What is Vertebral Spurring?
Vertebral spurring is the development of bone spurs on the vertebrae. Bone spurs, also called osteophytes, are bony protrusions that develop along the edges of bones. Osteophytes can develop on any bone, but most often form in joints, where bones meet. Vertebral spurring occurs when the protrusions develop along the edges of the vertebrae, the individual bones that make up the spine. Though bone spurs may cause no specific symptoms on certain bones, vertebral spurring often causes pain and discomfort. This is because the bone spurs can compress the nerves in the spine or even push against the spinal cord causing pain and numbness in other parts of the body. As with most bone spurs, vertebral spurring is often the result of an underlying disease or condition and is commonly associated with osteoarthritis. The break down of cartilage in the joints results in the development of new bone as the body attempts to repair the loss of cartilage. This occurs as debris is collected and deposited
