Bone Spur in Shoulder

Bone spurs, which is also known as osteophytes, are actually bone outgrowths formed on the edges of the normal bone. They are most commonly found in the joints, where one bone connects with another and also in those places where tendons or ligaments meet the bones. These bone outgrowths are usually the result of wear and tear of the bones, due to continuous pressure, stress and rubbing of one bone against another. The body, while trying to repair the damage caused by the above-mentioned factors, builds extra bones on the edges of the existing bones, which causes bone spur. In human body, they are more commonly found in the spine, feet, shoulder, hands and hips.

Bone Spur Causes
They can occur primarily, in two places, either in the shoulder joint or at the place where tendons meet the bone. They can be formed due to several factors; aging and osteoarthritis being the most important ones. Apart from the shoulder joint, they can also form on acromion, which is a part of the shoulder blade. Such bone spur in shoulder blade area, can be quite sharp at times. The common causes of bone spur in the shoulder joint and near the shoulder blade are degenerative diseases like arthritis and osteoarthritis, physical trauma or injury and spinal and shoulder disorders.

Diseases like arthritis and osteoarthritis cause breakdown of the cartilage, that covers the ends of the bones in the joints. As this protective covering wears away due to diseases like osteoarthritis, the bones start to rub against each other more frequently, leading to the formation of bone spur. Like osteoarthritis, any kind of injury to the neck or shoulder and upper back region can also contribute towards the development. Among the spinal disorders, the condition known as, ' diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis' can lead to the formation of bone spur in spine, shoulder and neck. Similarly, shoulder disorders, especially disorder of the rotator cuff, can also cause bone spur. This disorder is mainly caused by the process of aging or by the repetitive use of the shoulder, which can be the reason for its prevalence among the athletes.

Symptoms of Bone Spur
Most of the time, they may not cause any symptom if they are smooth and hence, many people can have bone spurs for a long time, without their knowledge. They can however cause pain and swelling in the joints, when they get pressed or rubbed against other bones or the adjoining tissues. Along with pain, they can also restrict the movement of the particular joint. Symptoms are greatly determined by their location. Bone spurs in shoulder can not only cause pain, but can also restrict the range of movement of the arm. Sometimes, they can rub against the rotator cuff, which is the group of muscle that allows the normal shoulder movements. Such rubbing or friction will cause swelling and inflammation as well as tearing of the tendons of the rotator cuff. The condition can produce a lot of pain and cause stiffness of the affected tendons.

Treatment for Bone Spur
If the bone spurs are not causing any major problem like pain or swelling and is also not hindering the normal movement of the joint, then no treatment is required. In such a situation, they are often identified in the X-rays done for other medical conditions. But, if they are causing pain and inflammation, then one can take non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as prescribed by the physicians. Sometimes, corticosteroid injections are also recommended to relieve the pain and inflammation caused by bone spurs.

Occasionally, some bone spurs have been observed to cause joint interlocking. This happens when the bone spurs get dislodged from the original bones and then remain floated in the joint. Joint interlocking can severely limit the normal movement of that particular joint. Such a situation may necessitate surgical removal of the bone spur. It can be an open surgery or arthroscopy, where the surgical tools are inserted through some small incisions made in that area.

If you experience continuous pain and difficulty in moving your arms, then it is better to talk to a physician and get an X-ray of your shoulder bone. Otherwise, if the bone spurs rub against the tendons of the rotator cuff or if they get dislodged from the original bone, they can cause severe pain and put limitations on the normal range of movements of the arm.