Osteophytes Definition

If the painful symptoms of osteophytes are reducing your quality of life, having a clear definition of the condition can give you the knowledge and peace of mind you need to start an effective treatment plan. You may have heard osteophytes referred to as “bone spurs” and, while they are not actually sharp or spur-shaped, these smooth growths of extra bone can have detrimental effects on the health and function of your spine. Basically, your body produces osteophytes in response to a degenerating spine. If your body senses that the back and neck are becoming weaker, it tries to reinforce the structural integrity of the spine with the bony knobs that usually appear on the lamina, or the “roof” that forms part of the vertebral arch. These bone spurs can infringe on the foraminal spaces through which spinal nerves pass and cause painful nerve compression.

Causes of Osteophytes and their Definitions

• Degenerative disc disease — the cartilaginous discs between adjacent vertebrae begin to deteriorate and loose elasticity
• Osteoarthritis — the cartilage surrounding the facet joints (joints that connect vertebrae) wears away
• Aging — as we get older, osteophytes will naturally develop along our spine and only a small percentage of people will experience painful neural compression as a result

Symptoms of Osteophytes

Bone spurs can produce a wide variety of symptoms, depending on the region of the spine where they develop:

• Cervical (neck) — pain or tingling in the neck, shoulders, upper arms, and hands
• Thoracic (middle back) — discomfort or weakness surrounding the rib cage and kidneys
• Lumbar (lower back) — radicular or localized pain in the buttocks, legs, and feet

Treating Osteophytes

For most patients, the symptoms of osteophytes can be successfully managed with conservative methods, such as massage, physiotherapy, or medication. A small percentage of patients, however, will not find these treatments effective and may start to consider more targeted forms of pain relief. If you are considering spine surgery, contact Laser Spine Institute to find out more about minimally invasive alternatives to traditional surgery. The experts at our back and spine center would also be happy to give you more information about osteophytes, their definition, causes, and treatments.