What is a Spinal Bone Spur?
If you have a bone spur in your neck, you may not need surgery now — or ever. A bone spur is nothing more than a protective bony deposit (osteophyte) that was produced naturally by your body to reinforce a bone that has become weakened (most likely due to age-related degeneration). Not every osteophyte causes problems. If yours is bothering you, it is probably because it is situated near and pressuring a sensitive spinal nerve.
Many people who experience discomfort associated with a bone spur are able to achieve meaningful relief with conservative treatments, such as over-the-counter pain relievers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). There may be other options as well. For instance, if you would like to try some natural remedies, your physician can suggest the best course of action to meet your unique needs and goals.
Natural Remedies for Bone Spurs
As part of your bone spur treatment plan, your physician may encourage you to try one or more natural remedies. Some options include:
- Stretching
- Walking and other low-impact exercises
- Postural modifications
- Hot/cold therapy
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Acupuncture
Regardless of which therapies you decide to use, you’ll need to remember one key point: to be effective, bone spur treatment requires a longstanding commitment as well as continual adjustment. It may take a bit of trial and error to find an approach that works for you, so try not to become frustrated along the way.
Advanced Treatments
If you’ve reached the point where you’ve exhausted all of your natural treatment options and still haven’t found relief, you may want to talk with your physician about prescription medications, injections, or even surgery. For additional information about your surgical options, you can contact BEST Health System. Consider that you may have a safer and effective alternative to highly invasive open spine surgery, such as the minimally invasive outpatient procedures performed by our surgeons.
