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-   -   Arthritis and/or bone spurs (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=475438)

Bonnie OFS Sun, Oct-30-16 20:16

Arthritis and/or bone spurs
 
I started getting leg & knee pain about 5-6 months ago which has been getting worse. The only thing the doctor has been able to come up with (so far) is "mild patellar osteophytes" - bone spurs. It seems these things are associated with arthritis.

I had hoped that being low carb & most especially grain-free for the last 2-3 years would have prevented this. But apparently not.

Can anyone point me to information about diet & bone spurs? So far the only things I've found on my own are about RA - which I don't have - or they say things like meat & sardines are inflammatory - not something I want to hear!

Charms09 Sun, Oct-30-16 21:25

Facts about bone spurs...

*A bone spur (osteophyte) is a tiny pointed outgrowth of bone.
*Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from~degenerative arthritis~or tendonitis.
*Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury of nearby cartilage or tendons.
*Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location.
*Bone spurs can be associated with~pain, numbness, tenderness, andweakness~if they are irritating adjacent tissues.

What is a bone spur?

A bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think of something sharp when they think of a "spur," but a bone spur is just extra bone. It's usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments, tendons, or nerves in the body. Common places for bone spurs include the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.

What causes bone spurs?

A bone spur forms as the body tries to repair itself by building extra bone. It typically forms in response to pressure, rubbing, or stress that continues over a long period of time.

Some bone spurs form as part of the aging process. As we age, the slippery tissue called cartilage that covers the ends of the bones within joints breaks down and eventually wears away (osteoarthritis). Also, the discs that provide cushioning between the bones of the spine may break down with age. Over time, this leads to pain and swelling and, in some cases, bone spurs forming along the edges of the joint. Bone spurs due to aging are especially common in the joints of the spine and feet.

Bone spurs also form in the feet in response to tight ligaments, to activities such as dancing and running that put stress on the feet, and to pressure from being overweight or from poorly fitting shoes. For example, the long ligament on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) can become stressed or tight and pull on the heel, causing the ligament to become inflamed (plantar fasciitis). As the bone tries to mend itself, a bone spur can form on the bottom of the heel (known as a "heel spur"). Pressure at the back of the heel from frequently wearing shoes that are too tight can cause a bone spur on the back of the heel. This is sometimes called a "pump bump," because it is often seen in women who wear high heels.

Another common site for bone spurs is the shoulder. Your shoulder joint is able to move in a number of directions due to its complex structure. Over time, the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments that make up your shoulder can wear against one another. The muscles that allow you to lift and rotate your arm (called the~rotator cuff) start at your shoulder blade and are attached to your upper arm with tendons. As these tendons move through the narrow space between the top of your shoulder and your upper arm, they can rub on the bones. Bone spurs can form in this narrow area that, in turn, pinch the rotator cuff tendons, resulting in irritation, inflammation, stiffness, weakness, pain, and sometimes tearing of the tendon. This condition,~rotator cuff disorder, commonly occurs with age and/or repetitive use of the shoulder. It is also common in athletes, especially baseball players, and in people such as painters who frequently work with their arms above their heads.

What are the symptoms?

Many people have bone spurs without ever knowing it, because most bone spurs cause no symptoms. But if the bone spurs are pressing on other bones or tissues or are causing a muscle or tendon to rub, they can break that tissue down over time, causing swelling, pain, and tearing. Bone spurs in the foot can also cause corns and calluses when tissue builds up to provide added padding over the bone spur.

How are bone spurs diagnosed?

A bone spur is usually visible on an X-ray. But since most bone spurs do not cause problems, it would be unusual to take an X-ray just to see whether you have a bone spur. If you had an X-ray to evaluate one of the problems associated with bone spurs, such as arthritis, bone spurs would be visible on that X-ray.

How are they treated?

Bone spurs do not require treatment unless they are causing pain or damaging other tissues. When needed, treatment may be directed at the causes, the symptoms, or the bone spurs themselves.

Treatment directed at the cause of bone spurs may include weight loss to take some pressure off the joints (especially when osteoarthritis or plantar fasciitis is the cause) and stretching the affected area, such as the heel cord and bottom of the foot. Seeing a physical therapist for ultrasound or deep tissue massage may be helpful for plantar fasciitis or shoulder pain.

Treatment directed at symptoms could include rest, ice, stretching, andnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)~such as ibuprofen. Education in how to protect your joints is helpful if you have osteoarthritis. If a bone spur is in your foot, changing footwear or adding padding or a shoe insert such as a heel cup or orthotic may help. If the bone spur is causing corns or calluses, padding the area or wearing different shoes can help. A podiatrist (foot doctor) may be consulted if corns and calluses become a bigger problem. If the bone spur continues to cause symptoms, your doctor may suggest a~corticosteroid~injection at the painful area to reduce pain and inflammation of the soft tissues next to the bone spur.

Sometimes the bone spurs themselves are treated. Bone spurs can be surgically removed or treated as part of a surgery to repair or replace a joint when osteoarthritis has caused considerable damage and deformity. Examples might include repair of a~bunion~or heel spur in the foot or removal of small spurs underneath the point of the shoulder.

Bonnie OFS Sun, Oct-30-16 22:17

Wow - lots of info - thanks!

I wonder how fast bone spurs can form. Both my doc & the x-ray guy asked if I'd hurt my knees. Told them no, but reading this I remembered that I did fall about a month or so before the pain started - tho I remember only my left knee (the one that's in worse shape) being badly bruised. I hit my head, too, but no one seems concerned about that. ;)

Maybe it isn't arthritis & will go away - keeping my fingers crossed.

MickiSue Mon, Oct-31-16 08:59

Did you injure your knee, Bonnie? Sometimes, the inflammation that is a natural part of healing can overdo it.

I fell way back in 2009, breaking my right 5th metatarsal and spraining my ankle. I landed, hard, on the side of my foot.

Apparently, though, I also chipped a bone in my tibia, the part where your ankle sticks out. It literally had a point on it for several years, but it's been gradually wearing down, to where now it just has a feeling of being rolled up, instead of smooth like the one on the left.

The frustrating thing about bone spurs is that we really don't know for sure what caused an individual one. But they can gradually dissolve. Like the rough edges of a broken bone that has healed, called a callus, bone spurs, because they ARE not a normal part of the body, can be worn away by the body's normal "clean up" activities.

Nancy LC Mon, Oct-31-16 09:22

No bone spurs yet that I know of, but I do know that my arthritis gets worse when I eat foods I'm sensitive to like almonds, dairy, too much pork, eggs, maybe peanuts, soy.

You might try doing what I did, completely change what you eat, and see if it helps with the pain at all. I think fish oil helps too, but I eat a lot of sardines/herring so I don't take extra any longer.

So where I used to eat beef, chicken, pork, I now eat lamb, fish, (a little pork), duck.

I suffer a lot with dairy unfortunately, so I'm almost at 100% avoidance with that. When I backslide, I suffer with arthritis, sinus problems, acne... and so on.

Bonnie OFS Mon, Oct-31-16 09:38

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
No bone spurs yet that I know of, but I do know that my arthritis gets worse when I eat foods I'm sensitive to like almonds, dairy, too much pork, eggs, maybe peanuts, soy.

You might try doing what I did, completely change what you eat, and see if it helps with the pain at all. I think fish oil helps too, but I eat a lot of sardines/herring so I don't take extra any longer.

So where I used to eat beef, chicken, pork, I now eat lamb, fish, (a little pork), duck.

I suffer a lot with dairy unfortunately, so I'm almost at 100% avoidance with that. When I backslide, I suffer with arthritis, sinus problems, acne... and so on.


I've been eating salmon or sardines for breakfast for a while now, & I know I have to avoid dairy. I do eat a little cheese but I'm careful not to overdo it - too much pain. I avoid almonds as they cause digestive upsets for me - I eat pecans & walnuts. For some reason they aren't as "more-ish" as almonds are.

Charms09 Mon, Oct-31-16 11:54

I just had my nose operated on because I could not breath out of the right side & the Dr told me he removed a huge bone spur from that side & sinus area. He it had been growing for years to get that big...

I know it's not the same but maybe bone spurs take time to grow.

Meme#1 Mon, Oct-31-16 12:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bonnie OFS
I hit my head, too, but no one seems concerned about that. ;)


Bonnie~Hitting your head in a fall isn't good so make sure to pay attention to your eyes because you can have a detached retina and not realize it. Maybe an eye exam would be a good idea, just in case.

Nancy LC Mon, Oct-31-16 14:49

It took me a long time to realize that "just a little" dairy was a problem. I needed that 100% change to get a baseline for how good I can feel, then it started to become obvious when the old symptoms start creeping back with the "just a little" cheese, or cream in the coffee.

I'm even asking myself whether I want to have the usual Thanksgiving meal with dairy products (especially dessert). I know I'll feel terrible for days afterward. :\

Verbena Mon, Oct-31-16 16:00

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
I'm even asking myself whether I want to have the usual Thanksgiving meal with dairy products (especially dessert). I know I'll feel terrible for days afterward. :\


What dairy products (unless you are including butter; I use a lot of butter)? Except for pumpkin pie I can't think of anything in MY standard Thanksgiving dinner that includes dairy. I did a reasonable facsimile of pumpkin pie once with soy milk (blecch!) when my dairy intolerant niece was visiting. I would use another milk substitute nowadays if necessary (coconut?). I am always curious about what others cook for holiday meals, so I am asking for curiosity's sake. Oh, OK, I just thought of mashed potatoes (cauliflower, celery root, whatever) with cream, but I'd think that butter/ghee/duck fat plus some bone broth would fill the need there. Remember the ads that used to (still do?) run around Thanksgiving suggesting canned chicken broth instead of butter/milk in the mash, as the low fat solution?

MickiSue Mon, Oct-31-16 17:41

I make a low carb pumpkin pie with heavy cream, and of course, whip more for the topping. Also, mashed potatoes and a mix of potato/sweet potato mash that also have whipping cream in them. Butter, lots of butter. A stick or two when I'm cooking the celery and onions for the stuffing I don't eat.

Actually, though, I only eat a forkful of the mashed stuff, with lots of gravy that I thicken with xanthan gum.

Nancy LC Tue, Nov-01-16 07:56

I often made things like LC Pumpkin Chiffon pie which has cream cheese. Or a variety of cheese-y/cream-y dishes.

Verbena Tue, Nov-01-16 10:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
I often made things like LC Pumpkin Chiffon pie which has cream cheese. Or a variety of cheese-y/cream-y dishes.


Oh yes, I see. I tend to forget that others have the cheese option, which I don't, as DH doesn't eat cheese. Cream cheese is OK, but I don't use it much for things that he eats as I don't want to find someday that it maybe has become a problem. (He dislikes the taste of aged milk products, but dairy in general isn't problematic).

Nancy LC Tue, Nov-01-16 10:52

No, I don't have the cheese option. If I eat dairy, I will suffer from joint/muscle pain for a couple of days.

Butter seems to be okay, but that is it.

Yesterday I had corn... today the roof of my mouth is erupting into pain any time I eat. Yikes! I do have some nasty, nasty food sensitivities.

Verbena Tue, Nov-01-16 12:40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy LC
No, I don't have the cheese option. If I eat dairy, I will suffer from joint/muscle pain for a couple of days.

Butter seems to be okay, but that is it.

Yesterday I had corn... today the roof of my mouth is erupting into pain any time I eat. Yikes! I do have some nasty, nasty food sensitivities.


Oops, sorry; I was still in past tense mode, thinking of dishes one might have made in the past containing dairy.
So sorry about your horrid food sensitivities. They make my having to avoid cheese, for DH's sake, sound like a walk in the park.


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