Description

Bursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs-called bursae (bur-SEE) — that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles around the joints. Bursitis occurs when the pouches become inflamed.

The most common locations of bursitis in the shoulder, elbow, and hip. But you can also have bursitis by your knee, heel and the base of your big toe. Bursitis often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.

Treatment typically involves resting the affected joint and the protection of the trauma. In most cases, bursitis pain goes away within a few weeks with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups of bursitis are common.

Symptoms

If you have bursitis, the affected joint can:

  • Feel pain or stiffness in the
  • It hurts more when you move it or press on it
  • Look swollen and red

When to see a doctor

Consult your doctor if you have:

  • Disabling pain in the joints
  • Sudden inability to move a joint
  • Excessive swelling, redness, bruising or a rash on the affected area
  • Sharp or shooting pain, especially when you exercise or effort
  • A fever

Causes

The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive movements or postures that put pressure on the bags around a joint. Examples include:

  • Throw a baseball or lifting something over your head several times
  • Leaning on your elbows for long periods of time
  • Extensive knees for tasks such as replacing the carpet or mopping floors

Other causes include trauma or injury to the affected area, inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and infection.

Risk factors

Any person can develop bursitis, but certain factors may increase your risk:

  • Age. Bursitis becomes more common with age.
  • Occupations or hobbies. If your work or hobby requires repetitive movements or pressure in particular, the bags, the risk of developing bursitis increases. Examples include the placement of carpeting, tile setting, landscaping, painting, and playing a musical instrument.
  • Other medical conditions. Certain systemic diseases and conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and diabetes increase the risk of developing bursitis. Being overweight can increase your risk of developing hip and knee bursitis.

Prevention

While not all types of bursitis can be prevented, you can reduce the risk and severity of flare-ups, changing the way of doing certain tasks. Examples include:

  • The use of pads of the knees. The use of some kind of filler to reduce the pressure on your knees if your work or hobby requires a lot of kneeling.
  • Lift properly. Bend your knees when you lift. Not doing so puts additional strain on the bags on his hips.
  • Wheeling heavy loads. The transport of heavy loads puts stress on the bags on his shoulders. Use a wheelbarrow, or a cart with wheels in place.
  • Take frequent breaks. Toggle repetitive tasks with rest or other activities.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts more stress on your joints.
  • Exercise. Strengthening muscles can help to protect the affected joint.
  • Warming up and stretching before strenuous activities to protect your joints from injury.

Diagnosis

Doctors can often diagnose bursitis based on a medical history and physical examination. The evidence, if necessary, may include:

  • Imaging tests. The X-ray images can't positively establish the diagnosis of bursitis, but they can help to rule out other causes of your discomfort. Ultrasound or mri might be used if your bursitis can't be diagnosed by a physical exam alone.
  • The laboratory tests. Your doctor may order blood tests or an analysis of fluid from the swollen bursa to identify the cause of the inflammation of the joints and the pain.

Treatment

Bursitis generally gets better on its own. Conservative measures, such as rest, ice and taking a pain reliever, it can help to relieve the discomfort. If conservative measures don't work, you may need to:

  • The medication. If the inflammation of the bursa is caused by an infection, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic.
  • Of the therapy. Physical therapy or exercises can strengthen the muscles of the affected area to relieve pain and prevent recurrence.
  • Injections. A corticosteroid drug is injected into the bursa can relieve the pain and inflammation in the shoulder or the hip. This treatment usually works quickly and, in many cases, one injection is all that you need.
  • Device assistance. The temporary use of a cane or other device will help to relieve pressure on the affected area.
  • Surgery. Sometimes a bursa should be drained surgically, but only on rare occasions is the surgical removal of the affected bursa necessary.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Steps you can take to relieve the pain of bursitis are:

  • Rest and don't abuse the affected area.
  • Apply ice to reduce the swelling for the first 48 hours after the symptoms.
  • Apply dry or moist heat, such as a heating pad or taking a warm bath.
  • Take an over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Some are available in a format that is applied to the skin.
  • Cushion your knees if you sleep on your side, placing a small pillow between your legs.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely to start by seeing your family doctor, who might refer you to a doctor who specializes in disorders of the joint (rheumatologist).

What you can do

Make a list that includes:

  • Detailed descriptions of your symptoms and when they began
  • Information about your medical history and your family
  • All of the medications and supplements you are taking, including dose
  • Questions to ask the doctor

For bursitis, questions to ask your doctor include:

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • What are other possible causes?
  • What tests are needed?
  • What treatment approach do you recommend?
  • I have other medical problems. Best how can I manage together?
  • I have to limit my activities?
  • Do you have brochures or other printed material that I can take? What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

During the physical exam, your doctor will press on multiple points around the affected joint to try to determine if a given bursa is the cause of your pain.

Your doctor may also ask you questions, such as:

  • Did your pain come on suddenly or gradually?
  • What kind of work do you do?
  • What are your hobbies or recreational activities?
  • The pain occur or worsen during certain activities, such as kneeling or climbing stairs?
  • Have fallen recently, or had another type of injury?
  • What treatments have you tried?
  • What effect did these treatments?
Symptoms and treatment of Bursitis