Causes

In your back, bone spurs typically occur due to degeneration or gradual wear and tear that affects the discs that separate your vertebrae. As they become worn, these discs exert pressure upon your spine, which can cause bone spurs to occur.

Symptoms

Bone spurs in your back have the potential to cause back pain as well as pain and numbness in other parts of your body due to pressure from the osteophytes being exerted against your nerves, explains the Mayo Clinic. If left untreated, bone spurs may eventually cause fecal or urinary incontinence.

Time Frame

Bone spurs in the back are most common in people over the age of 60, reports Spine-Health.com.

Diagnosis

Bone spurs typically require diagnostic imaging like magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography for diagnosis. Doctors normally conduct electroconductive tests to determine the extent to which bone spurs are disrupting the conduction of signals to nerves throughout your body.

Treatment

Rest, oral anti-inflammatory medications and cortisone injections are the most common treatments for bone spurs in your back. If there is no improvement within four to six weeks, physical therapy or surgery may be required, according to Spine-Health.com.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Bone Spurs

Spine-Health.com: Bone Spurs in the Back