I have had back issues for years. I have been going to a pain specialist for over a year and they have been no help past medication. One of the doctors did say that if the pain continued in my thoracic region that a back surgeon could go in and shave the spurs off, is this true?
The following user gives a hug of support to Ladiaye: Phoenix (09-27-2012)
I think that it is possible to slice off the spurs, but what additional problems might this cause? It is not as simple as it sounds as the spurs are not bumps or rough edges on bones. When patients are told they have bone spurs, there is sometimes the implication that these spurs are the cause of the person's back pain. This is not necessarily correct. Bone spurs or osteophytes are an indication that there is degeneration in the spine.
Spurs grow for specific reasons. Usually they form as a result of some instability in a particular segment of the spine, usually the facet joints.
Have you had a recent MRI to check for other issues that may be causing your pain?
I have had the worst time trying to get my insurance to pay for anything besides x-rays, and 20 visits to therapy. I need to make an appt with my family dr to see if she can go ahead and order head to hip x-rays and send my records over to PT, no matter what the x-rays say, I have to have 6 weeks of an anti-inflammatory meds and PT before they will pay for an MRI.
