Many more people have bone spurs than have symptoms because they do not cause problems. Bone spurs are bony projections that form along or inside your joint in response to an injury, disease or poor use or motion of the joint. The most common areas to experience a bone spur include the heel, shoulder, finger or spine. Knowing the symptoms of a bone spur will help you to seek the proper medical care for treatment before the pain becomes intolerable.
Pain
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons states that the type of symptom you'll experience with a bone spur will depend upon the location of the calcium overgrowth. Bone spurs are associated with pain and tenderness if they are located next to skin, nerves, tendons or fat pads. The location on the body will also determine the amount and type of pain. For instance, a bone spur on the heel will result in difficulty walking or cause an inflammation of the entire plantar fascia which is the tendon that runs along the entire bottom of the foot.
Corns and Calluses
Bone spurs can also result in the buildup of added tissue on the exterior of the foot or weight bearing prominence to provide extra padding, reports the Podiatry Network. This extra tissue growth will appear either as corns or calluses which can grow in areas that may or may not be under consistent pressure or rubbing from footwear.
Pinched Nerve
According to the Mayo Clinic bone spurs can cause pinched nerves. When bone spurs push against the nerves, either along the peripheral tract or at the spinal cord, it causes pain and numbness. If enough pressure is placed over the nerve you can also experience weakness and tingling.
Loss of Motion
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons notes that bone spurs can develop in areas of injury or inflammation and grow into the joint space, limiting motion. The most common areas bone spurs will grow into your joint spaces include the shoulder, finger and spine. You will notice a limitation in your range of motion in this joint that can increase over time. In some instances your physician may recommend the removal of bone spurs if your range of motion becomes significantly reduced.
Disfigurement
The Mayo Clinic says that bone spurs on the fingers can appear as hard lumps beneath the skin and disfigure the appearance of the hands. These calcium deposits may also cause intermittent pain depending upon where they occur in the joint. What may look like arthritic changes in the joints may be the growth of bone spurs as a result of repeated overuse or improper use of the fingers.
