Go to the hospital for registration and X-ray filming. The results showed that there were “thorns” on the bones! The “thorn” sounds sharp and painful. So many people believe that a bone spur is a bad thing. What is the fact?
Long bone spurs are the body’s “maintenance”
Bone spurs are extraneous bones that appear on the edges of bones due to the degeneration of human bones and joints. On the X-ray, they are not in harmony with the original smooth bone surface, so they are called “bone spurs” or “osteophytes.” Just like wrinkles, as people grow older, their articular cartilage gradually degenerates. At this time, bone spurs are produced. This is the result of the wear and consumption of articular cartilage, joints and spine gradually becoming unstable, which promotes the self-compensatory repair of bones. It can be described as a natural protective mechanism of the body-in order to reduce the pressure on the bones between joints, the body will pass The way of bone hyperplasia increases the force-bearing area of the bones, so that the bones receive more uniform and stable force, and the spine or joints can be more stable. Therefore, bone spurs tend to grow in joints that are heavily loaded and frequently used (such as cervical spine, lumbar spine, knees, heels, etc.).
Bone spurs are very common. Among the middle-aged and elderly people, more than 80% have bone spurs. This is because the older the age, the more obvious joint degeneration, so the elderly are more likely to develop bone spurs. In addition, there are several types of people who are prone to bone spurs: people who have used long-term force and incorrect posture, so that their body bears the wrong mechanical distribution; people who have excessive joint movement, because of long-term repeated wear and tear, accelerate joint degradation; Obese people are more susceptible to damage to articular cartilage due to excessive body load, causing bone spurs. Some people are engaged in work related to transportation, and the lumbar vertebrae are subject to heavier stress and are very prone to bone spurs.
Bone spurs themselves do not cause pain
In fact, most bone spurs do not cause pain by themselves. If we do not deliberately do imaging tests, we do not even know their existence. They are just silently “maintaining stability” for our body. Symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain and numbness in the joints and spine are mostly caused by the larger volume of hyperplastic bone that involves peripheral nerves or blood vessels, or the repeated rubbing of soft tissues by bone spurs and causing local aseptic inflammation. Because it compresses nerves, spinal cord or blood vessels, if bone spurs occur in the cervical spine, it may cause symptoms such as dizziness and neck pain; when it occurs in the lumbar spine, it may cause symptoms such as low back pain and leg numbness.
Articular cartilage has bone spurs, and there may be “one good” and “one bad”. The good thing is that the articular cartilage has grown “bone spurs” due to degradation, which can strengthen the stability of the originally degraded joints and reduce the joints. Tolerance, avoid continuing to damage the joints; the bad thing is that bone spurs may aggravate the abrasion between the joint cartilage, which is more likely to cause and aggravate osteoarthritis. In other words, although the bone spur itself is not a disease, it may cause some kind of disease. When bone spurs cause discomfort to the body and tend to get worse, we should still go to the hospital for help from an orthopedic doctor.
Good habits can delay the growth of bone spurs
Since bone spurs are caused by human aging, it cannot be completely effectively prevented, but we can delay the formation and development of bone spurs through good living habits.
First, exercise timely and moderately. Appropriate exercise can promote the circulation of joint fluid, is beneficial to the physiological metabolism of joints, and can reduce the degeneration of articular cartilage; moderate exercise can also strengthen the muscles around the joints and help maintain joint stability.
Second, increase bone calcium content. Middle-aged and elderly people can regularly monitor bone metabolism indicators and bone density, cultivate healthy living habits, increase outdoor sun exposure, appropriate calcium and vitamin D, and prevent osteoporosis.
Third, correct bad posture. In work and life, you must always correct your bad posture to avoid excessive weight bearing and stress on the joints and spine.
Fourth, control weight and decompress the body.
In summary, “bone spurs” are a compensatory protective mechanism produced by the body due to aging, which is a normal physiological phenomenon. So we don’t need to talk about “thorn” discoloration, just find out the reason behind and correct it. Most of the time, we can get along with the “bone spurs” in harmony, but if your “bone spurs” accidentally “unhelpful” and cause you some discomfort, please seek the help of an orthopedic doctor.
