Bone Spurs, Bursitis, and Joint Pain: Which Came first, the Chicken or the Egg?
- cassis101
- Aug 17
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 25
By Deborah Westergaard, MD | Pain Experts | Dallas–Plano
Bone Spurs, Bursitis, and Joint Pain: What’s the Real Cause—and What Can You Do About It?
Most Joint Pain Treatments Miss the Mark
Orthopedic pain management has long been guided by surface-level assumptions:
“There’s a bone spur—let’s shave it down.”
“There’s a swollen bursa—let’s cut it out.”
But what if these findings aren’t the problem, but the body’s response to one?
Bone spurs (osteophytes), bursitis, and joint cysts are often reactions to deeper mechanical failure—not isolated pathologies. Degenerative tendons, worn cartilage, or poor bone quality underneath a joint surface frequently precede these changes. Removing a visible structure may offer temporary relief but rarely restores performance, agility, or long-term function.
For the executive who is still chasing excellence on the tennis court or in the boardroom, those superficial fixes fall short.
The Truth Behind Bone Spurs and Bursa
Bone spurs often develop to stabilize an unstable joint, commonly triggered by tendon overload or ligament laxity. For instance, gluteal tendon degeneration in the hip can shift force vectors to the greater trochanter, prompting bone spur formation.
Bursitis is rarely a primary diagnosis. The so-called “trochanteric bursitis” is usually a secondary consequence of chronic friction or gluteal tendinopathy.
Source: Fearon et al., 2013 – Gluteal tendinopathy and greater trochanteric pain syndrome
Incidental findings like bone spurs or cysts are often asymptomatic and misattributed as the pain source.
Target the Root Cause—Not the Shadow It Casts
True recovery starts with structural integrity—not surgical subtraction.
That’s why I use precision-guided regenerative orthobiologics to help your body address the actual problem, using your own internal repair systems.
What We Use:
Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC):
Collected under image guidance from your own marrow, BMC delivers a combination of mesenchymal stem cells, growth factors, and cytokines. It’s not a miracle fix, but a way to support cartilage, ligament, and tendon health when applied to the right structure at the right time.
Source:Philippe Hernigou
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP):
When carefully prepared as high-concentration, leukocyte-poor PRP and delivered under ultrasound guidance, this autologous biologic can reduce inflammation and promote tendon healing in targeted areas like the plantar fascia, gluteal tendons, or facet joints.
Source: Jacobson et al., 2016 – Percutaneous Tendon Fenestration vs Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for Gluteal Tendinosis
These methods do not burn, cut, or remove tissue. They nourish and help the body repair it. For those who prioritize healthspan, performance, and independence, this is not just medicine—it’s a strategy.
The Precision Approach
Instead of excising a trochanteric bursa, I evaluate and treat the gluteal tendon complex—often the real source of lateral hip pain.
Instead of shaving down a heel spur, I reinforce the plantar fascia or Achilles tendon with regenerative options to stop abnormal traction forces at the calcaneus.
Instead of removing a facet cyst, I address the joint inflammation that created it with PRP and image-guided precision.
This is not just pain relief. This is repair of the problem with intention.
Of course, there are times when surgery is appropriate—such as with complete tendon tears with retraction beyond 1 cm or advanced joint destruction. But those are not the majority. For many, there's a path forward that doesn’t require removing pieces of your body.
Excellence Requires the Right Strategy
If you've been told to undergo surgery because of a spur, a swollen bursa, or a joint cyst—pause.
Ask instead:
Why is it there?
At Pain Experts, I don’t chase symptoms. I investigate the structure, the system, and the why. Using real-time fluoroscopy and ultrasound, I place regenerative agents where they're most needed. The result? Your own body begins to correct the dysfunction—not just silence it.
If you value quality over shortcuts, trust over trends, and outcomes over optics—then I invite you to step into a new paradigm of orthopedic care.
Schedule a Private Consultation
Let’s uncover the root cause of your joint pain and design a personalized regenerative plan built around your goals, your biology, and your long game.
Because staying powerful isn’t about removing the pieces.
It’s about restoring what matters most.
#BackpainDallas#BackpainPlano
#JointPainRelief#BoneSpurs#Bursitis#PRPTherapy#BoneMarrowConcentrate
#RegenerativeOrthopedics#Orthobiologics#NonSurgicalTreatment
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