Bone Spurs

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Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, are excess bone that grows on normal bone. While the name suggests that the growths are sharp or jagged, spurs are typically smooth. Even though they are smooth, spurs can still cause additional damage to your other bones or soft tissues depending on where they rub together.

The main cause of bone spurs is the joint damage associated with osteoarthritis. They can also form due to disc degeneration or simply the process of aging.

Bone spurs commonly form within joints when bone rubs against other bone. Our body naturally tries to repair the damage by creating bone spurs.
According to WebMD, bone spurs are most common in your spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.

Most bone spurs cause no symptoms and can go undetected for years, however, if the growths are pressing on other bones or tissues, they can be extremely painful. Common symptoms of bone spurs include swelling, pain, and tearing in your muscles and tendons with a decreased range of motion in the joint. Corns and calluses also often form over the site of a bone spur in your foot.

Dietary imbalances causing bone spurs are frequently the same as what is associated with cataracts, kidney stones and other deposits of free calcium. It commonly is a longstanding magnesium deficiency or the practice of taking rock based calcium supplements or antacids such as Tums.

Conventional Medical Treatment

In the absence of structural damage, conservative treatment consists of immobilization, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cortisone injections, physical therapy, heat and sometimes acupuncture. Surgery can be recommended if these therapies do not give relief after 3 months.

Natural Treatment for Bone Spurs

1. Dietary changes. Discontinue your rock based calcium supplement and antacids. They are not living food. They are chemically produced rock powders that are alkalizing and neutralize stomach acid. We need our stomach acid to make materials for tissue and bone repair. If you are concerned about not getting enough calcium in your diet, try a plant based supplement instead, such as Herbal Calcium Formula. Increase intake of high magnesium foods such as avocados, legumes, bananas, salmon and leafy greens.

2. Lemon water. Lemons contain citrate which can prevent the formation and depostition of free calcium.

3. Hydrangea root capsules – 4 capsules, 4 times a day is an aggressive program to heal bone spurs. Historically used by herbalists to break up kidney stones and bone spurs. Hydrangea arborescens is a hardy perennial native to eastern United States. Its chemical constituents are composed of aromatic compounds, bitter compounds, saponins, flavonoids, mucilaginous compounds. It is a harsh herb and not for extended use. Commonly called gravel root or stone root. The medicinal parts are the dried rhizome and the roots.

4. Magnesium– Magnesium prevents oxalates (insoluble salts with calcium) from forming. It also helps vitamin D convert to its active form. A liquid form of magnesium called Ionic Magnesium (Chloride) will not affect the bowels as some magnesium supplements can, so this is the preferred type of magnesium for many. The National Institutes for Health recommends around 400 mg daily, in divided doses.

5. Glucosamine/Chondroitin – as directed to improve joint function. To read more on this supplement, see the Pain blog page.

6. Turmeric or Zyflamend – for inflammation and pain. Turmeric is a mild and effective anti-inflammatory due to its volatile oils and curcuminoids. It should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. It should also not be used by people with hyperacidity or gastrointestinal ulcers. It may increase the risk for bleeding for those on anticoagulants.

7. Enzymatic Therapy Acid-A-Cal – a synergistic combination to eliminate bone spurs. It has acidifying compounds plus vitamins and minerals that support balanced pH levels. My husband was dealing with planter faciitis, which is commonly triggered by bone spurs. He took this product according to the package directions. Within one week he was 95% improved. No walking boot, no physical therapy, no steroid injections. Read the product reviews. Quite impressive.

Topical treatments

Arnica Cream – with a heating pad applied on top. Up to 4 times a day. Arnica montana preparations have demonstrated antiseptic and mild analgesic properties in animal and in vitro studies when applied topically, due to its compounds of sesquiterpene lactones, volatile oils, polyynes, hydroxycumarines, caffeic acid, flavonoids.

Castor Oil – this is used on swellings and pain from rheumatism, gout, frozen shoulder. [1] [2] Massage castor oil on the area or pour some on a cotton cloth such as kitchen towel or washcloth, apply heating pad or hot water bottle. You can save the cloth in the fridge to use again. Caution: this is thick and sticky. Discard cloth or launder separately from other items.

Sources:

Yarnell, E, Abascal K. Herbs for Curbing Inflammation. Alt Comp Med; 22-28. 2006.

Garving, C; Jakob S; Bauer, I; Nadjar, R; Brunner, U H. Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder. Aerzteblatt.de/int/archive/article/194351

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bone-spur-topic-overview?page=2

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bone-spurs/basics/definition/con-20024478
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03031/Heel-Spurs.html

PDR for Herbal Medicines/Arnica/Jaenicke,C. MD, 2007

Hosp Pract (Off Ed). 1993 Apr 30;28(4A):79-82, 85-7, 91-2. Magnesium: deficiencies and therapeutic uses. Matz R.