Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal and compression of the nerve spinal cord caused by many factors, one of which is osteophytes. As long as the osteophytes do not compress the nerves or spinal cord, they are not related to spinal stenosis. If the osteophyte grows into the spinal canal, it can cause spinal stenosis. If the osteophyte grows outside the spinal canal, it has nothing to do with spinal stenosis. In fact, osteophytes are a protective response, osteophytes are a normal physiological and degenerative change in the human skeleton, a phenomenon of aging and degeneration of the skeleton. Just like people grow wrinkles on the skin as they age, bones need to grow growth. Many people have osteophytes, except that some do not cause symptoms and do not call it a disease, which is just a manifestation of aging. Osteomalacia is a reparative response, but if it grows into the spinal canal there is a risk of compression of the spinal cord or nerves. If the osteophyte grows outside the spinal canal, it is a simple osteophyte. Strictly speaking, as long as the osteophytes do not cause nerve or spinal cord compression, they do not need to be treated and medication is ineffective.