About Osteophytes (Bone Spurs)
Learn about the disease, illness and/or condition Osteophytes (Bone Spurs) including: symptoms, causes, treatments, contraindications and conditions at ClusterMed.info.
Osteophytes (Bone Spurs)
Osteophytes (Bone Spurs) |
---|
Osteophytes (Bone Spurs) InformationBone spur facts
How are bone spurs diagnosed?Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms. Is it possible to prevent bone spurs?There are no means of preventing bone spurs. What are symptoms of bone spurs?Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location. Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, and tenderness if they are irritating adjacent tissues, such as skin, fat pads, nerves, or tendons.Heel spurs cause local foot pain, tenderness, and sometimes swelling. This can lead to difficulty walking due to pain at the bottom of the foot with weight-bearing. Sometimes there is accompanying inflammation of the entire bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis) when the heel spur occurs in the bottom of the heel bone. Occasionally, bone spurs in this location are a result of inflammatory arthritis, such as from reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forrestier's disease).Spurs in the spine can pinch adjacent nerves to cause numbness, tingling, and pain as well as weakness in the area of the body supplied by the affected nerve.Some bone spurs do not cause symptoms and are incidentally detected by X-ray tests that are performed for other reasons. These spurs may have formed because of past injury to nearby tissues, such as tendons, that caused local inflammation of the bone, leading to the development of the bone spur. What causes bone spurs?Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) or tendinitis. This inflammation stimulates the cells that form bone to deposit bone in this area, eventually leading to a bony prominence or spur. For example, inflammation of the ligament that surrounds a degenerating disc between the vertebrae (the bony building blocks of the spine) is a very common cause of bone spurs of the spine. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can lead to the formation of a bone spur at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus bone). Inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, plantar fasciitis, can lead to a bone spur at the underside of the heel bone. These bone spurs are sometimes referred to as heel spurs. A bone spur is medically referred to as an osteophyte. Rarely, bone spurs may occur as a result of congenital conditions. An osteochondroma is one type of these congenital spurs. What is a bone spur?A bone spur is a tiny pointed outgrowth of bone. What is the prognosis (outlook) for bone spurs?Bone spurs that are not associated with symptoms may never cause problems and do not require treatment. The outlook for bone spurs causing symptoms varies. Bone spurs can cause mild symptoms or be severely disabling, especially if they are directly irritating nerves. What is the treatment for bone spurs?Bone spurs are treated only if they are causing symptoms. Initial treatment is directed toward decreasing inflammation and avoiding reinjury when possible. Local cold application can help when the location of the bone spur is accessible. Anti-inflammatory medications, administered both orally and by local injection (Kenalog, Depomedrol, Celestone), are commonly used, depending on the location of the spur. Local mechanical measures, such as orthotics, or shoe inserts, and local bone spur pads might be considered, depending on the location of the bone spur. Bone spurs that are causing irritation of nerves, tendons or ligaments and that are resistant to conservative measures can require surgical operations for treatment. Where do bone spurs occur?Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury in nearby cartilage or tendons. Common locations for bone spurs are in the back, or sole, of the heel bone of the foot, around joints that have degenerated cartilage, and in the spine adjacent to degenerated discs. Congenital types (osteochondromas) commonly occur around the growth areas of the shoulder and knee. |
More Diseases
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Diseases & Illnesses Definitions Of The Day
- Infection, Cryptococcus (Cryptococcosis) ‐ How are cryptococcal infections treated?, How can cryptococcal infections be prevented? …
- Aspiration, Joint (Joint Aspiration) ‐ How do patients prepare for a joint aspiration (arthrocentesis) …
- Nausea and Vomiting ‐ How do doctors diagnose the cause of nausea and vomiting?, Morning sickness nausea and vomiting during pregnancy …
- Medicaiton Damage to Inner Ear (Vestibular Balance Disorders) ‐ How can I help my doctor make a diagnosis?, How do I know if I have a balance disorder? …
- Sex and Aging (Senior Sex) ‐ Am I too old to worry about safe sex?, Can emotions play a part? …
- Biopsy, Breast (Breast Biopsy) ‐ Breast biopsy facts, How does a health care professional confirm the presence of a breast growth? …
- Gardasil HPV Vaccine ‐ Are there other HPV vaccines in development?, Does the vaccine contain thimerosal or mercury? …
- Health Care Proxy (Advance Medical Directives) ‐ Advance medical directive facts, How can one obtain and prepare living will and advance medical directive forms? …
- EEG - Electroencephalogram ‐ EEG Introduction, How Do I Prepare For an EEG?, What Happens After an EEG? …
- Allergic Granulomatosis And Angiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome) ‐ Churg-Strauss syndrome facts, How is Churg-Strauss syndrome diagnosed? …