Rarely, if ever, will a spinal bone spur diagnosis be made solely on the basis of a doctor's examination alone. To begin with, most bone spurs that occur within the spine do not produce symptoms. These smooth, bony protuberances only begin to cause potentially serious issues if they make contact with the spinal cord or an adjacent nerve root. Otherwise, bone spurs might remain undetected for years, or even decades. How then, are bone spurs discovered and diagnosed? The unfortunate answer is that a patient typically experiences symptoms associated with nerve compression before a doctor will begin to suspect the presence of bone spurs.

Recognizing Nerve Compression Symptoms

In order to aid a doctor in making a bone spur diagnosis, it would help for patients to be able to recognize some of the symptoms associated with spinal nerve compression. Nerve roots occur in pairs, branching off the spinal cord at each vertebral level. Nerve roots are responsible for transmitting neural signals to and from the brain. When an anatomical abnormality such as a bone spur makes contact with a nerve root, it interferes with those signals and produces one or more of the following symptoms in the extremities:

* Radiating pain
* Tingling
* Numbness
* Muscle weakness

As mentioned above, some bone spurs produce no symptoms at all. Others can produce symptoms that are debilitating enough to seriously jeopardize quality of life. The propensity of a bone spur to produce symptoms depends on how large the smooth, bony growth becomes and where it is located. Sometimes symptoms are experienced only intermittently, as when certain bending, twisting, or turning movements are made. Other times, symptoms are fairly constant. In almost all cases, symptoms are unilateral, occurring only on one side of the body or the other.

Questions to Consider

Patients who begin to experience the symptoms described above are likely to want answers, especially if the pain and other sensations linger for several weeks. Before heading to the doctor's office, a patient should prepare himself or herself to answer several questions about the symptoms, including:

* In what parts of the body are the sensations experienced?
* Are there particular activities that exacerbate the symptoms?
* Have you experienced a neck or back injury either recently or in the past?
* Has anyone in your family been diagnosed with osteoarthritis (a precursor to bone spurs)?
* What types of over-the-counter medication have you taken for the pain and other symptoms?

Methods and Tools Used for a Bone Spur Diagnosis

Once a doctor has received as much information as possible from the patient, it's time for a physical examination. This can include palpation of the regions of the spine where neural compression is suspected. It also may include tests for reflexes, range of motion, and muscle strength. Medical imaging may be requested, starting with an X-ray and moving on to an MRI or CT scan if more detailed images are required. After the diagnosis has been confirmed using a combination of patient input and diagnostic testing, the doctor will work closely with the patient to develop a treatment plan.