A second opinion is wise if you have been told you have a bone spur and may need surgery.
A bone spur of the spine involves an overgrowth of bony material which can often press upon or impinge on a specific nerve root. This can manifest itself as arm pain or leg pain depending on the location of the bone spur. The other terminology you might hear is a disc osteophyte complex which is really a fancy word for a disc/bone spur. These can be bothersome to patients, as these complexes can behave like herniated discs and can cause significant nerve pain. However, some bone spurs are part of the aging process. A second opinion is wise if you have been told you have a bone spur and may need surgery.