BONE SPURS IN SPINAL COLUMN

[dragonhuey]

my 37 yr old wife with severe RA recently found out she has bone spurs floating in her spinal column and deterioration of the spine Would like to know what treatments are possible and what dangers are

[Tom Plamondon PA-C]

Sorry for the delayed response.

The main question with spurs on the spinal canal is: are the spurs causing narrowing of either the spinal canal itself or intravertebral foramen (holes where the nerves exit the spinal column).
Spinal cord compression is an emergency. Symptoms include (lumbar): leg weakness, inability to urinate, saddle paresthesia (numbness in the genitalia area) and in the cervical area you may have ataxia (stumbling gait), arms and leg weakness.
Otherwise the peripheral nerve compression can cause limb numbness, pain, and weakness.
In either case, she should see a neurosurgeon.
Keep us updated.