Osteophytes, or bone spurs, can form on joints due to conditions such as arthritis or bone infections. They can limit joint movement and cause pain, and are often a sign of degeneration. Diagnosis is usually done through x-rays, and treatment depends on severity, ranging from physical therapy to surgery. Bone spurs can also indicate spinal degeneration.
An osteophyte, also known as a bone spur, is a small bony prominence that can occur on joints in the body. The cause of osteophytes depends on the exact condition, but is often the result of arthritis or other diseases, including bone infections. Although some bone spurs form naturally, many will limit the movement of a joint and also cause pain for the patient. In many joints, the formation of a bone spur indicates degeneration of that area of the body.
The reason bone spurs form initially is that a joint is put under more pressure than it can handle. When the body realizes that a joint is becoming damaged, often due to conditions such as arthritis, it attempts to increase the joint’s surface area using a bone spur. Unfortunately, this can cause further pain and limit the movement of the joint. Due to bone spurs caused by degenerative diseases, they are often used as a metric to find out the severity of a person’s condition.
There are two main types of osteophytes. The first is the marginal type and these can develop at the edge of any joint in the body. A central osteophyte usually occurs in the knee or hip, although they have been known to form elsewhere. Spurs form from the tissue around the edge of the joint. A bone spur will usually form from damage that occurs from inflammation, although spurs can also come from damage to ligament or tendon attachment points.
Diagnosing a bone spur is usually a simple process. A plain x-ray will often show the location of the dewclaws. Sometimes a clinical evaluation is enough. While bone spurs can be a major problem, they are present in most people over the age of 50, although not all cases cause complications or pain.
Treatment for an osteophyte depends on the severity of the individual’s condition. In mild cases, physical therapy and pain relievers will often be used to help control the problem and reduce pain. In the worst cases, surgery to repair the spur may be necessary, although it is usually not necessary. Sometimes certain supplements can be used to help the condition.
Bone spurs form naturally in the back as a person gets older. You can tell how degenerate your spine is by looking at the number of bone spurs. Often dewclaws are symptoms of a more serious underlying condition.
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