Bone Spurs Essay

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Bone spurs are bony projections that develop along the edges of bones. A bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think that a bone spur is something sharp because they hear the word “spur” but it is actually just extra bone. It is usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or even pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues, such as ligaments, tendons, or nerves in the body. The most common place for a bone spur is the spine, shoulder, hand, hip, knee, and feet. A bone spur is formed as the body tries to repair itself by building extra bone. It usually forms in response to rubbing, pressure, or stress that continues over a long period of time. Sometimes bone spurs form as part of the aging process, because as we age, the cartilage that covers bone ends breaks down and eventually wears away. Bone spurs due to aging are most common in the spine and feet. Bone spurs also form in the feet because of tight ligaments because of activities such as dancing. Many people have bone spurs but they don’t know it, because bone spurs don’t cause many symptoms. If the bone spur is pressing on other bones, or tissues, they can break down the tissue and cause pain, swelling, and tearing. In the feet bone spurs can cause corns and calluses, when tissue builds up to provide extra cushion over the bone. Depending on the location of the spur the symptoms may vary. If your spur is on your knee they make it hard to extend and bend your leg. Bone spurs get in the way of tendons that are required to make your knee function properly. If your bone spur is on your spine then the spur can push against your nerves, or even your spinal cord causing numbness and tingling, and possibly restricting blood flow to your brain. If you have a bone spur on your neck in can protrude inward

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