In our daily life, we often hear people with neck, shoulder, back and leg pain say that they have “bone spurs”, and that they are very miserable and incurable. What is this “bone spur” that people are talking about? What are the dangers? Is it curable? What is a “bone spur”? Bone spurs are clinically referred to as osteophytes and osteophytes, which are commonly found in the middle-aged and elderly population and are formed at the edges of bones. Of course, bone spurs can also form in young people, mainly due to long-term weight-bearing or repeated strain on the joints. Bone spurs can be seen as a natural process, like aging, and are not a pathology. After a certain age, the joints age, as evidenced by the laxity of the muscles and ligaments around the joints and the degeneration of the articular cartilage, which leads to a decrease in joint stability. In order to regain the stability of the joints, bleeding, ossification, and hyperplasia occur under the periosteum around the joints, which results in “bone spurs”, a protective mechanism of the body. In this sense, the presence of bone spurs has certain benefits. Many pains are not caused by the spur, and the spur itself is not painful. If the soft tissues around the spur cannot adapt to its presence and irritate the area, painful symptoms may result. Can I take medicine to get rid of the spur? Many elderly people ask, “Doctor, what can I take to get rid of bone spurs?” In fact, there is no scientific basis for taking oral medication to eliminate bone spurs. “Bone spurs are bony substances like our bones, and if there are drugs to eliminate them, they may cause damage to normal bones as well. Some drugs may prevent further growth of bone spurs, but it is not possible to make them smaller or disappear. Can “bone spurs” be treated? In general, conservative treatment is the first thing to consider when you have a bone spur. Conservative treatment includes acupuncture, fire cupping, Chinese herbal medicine sealing, and modern rehabilitation exercises, which can relax the muscles and improve the local blood supply, thus relieving the pain or making it disappear. However, for the bone spur itself, these treatments will not make it disappear. In some cases, minimally invasive surgery may be considered to remove the spur if conservative treatment does not work well and the condition tends to worsen and affects life. How to deal with bone spurs? Obese people with bone spurs need to lose weight to reduce wear and tear on their joints. Functional exercises, such as pulling exercises and strengthening of muscles. Avoid overexertion, reduce excessive weight bearing during acute pain, and rest in bed to reduce pain. Bone spurs are not at all scary, and as long as they do not cause local discomfort, they do not need to be treated.