Neck spurs disease and its problems

Bone spurs of the neck is one of the common neck problems in which people suffer from unpleasant pain in addition to many secondary symptoms related to the position of the vertebrae.

What is a bone spur?

Bone spurs are areas of excess bony growth that people get after advancing age, especially after sixty. Bone spurs may occur anywhere in the spine as a result of:

•  The natural degeneration of bones and joints that the body suffers with age.
• The existence of an indirect medical cause led to the spurs.
• Injuries and injuries to the neck.

Although the spurs themselves do not cause pain, they can grow to enormous sizes over time and put pressure on the nerves and nerve roots in the neck, and then they become annoying, and our patient complains about them.
40% of people with bony spurs in the neck need professional medical treatment because the bone may grow so large that it impedes movement and prevents you from doing the simplest daily activities due to pain and discomfort.

In addition to the neck spurs disease, other areas of the body may be affected with this disease, such as:

•  The feet, especially the heels, big toes, and ankles
• hands and fingers
• the shoulder
•  Backbones
• Knee

Symptoms of neck spurs

Pain in the back or neck is the most common symptom, as the joints in the neck become inflamed and swollen, with pain in the back muscles.
The most common symptoms include:

•  Burning or numbness
•  The appearance of muscle pain in the neck or lower back when standing and walking
• Weakness of the extremities, which may include the hands and legs, due to the stiffness of the cervical joints that causes pressure on the nerves
• Cramps
•  Muscle paralysis
• Generalized numbness and pain sometimes radiating upwards to the arms and shoulders or downwards to the knees and feet
• Headache where it spreads most towards the eyes and neck

spine spurs

Although bony spurs may form in any joint, the cervical spine vertebrae remain the most common site of occurrence, and it may take long time before it gives clear symptoms.

Symptoms of spurs in the neck

With the increase in the size of the bony spur, you begin to notice new symptoms such as:

• Swelling and edema
• Vertebrae pain that lasts for a long time
• A visible lump on your neck that wasn't there before

The larger the size of the spur, the more severe the disease of the neck spurs appears, and the more this affects your life and your daily activities.
It is necessary contact With an orthopedic doctors when the following symptoms appear:

1.  Chronic pain in the neck that you cannot pinpoint exactly where it is called vague pain
2.  Pain radiating from your neck to your head and sometimes headaches
3.  Numbness, which is usually an uncharacteristic symptom
4. Neck stiffness And her spasm

Causes of neck spurs disease

Many bone diseases may contribute to the occurrence of bony spurs, in addition to many risk factors, the most important of which are:

• Aging, where the herniated disc becomes damaged and degenerates, and the ligaments around it become loose. As a result of that, incomplete sliding occurs, damaging the cervical ligaments, causing them to fibrosis and become severely stiff.
• Neck disc disease, which is usually common in the elderly and leads to bone spurs disease with a mechanism that is not fully understood.
• Genetic factor because the disease can be common in members of the same family.
• Injuries, especially when playing sports and driving a car.
• Wrong neck position at work or home causes stress and fatigue.
• Unhealthy diet in which very large quantities of salts and phosphorus are consumed.
• A congenital problem from birth.

In addition to the risk factors, some diseases affect people and increase the incidence of neck spurs disease in particular, including:

• Stenosis of the spinal canal within a cervical vertebra.
• Osteoarthritis that affects the cervical vertebrae.
• Arthritis has many types.

For people over the age of 60, these bumps on the neck are common, with an incidence rate of 40% in some cases.

Diagnosis of spurs in the neck

After taking the medical history from you, the doctor checks the symptoms in the neck through an examination, as he checks the joints of the neck and after moving them, he makes sure of the position of the neck and its other problems.
Then he may order some tests that require a Specialized Clinic or hospital:

1. Such as electrical spinal cord tests that detect neurological symptoms such as fatigue and headache
2. CT images
3. MRI images
4.  Simple radiographs

Treatment of neck spurs disease

The choice of appropriate treatment for cervical spondylosis depends on the severity of the symptoms and how bad the neck pain is.

Medication to treat neck spurs

If the symptoms become bothersome to you, start first with rest, then use cold compresses, and if that fails to relieve the symptoms Neck pain Cortisone injections are taken to suppress acute inflammation.
NSAIDs can be taken as a temporary solution, and some people benefit from taking paracetamol.

Treating neck spurs with herbs

Herbal treatment is a good option when spurs are small and symptoms are mild, and people often use:

1. Chamomile: Excellent for relieving neck pain and discomfort thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. It can be drunk or applied to the site of the injury.
2. Ginger: It contributes to reducing swelling, and it is also drunk or applied. It is also found in the form of concentrated pills.
3.  Apple cider vinegar: A bandage is soaked with it and placed in place of the bone spur, but some do not like its smell.
4. Flaxseeds: It contains omega-3 fatty acids that inhibit the inflammatory process. Flaxseed oil can be applied in place of the spur, as it is gentle on the skin.

Surgical treatment of cervical spurs

Surgical treatment of spurs is resorted to only if all previous treatments fail after trying them for a long time.
The surgical procedure varies according to the location of the disease of the neck spurs and the preference of the orthopedic surgeon. The most common operations are:

•  Cervical vertebrae fusion: In this process, the bones are welded together so that they become fixed and do not move.
•  Removal of the anterior intervertebral disc: Using a special saw, the bones are filed and the spurs are removed.
• Removing the anterior vertebral body: The surgeon replaces the damaged vertebra with an artificial one.
• Removing the vertebral lamina: Also, with the help of a bone saw, part of the vertebrae affected by neck spurs disease is removed.

Neck spurs disease exercises

It is important to rest the vertebrae in the neck and not strain the surrounding muscles. Still, the application of effective physical therapy may contribute significantly to improving the symptoms of neck spurs disease:

• It relieves neck pain
• Improves range of motion and stiffness
• Strengthens muscles and improves posture and gait

Learn with us the most important simple light exercises that make a huge difference in neck pain caused by bony spurs.

Neck extension

In a standing position or when you sit, direct your head forward with your fingers under your chin, push your head up and back quietly and slowly for two seconds and repeat this movement ten times.
The American Spine Association says you can do this exercise a maximum of four times a day.

The correct position

You may notice that the symptoms decrease in certain positions, and the vertebrae pain may go away completely when you maintain a healthy position, so you must take these tips into account when you intend to maintain a healthy position:

• Your ears should be directly above your shoulders
• Relax your shoulders and stretch your neck as much as possible
•  Rotate your shoulders again
• Resist your head and chin lowering when you do this.

Conclusion in the disease of neck spurs

The pain of bony spurs may not be severe at first. Still, this condition should not be neglected and appropriate treatment should be applied before it increases in size significantly and causes many problems.

---

Sources:

1. Cedars-Sinai
2. Healthline
3. Cleveland Clinic
4. Scoliosis Reduction Center
5. Spine-health

Common questions