Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body but may also be the most deficient. The amount of calcium that we absorb from our food varies widely. Our age is one factor. An adolescent may absorb up to 75% of the calcium obtained from foods, while in adults the maximum absorption rate ranges from 20% to 30%.
Even though our bones feel solid and seem permanent they're just like any other body tissue - they're constantly being broken down and formed again. In an adult, 20 percent of bone calcium is withdrawn from bones and replaced each year. Thus, every five years the bones are renewed.
Calcium is found in the extra cellular fluids and soft tissues of the body where it is vital to normal cell functioning. Much of the calcium in soft tissues is concentrated in muscle, although it is contained in the membrane and cytoplasm of every cell.
When the body is deficient of calcium it begins to leach calcium from the bones. In many people this happens to be in the heel of the foot or some other weak area of the body. As the calcium is being leached, it forms an eruption (similar to a volcano). This eruption is the osteophyte.
Many people that have suffered from osteophytes found relief when they properly supplemented their diet daily with "good" calcium. They found that providing their body with "good" calcium along with other vital minerals stopped the "leaching process" (calcium deficiency) thus allowing the osteophyte to shrink down and eventually disappear. With the osteophyte gone, the sorrounding damage from the osteophyte is able to heal also.
Important: The calcium+ must be carefully formulated to be easily digested to accomplish the "good" calcium environment in building healthy body/bone cells.
osteophyte
bone spurs
marginal osteophytes are a result and a part of arthritis. they are the build up of bone around the area in joints where the bone has started to touch bone in joints.
Osteophytis (plural Osteophytes)
Moderately large osteophytes are indicative of significant bone growth, often associated with conditions like osteoarthritis. While they are not classified as "big" compared to larger osteophytes, their presence suggests that there is noticeable joint degeneration and potential discomfort. Therefore, they can be considered substantial but not necessarily at the extreme end of size.
A disc protrusion with osteophytes refers to a condition in the spine where there is a bulging or herniation of an intervertebral disc along with the formation of bony outgrowths called osteophytes. The disc protrusion occurs when the gel-like center of the disc pushes out through a tear in the outer layer, potentially causing compression of nearby nerves or the spinal cord. Osteophytes are bony spurs that form in response to degeneration or injury, often seen in conditions like osteoarthritis. This combination of disc protrusion and osteophytes can contribute to symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the affected area.
The technical term for neck spurs is cervical osteophytes.
There are bone spurs on the back of the bone being studied.
Small points of bone sticking out from the vertebra toward the front. Osteophytes are an X ray finding association with arthritis in the spine as we age or have had an old trauma.
MR imagemorphology is in favour of early marginal osteophytes at few levels. mildbroad disc bulge at l4-l5 causing minimal thecal sac indentation
As disk degeneration occurs in the spinal vertebrae, mechanical stresses result in osteophytic bars (osteophytes) which form along the ventral aspect of the spinal canal. These are sometimes called parrot beaks because of their shape.
The skeleton; particularly joint edge surfaces.