Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, can cause aggravating symptoms including pain, numbness, muscle weakness and, when they're located in the neck, difficulty swallowing. In some cases, bone spurs in the neck are harmless, causing no symptoms at all. For those patients, bone spurs can be a symptom, rather than a cause, of spinal dysfunction.
Trauma
When an injury affects the cervical spine, meaning the vertebral bones that support the neck, the body may respond to that damage by building up the area with more bone cells. This can cause an overgrowth along the vertebral body, in other words, a bone spur.
The neck can be injured during whiplash injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents, forceful blows or falls during athletic activities, or any number of other actions that can traumatize the locomotor system. Extreme flexion, rotation, or hyperextension can all cause damage to the structures of the neck, according to Dr. Edward T. Crosby of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Though less dramatic than trauma caused by accidents, repetitive trauma to the cervical spine due to work or recreational activities is the most common cause of arthritis of the neck, which can lead to bone spurs, according to Spine-Health.
Normal Aging
With age and use, biomechanical structures are subject to wear and tear, and the vertebrae of the neck are no exception. Spongy cartilaginous slabs known as intervertebral discs separate the vertebrae. These discs provide shock absorption and a smooth, malleable surface against which the vertebrae can flex, extend and rotate. With age, the discs lose moisture, and years of use cause erosion of the cartilage. The discs thin and the bones that they cushion can grind against each other. This causes damage to the bones. The body responds by rebuilding the damaged area. This can lead to the formation of bone spurs.
Bone spurs can also grow within the ligament of the neck. Dr. John Schneider, a neurosurgeon with Spine-Health, explains that the ligaments grow more lax as we age. Range of motion at the joint increases, and the body responds by thickening the ligaments to compensate for the increased laxity of the joints. Calcium deposits form within the ligaments, leading to the presence of free-floating bone spurs that can compress nerve tissue and cause symptoms.
DISH
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, or DISH, is a disorder characterized by calcification of the bony ligaments of the spine. MayoClinic.com explains that sometimes this causes stiffness and pain in the ligaments and at other times, no symptoms result. When DISH affects the neck, it can lead to vocal hoarseness or pain when swallowing.
The term "idiopathic" identifies this disorder as being of unknown origin, but it has been observed that risk factors such as advanced age, the use of retinoid medications, the presence of pre-existing type 2 diabetes, or being of the male gender increase the likelihood of experiencing DISH.
