Bone Spurs in Vacaville

Bone spurs in Vacaville are bony projections that form along the bone edges. This can buildup on the part where the bones meet each other, particularly in the joints. It can also form on the bones of the spine.

When you have joint damaged caused by osteoarthritis, it could start the development of bone spurs. The thing about bone spurs is that it does not cause any symptoms and can become undetected for years. In fact, they may not require any treatment at all. If treatment is required, the location of the spurs must be detected first while also assessing how it affects your health.

What are the symptoms in Vacaville?

Having bone spurs won't usually cause any signs or symptoms. It will only be identified when you get tested for an X-ray for another condition that can reveal its growth. However, there are still cases where bone spurs can cause pain and loss of motion in the joints.

Bone spurs may cause symptoms depending on where it is located. Here are a few examples:

• Knee - You may find it painful to extend and bend your leg when you have bone spurs on that area.
• Hip - Bone spurs can also make moving your hips difficult, but the pain can also be felt on the knee. Depending on where the bone spur is located, it can reduce the range of motion in your hip joint.
• Spine - On the vertebrae, bone spurs can cause narrowing on the space containing your spinal cord. It can pinch the spinal cord or the nerve roots and may cause numbness or weakness in your arms or legs.

What are the causes?

Osteoarthritis can cause joint damage, which in turn is the reason why bone spurs sprout. When you have osteoarthritis, it can damage the cartilage cushioning the ends of your bones. After that, your body will try repairing the loss by creating bone spurs near the damaged area. Having arthritis can also increase your risk of having bone spurs.

Diagnosis

When you undergo a physical exam, your doctor will have to feel around the joint to determine the location of the pain. Your doctor may also require an X-ray or other imaging tests to look at your bones and joints. Through this, your doctor can determine the ideal treatment plan for your bone spurs.

Treatment

Doctors may recommend the use of over the counter (OTC) pain relievers for bone spurs that causes pain. These OTC pain relievers include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others).

Preparing for the appointment

Before you see your doctor or a specialist, there are things that you can do to prepare yourself for the appointment. This will ensure that your appointment will go smoothly, and you will not miss out a thing. Here are the things that you can do:

• List your symptoms and how long you've had them.
• Write down important medical information, which includes the other conditions you have, medications and supplements you take, and family history of bone or joint disease.
• Note recent injuries that may have affected your joint.
• Write questions to ask your doctor.