Bursitis

Bursitis

Bursitis is a condition that causes the bursae to become inflamed. This will often need to be treated by protecting the joint from further trauma and keeping the joint rested. Typically bursitis pain will fade after a few weeks if treatment is properly applied, but it is common for those that have suffered from this condition to see flare-ups again in the future.

Symptoms of Bursitis
Bursitis symptoms may affect the shoulder, elbow, knee, hip or Achilles tendon, which are more common in those over the age of 40.

• Pain, particularly when you move the joint or attempt to press on this area


• Swelling or redness around the affected area


• Stiffness or an ache in the affected area

Causes of Bursitis
Repetitive or Continual Motions
In most cases bursitis is caused by constant repetitive motions or pl

acing the joint in a position that continually irritates the area surrounding the joint.

• Leaning on your elbows for extended periods of time


• Throwing a baseball or similar athletic activity


• Constantly lifting heavy objects up over your head


• Sitting for long periods of time, particularly if you tend to sit on hard surfaces


• Kneeling for long periods of time, such as you would to while installing carpet or cleaning

Risk Factors

• Gardening, carpet laying, painting, tile setting or playing a musical instrument are excellent hobbies and occupations of this risk.


• The chance of developing bursitis becomes increasingly more severe as you age.


• Those that suffer from conditions such as Diabetes, rheumatoid Arthritis or Gout may have an increased risk of developing bursitis as well.

Home Remedies for Bursitis
During a bursitis flare up you can perform several home remedies that can help ease your discomfort.

1. Get New Shoes
Bursitis in the heels is often caused by poorly fitting shoes. Replacing these with a shoe that fits properly can help to alleviate the discomfort.

2. Change Habits
Seek out activities that appear to aggravate your bursitis and learn ways to reduce this discomfort. Investing in padding for your knees and elbows, resting in a more comfortable position or simply forgoing an activity may be helpful.

3. Apply Ice and Heat
After you have brought down the initial swelling, use a heating pack to increase circulation to remove any excess fluid. An ice pack applied in 20 minute intervals 3-4 times a day while elevating the joint can help to take down swelling.

4. Take Medications
Ibuprofen is particularly helpful in taking down inflammation of the bursae while easing pain. Check with your doctor before taking this medication as it can interact with other prescriptions. If the inflammation in the bursa has been caused by an infection, antibiotics will be necessary to take down the swelling.

5. Begin Moving
As the pain decreases, focus on moving your joint though a full range of motion. Your doctor can provide you with a list of recommended movements depending on the affected joints. Avoid over-reaching and instead opt to use a ladder to help you reach high objects. Crawling your hands up the wall like a spider is an excellent exercise to assist shoulders affected by bursitis.

The following videos provide additional insight regarding causes and management of bursitis:

Prevention Measures for Bursitis
Not all types of bursitis can be prevented but there are some things you can do to reduce the chance of a worse condition.

1. Improve Life Style
Lose weight for if you are overweight this can put more pressure on your joints. Bend the knees while lifting instead of bending over. This will reduce the amount of pressure placed on the bursae of your hips. Instead of attempting to carry very heavy loads and putting pressure on the bursae of the shoulders, use a wheeled cart or dolly to move these items. When kneeling, place some type of padding beneath your knees to take the pressure off these joints.

2. Do Preparation Work
Before you will performing any strenuous activities, make a point of stretching to prevent injury.If you will be performing several repetitive tasks, rest or alternate other activities to avoid over straining the joints.

3. Take Some Exercise
Avoid sitting in one position for too long, particularly if you are sitting on a hard surface that will put a great deal of pressure on the buttocks or the bursae in the hips.Exercising regularly can build up the muscles to protect joints affected by bursitis.

Medical Treatments for Bursitis
Most treatment of bursitis focuses on preventative measures, but if these options are not effective then medical intervention may be necessary.

1. Injections
Corticosteroids can be injected into the bursa to relieve any inflammation that is causing discomfort. This is often known for providing quick pain relief, and in most cases more than one injection is not necessary.

2. Therapy
Physical therapy or specific exercises can be used to strengthen the surrounding muscles. This can help to reduce current discomfort and prevent this swelling from reoccurring. Your doctor will provide you with a list of recommended exercises for this task.

3. Surgery
In rare cases swollen bursa may need to be removed to reduce the symptoms of this condition. They can also be surgically drained to take down swelling.

When to See a Doctor
You should make a point of seeing a doctor about your symptoms if you notice:

• Pain that has continued for more than two weeks without improvement


• Pain that disables the joint


• A sharp pain or a shooting pain that affects the joint as you exert yourself or attempt to exercise


• An excessive rash, swelling or redness around the affected joint


• Fever

Bursitis

Bursitis






Bursae is the name of pads that are filled with fluid to function as cushioning pads for the bones and tendons. Bursitis is the condition wherein bursae develop inflammation. Bursae is present all over the body but most commonly bursitis develops in shoulder, elbow and hip joint. Some people may develop bursitis on the heel, knee and basal toe. Bursitis affects the normal movement of the joints. This condition can be treated by effective medications but it can recur after some weeks.

Symptoms :

Pain is the major symptom of bursitis. The affected joint of the shoulder or elbow will develop intense pain suddenly making the movement difficult. The pain can become severe if you try to move the joint or apply pressure on it. The affected area can look tender and swollen.

Causes :

Certain type of repeated movements of the bursea can cause intense pain. If you are a sports person involved in playing throw ball or your daily work involves lifting of heavy objects, then you are likely to develop bursitis. Some people may develop inflammation on bursea when they are leaning on the elbows for extended duration. People engaged in extended kneeling for laying carpets and people who are sitting in wrong position on hard surface for long time may develop bursitis.

Overuse of joints at the same point can affect the bursea leading to inflammation. High risk activities like gardening, carpentry or painting for extended time can affect the bursea. The tendency of developing bursitis increases with age and a person with chronic medical issues like Rheumatoid Arthritis or diabetes is likely to develop bursitis.

Diagnosis :

Your doctor will complete the physical exam and may order for lab tests like blood profile and imaging tests like X-ray of the affected bone to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment :

Bursitis does not need any treatment unless it is severe. You need to take complete rest or take painkillers to get relief from severe pain. In case if the inflammation of bursea is caused by bacterial infection, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. You need to do physiotherapy for strengthening the affected muscles and to reduce inflammation. In more severe cases, steroid injection is given directly on the affected joint to get immediate relief from pain. In rare cases, surgical drainage is done on the affected bursa.

You can try the following home remedies before visiting your GP :

• Apply ice on the affected joint for several times a day.


• Give complete rest to the joint to reduce swelling.


• Over the counter medications like Ibuprofen or naproxen can give you instant relief from pain.


• If your knee joint is affected you can place a pillow between the legs to avoid friction.


• Do not bend overly for lifting objects since it can affect your joints.