there are a few different treatment plans that are suited for each unique case to help you ease back into a life free of neck and back pain.
Non-Surgical Treatment
In the early days after the diagnosis of bone spurs, treatment can be pretty straightforward and easy. Unless your symptoms are severe enough to cause serious concern, your doctor may opt for these treatments while monitoring the healing progress:
- Rest
- Pain medications
- Epidural steroid injections
- Physical therapy
- Holistic therapy
The above treatments may be enough to make you feel back to your old self, but if the pain continues, you should talk to your doctor about what you need to do next.
Surgical Treatment
While it is rare to need surgery for bone spurs, it is a possibility if pain persists for weeks. The following surgeries are often used to treat bone spurs:
- ACDF
- Posterior cervical laminoplasty
- Laminectomy
If surgical treatment becomes necessary, these particular treatments are minimally invasive and will have you pain-free in no time.
Get Help from Neck and Spine Specialists
Experiencing pain in your neck and spine should not be something you endure on your own. Whether you have a question about symptoms or are seeking specialized care, Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery is ready to help you achieve a life without neck and back pain. Contact us online or call (855)-853-6542 to start your journey to a pain-free life today!