I can’t tell you how often I have patients come to me that are fixated on the “bone spurs” in their shoulder. Usually they have already had an x-ray at another doctor’s office and are alerted to the spurs.
The real question is whether the bone spurs mean anything or whether they are a red herring- some normal finding that is leading you off the trail.
The bottom line is that bone spurs are nearly ubiquitous as we age. They often occur on the front of the shoulder blade or on the AC joint. And they are not always a sign of something wrong. They may be totally normal.
Here’s an example:
The picture on the left highlights a portion of the shoulder blade called the acromion where bone spurs commonly arise. Bone spurs in this area can be a normal part of the aging process and MAY NOT be the source of your pain.
The picture on the right demonstrates bone spurs inside the shoulder joint. They indicate arthritis of the joint and are NOT NORMAL. The two locations have vastly different implications.
Far more people have bone spurs in their shoulder on the acromion (left picture) than inside the joint (right picture).
So try not to get too worried about bone spurs. There are times when they matter and there are times when they may NOT matter.
Like everything else you’ve got to understand them in context. To get context you need someone to look at the whole picture for you and show you if the bone spurs actually are contributing to your problem or not.
If you are unsure of whether your bone spurs are the real cause of your shoulder pain or just an unrelated normal sign of aging and you want to know more, please contact us for a personal consultation.