These questions indicate that there are many misconceptions about osteophytes and bone spurs among patients. Osteomalacia, also known as bone spurs and bone redundancy, is a common folk term. However, osteophyte or bone spur is a common folk term, while “bone redundancy” is a professional medical term, but the essence is the same. It is a very common imaging manifestation in orthopedic clinics, and its formation is also a natural degenerative phenomenon that accompanies the aging process of human bones. Therefore, osteomalacia does not mean a disease, but a physiological tissue degeneration reaction, just like the hair turning gray, skin sagging and age spots when people get old, it is a normal repair process of the body. The “osteophyte” prefers the middle-aged and elderly, heavy workers, and people who work long hours bending over. If the posture is not correct (e.g., sitting and standing for a long time, prolonged head down, bending, etc.) or if there is a heavy workload, he will also patronize the young people. Are all pains caused by “bone spurs”? Can it be cured with medication? How do I need to treat it? Most bone spurs are asymptomatic and are usually detected during a physical examination. Many pains are not caused by bone spurs, for example, bone spurs growing on the anterior edge of the spinal vertebrae do not usually cause pain (Figure 1), and most of the joint pain is due to inflammation and not entirely from bone spurs. Only when the “bone superfluous” compresses the nerve or stimulates the surrounding soft tissues will it cause pain, for example, heel pain caused by heel bone superfluous (Figure 2), “bone superfluous” formed by small joint hyperplasia of the lumbar spine or “bone superfluous” at the posterior edge of the vertebral body. The numbness and pain of the limb caused by the nerve roots stimulated by the compression of the “bone superfluity” (Figure 3). Nowadays, after the improvement of living standard, many people pay attention to health gradually, and when slight osteophytes or bone spurs are found in physical examination, they get nervous, and many sufferers have to use various “paste”, “cream”, “spirit Many patients use various “stickers”, “creams”, “spirits”, “massage”, but in the end, the bone spur does not become smaller, which is a waste of money and adds to the psychological burden. In fact, there is no special technique or medicine to eliminate bone spurs! However, you can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs and blood-stasis activating drugs orally, together with hot compresses, ultrasonic waves, electrotherapy, infrared rays, traction, etc. to relax the muscles, improve local blood circulation, and reduce the symptoms of discomfort, but there is no therapeutic effect on the bone. As stated in the principle of production, “bone growth” is a natural phenomenon, so there is no need to worry about it. Simple osteophytes (e.g., frontal and lateral cervical spine x-rays in young people with neck discomfort, spinal degeneration in the elderly, formation of bone flab at the front edge of the vertebral body, etc.) do not require special treatment. Only if the bone spur is confirmed to be the main cause of pain, surgical treatment of the bone spur is required, as follows: ▶ Osteomalacia at the posterior edge of the cervical vertebral body or small articular prominence may cause the intervertebral foramen to become smaller and narrower and compress the cervical nerve root or vertebral artery, causing neck pain and upper extremity radiation pain (Figure 4). (Figure 4); ▶ Osteomalacia at the posterior edge of the lumbar vertebral body or the upper and lower articular protrusions can cause narrowing of the lateral saphenous fossa and intervertebral foramen and compression of the nerve roots within the foramina to produce symptoms such as corresponding leg pain and leg numbness (Figure 5); ▶ When osteomalacia of the knee joint forms a huge bone spur, there may be strangulation during joint movement and sudden movement disorders and severe pain (Figure 6). Prevention of “osteophytes” ▶ Pay attention to rest; ▶ Reduce physical labor; ▶ Avoid prolonged and strenuous exercise; ▶ Take appropriate and moderate physical exercise, and swimming is recommended; ▶ Reduce body weight. In conclusion, we hope that you can understand osteophytes correctly and scientifically, and go to the regular hospital promptly if you have symptoms.