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Hello, My Dad is 85 years old and is having issues w bone spurs in his back and then the last few weeks he has been blacking out with inability to grasp things. He just recently had his carotid arteries cleaned out so he is Good with this..He had his some of his bone spurs removed a few years back but they are again bothering him. He has had 1 stroke a few years back with partial loss of vision in one eye. Strokes run in our family and he has high cholesterol. Please help if you may have any ideas. He has a dr appt on Nov 1st coming up..
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Non-surgical treatment plan will usually include massage therapy and physical therapy to restore flexibility and strength and decrease pressure on spinal nerves. After two weeks, you should be able to notice a difference. If you experience flare–ups, try alternating applications of heat and cold to your lower back and resting. Pain medications can also be prescribed, along with muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medicines, for 4-to-6 weeks. Your physician might also prescribe epidural steroid injections to further reduce swelling and inflammation. If these procedures prove to be ineffective, you should consult a neurosurgeon about your treatment options. If your diagnosis is causing unstoppable back pain and hindering your quality of life, you should consider undergoing a laminectomy to remove the bone spurs. This will permanently remove the growths and relieve the nerve compression that is causing your pain.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
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How Can Bone Spurs On The Back Be Treated?
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice. Non-surgical treatment plan will usually include massage therapy and physical therapy to restore flexibility and strength and decrease pressure on spinal nerves. After two weeks, you should be able to notice a difference. If you experience flare–ups, try alternating applications of heat and cold to your lower back and resting. Pain medications can also be prescribed, along with muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory medicines, for 4-to-6 weeks. Your physician might also prescribe epidural steroid injections to further reduce swelling and inflammation. If these procedures prove to be ineffective, you should consult a neurosurgeon about your treatment options. If your diagnosis is causing unstoppable back pain and hindering your quality of life, you should consider undergoing a laminectomy to remove the bone spurs. This will permanently remove the growths and relieve the nerve compression that is causing your pain. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.