Bone Spurs in the Back and Neck
Bone spurs, also called osteophytes, are enlargements of the normal bone structure that protrude into your spine (and in other areas of your body). Bone spurs do not actually create a point but they are smooth structures formed and pulled over time by muscle spasms. Muscle spasms are a protective mechanism in your body to prevent further injury from any number of causes. Please refer to our bone spur causes section for more details.
Over time, tendons (that hold muscle to bone) and ligaments (that hold bone to bone) can actually start pulling the bone from where it should be, creating bone spurs. Bones will conform to any pressure applied to them. As these bone spurs grow and form, they will sometimes impinge on a nerve causing pain and debilitating symptoms.
Click Here to see how you can get your life back in 5 daysBone spurs that form along the spinal column can lead to nerve impingement causing severe pain, restricted movement, radiating arm and leg pain, weakness in the extremities, numbness and, in some cases, disability.
If you think you're starting to show signs of a bone spur, and want to confirm your suspicions, we suggest you take a moment to browse through our bone spur symptoms page. On this page, the experts at Laser Spine Institute review the most common symptoms associated with bone spurs.
If you have been diagnosed with bone spur(s) and conventional treatment is not helping you, maybe it is time to start considering minimally invasive surgery. Most likely you will benefit from reading about the minimally invasive approach LSI takes for bone spurs treatment.
If you still have additional questions, or would like more information on how LSI can help you live a life relieved of back pain, feel free to contact us and we will gladly help you.
Bony spurs in neck, colored X-ray. Bony spurs (osteophytes, left) grow from the vertebrae as a normal part of the aging process. They stabilize the spine when the discs of cartilage (red) between the vertebrae shrink and become less flexible. Spur growth is called cervical spondylosis. It is found in 25-50% of 50-year-olds and at least 70% of 75-year-olds. It may not cause any problem at all. However, it can lead to various conditions including stiffness of the neck, painful trapped nerves (radiculopathy), and cervical spondylitic myelopathy, where the spinal cord is compressed, leading to a loss of sensation and muscle control in the limbs.
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Answer
The endoscope and arthroscope are the exact same instrument. They are small tubes through which surgery is performed. When the tube is placed into a joint, it is referred to as an arthroscopic procedure (arthro meaning joint). When the tube is placed into an area other than a joint, it is called an endoscope. At LSI, we perform endoscopic procedures.