What is Bursitis?
Bursitis is the painful inflammation or irritation of the bursa. The bursa is a soft, tiny, fluid-filled sac that covers and cushions the movement between the bones, tendons and muscles near the joints. There are 160 bursae in the body. The major bursae are located adjacent to the tendons near the large joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees.
Healthy bursae create a smooth, almost frictionless functional gliding surface making normal movement painless. When bursitis occurs, however, movement relying upon the inflamed bursa becomes difficult and painful. Additionally, movement of tendons and muscles over the inflamed bursa aggravates its inflammation, perpetuating the problem.
Bursitis usually occurs under the shoulder muscles, at the elbows (called epitrochlear bursitis or "tennis elbow"), the hip sockets (called trochanteric bursitis), heel bones (called retrocalcaneal bursitis) or the kneecaps (called infrapatellar bursitis or "housemaid's knee"). It will also occur in the buttocks (called ischiogluteal bursitis) or the thigh (called trochanteric bursitis).
Causes of Bursitis
Bursitis is commonly caused by repetitive movement and excessive pressure. Elbows and knees are the most commonly affected area of the body. Inflammation of the bursae could also cause other inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. On occasions, scoliosis may cause bursitis of the shoulders. Shoulder bursitis is generally caused by overuse of the shoulder joint and related muscles.
Traumatic injury is another cause of bursitis. The inflammation irritates because the bursa no longer fits in the original small area between the bone and the functionary muscle or tendon. When the bone increases pressure upon the bursa, bursitis results.
Symptoms of Bursitis
Bursitis can be either an acute, sudden, sharp pain following an injury, or alternatively a chronic, recurrent inflammation in the same area.
Bursitis symptoms vary from acute local joint pain and stiffness, to burning pain that surrounds the joint around the inflamed bursa. Pain from Bursitis is usually worse during and after activity, and then the bursa and the surrounding joint become stiff the next day in the morning.
When a joint is overused or when it stays under pressure or tension for extended periods of time, nearby bursa can become inflamed. The bursa fills with excess fluid, causing pressure on the surrounding tissue and resulting in bursitis.
The most common examples of Bursitis
- Prepatellar bursitis, commonly know as housemaid's knee
- Infrapatellar bursitis, commonly called clergyman's knee
- Trochanteric bursitis which gives hip pain
- Olecranon bursitis characterised by pain and swelling in the elbow
- Subacromial bursitis which gives pain in the shoulder
Diagnosis of Bursitis
Bursitis is commonly identified by localized pain or swelling, tenderness, and pain with motion of the tissues in the affected area. X-ray testing can sometime detect calcifications in the bursa when bursitis has been chronic or recurrent.
Why bursa become inflamed?
A bursa will become inflamed from injury, infection (less common in the shoulder), or due to an underlying rheumatic condition. Examples of bursitis include injury as subtle as lifting a bag of groceries in the direction of the car inflaming shoulder bursitis, infection of the bursa in front of the knee from a knee scraping on asphalt known as septic prepatellar bursitis, and inflammation of the elbow bursa from gout crystals causing gouty olecranon bursitis.
Treatment of Bursitis
The treatment of any form of bursitis depends on whether or not it involves infection. Bursitis that is not infected (from injury or underlying rheumatic disease) may be treated with ice compresses, rest, and anti-inflammatory medication and pain relief medication.
One of the best new methods to treat Bursitis is by using Rife Frequencies from programs like Life Frequencies Professional. The frequencies are known to stimulate the Bursa and cause regeneration.
Occasionally, bursitis will requires aspiration of the bursa fluid. This procedure involves removal of the fluid with a sterile needle and syringe.
Non-infectious bursitis will also be treated with a cortisone injection toward the swollen bursa. This is sometimes done at the same time as the aspiration procedure and typically rapidly reduces the inflammation of the swollen bursa.
Bursitis that becomes infected, or septic, requires even assessment by your doctor and aggressive treatment. The fluid may be examined in the laboratory to identify the microbes causing the infection.
Rehabilitation Exercises
The rehabilitative exercises known as Pilates are actually great for people with injuries like Bursitis, particularly in areas such as the knee, neck or shoulders because it will be undertaken without straining the affected area. It is also good for weak muscles and particularly bad posture because it encourages you to strengthen your problem areas in a relaxed and low impact way. Of course, it is advisable that anyone with serious injuries consults their health practitioner or physio first.
Is There a Cure for Bursitis Pain?
You would be surprised the number of bursae we have within our bodies. Bursae are little sacs containing liquid which benefit lubricate muscles and tendons as they glide across one another.
You have 8 bursae around each shoulder, 11 around each knee and as many as 78 on each side of your body. Most of them haven't been given a name and I suppose as long as they're doing what they're designed to do, no one is that interested. But if one little bursae sac becomes injured or inflamed, you suddenly find out just how valuable they are - because your injured bursae are now bearing witness to just how painful bursitis can be.
Bursitis may affect you quite unexpectedly. It may be acute or chronic, depending on the cause. Acute bursitis will attack, retreat, then attack again. It doesn't let you sleep, grabs you when you least expect it and is most frustrating for those trying to find what treatment works best.
The recognition and attention given by the medical profession to it's "big brother" arthritis, leaves bursitis feeling a little left out. So until science becomes a little more focussed to with this affliction, there are a number of dependable ways of bringing temporary respite from to this painful problem.
Bursitis pain usually affects the joints - that's why it's often confused with arthritis. One of the first things you should do immediately for bursitis inflammation, is to stop the activities that are giving you the pain and rest the joint. It's foolish to try and push through the pain. It will only make matters worse.
The next thing you want to do is place a cold pack or some ice on the affected area. First ascertain whether the joint is hot to touch. If it is, ice will be appropriate. It needs to be applied for about ten minutes, then rest, then do the same again a few more times. It's important not to apply heat if the joint is already hot to touch. Use something cold.
After you've been doing this for a while, the heat should go from the inflammation. Then you will alternate between hot and cold treatments. Try ten minutes of cold, then ten minutes of heat, then ice ... and so on.
The next thing in your arsenal is some anti- inflammatory medication. Some prefer aspirin, but you need to be aware of complications associated with the blood thinning properties of this drug. There are some effective herbal anti-inflammatories available which are specifically formulated for bursitis pain.
Once the acute stage of your bursitis starts to subside, hopefully after about four to five days, it's time to alter your therapy. Instead of resting the joint, you now want to exercise it gently. You also want to give away the cold packs and introduce several heat.
If the bursitis pain is in your elbow, you should try and swing your arm freely to relieve the ache. Only do it for a couple of minutes, although try it a number of times during the day.
If you have bursitis in your shoulder, try an exercise called the "cat stretch". You gain down on your hands and knees with your hands on the floor slightly in front of your head. Keep your shoulders stiff as you stretch backward until your bottom touches your knees.
Bursitis - Causes, Symptoms
Every movement you make requires a muscle tendon to move over a bone. This would cause immeasurable friction and pain if not for tiny, fluid filled sacks called bursa. Bursa are scattered all over the body and are likened to small sandwich baggies filled with an oily fluid, devoid of any air. Placed between to surfaces rubbing together, the bursa facilitates the movement into slick, easy motions. Bursitis is the swelling and inflammation of the bursa.
Bursitis is sometimes caused by malposition of the joint. Corrective adjustments are beneficial, especially in chronic cases, In acute cases-specifically those caused by repetitive motions and the "overuse syndrome" typically seen in athletes-specific chiropractic adjustment (SCA) can be extremely effective. Chiropractic care can also include physical therapy, such as ultrasound and electromuscle stimulation. A chiropractor will sometimes recommend specific exercises to prevent bursitis in the shoulder from progressing to frozen shoulder syndrome, which sometimes happens in serious cases.
Cause
Bursitis of the shoulder is caused by recurring overhead activities or by placing to much strain on the shoulders. It may also be caused by a previous acute injury. Studies also show the condition will crop up on its own or coupled with shoulder tendinitis.
Overhead actions can trigger the compression of both the tendons and the bursa located just below the acromion (the edge of the shoulder blade). This compression causes inflammation of either the tendons or the bursa sac. As for the acromion, when this bone structure scuffs the surface of the rotator cuff, it gives rise to shoulder impingement syndrome, which is another probable cause of irritation leading to bursitis.
Symptoms
Imagine a carpet layer on his hands and knees all day, every day. He puts constant pressure in his knees and wrists. Eventually this will cause pain in the joints around his knees and wrists. Or think of a painter. Someone who constantly has her arm raised above her head, over and over all day, will begin to experience pain in the neck and shoulder. The most common symptoms of bursitis are joint pain and stiffness in the areas that you move most. The pain is most severe during the activity that engages the affected muscles most. The pain will linger as a sore ache even after the activity.
Like many shoulder injuries, the symptoms of bursitis include pain, swelling and restricted range of movements. In addition to these three, there have been cases where redness appears in the skin over the affected area. It is also worth mentioning that the signs pointing to shoulder tendinitis and bursitis are similar, though the latter is more likely to be tied in with inflammation.
Bursitis Information and Treatment
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that works as a skiding surface to descrease friction between tissues of the body. Bursitis chance when a bursa becomes inflamed. When inflammation happens, movement or pressure is painful. Bursitis frequently affects the joints in your shoulders, elbows or hips. Elbows and knees are the most generally affected because they are inactived upon more than various parts of the body with bursae and they also acquire the most repetitive use.
Bursitis is more common in adults, exceptionally in those over 40 years of age. Scoliosis can also be a effect of bursitis of the shoulders.
Shoulder bursitis is more usually due to overexploite of the shoulder joint and muscles. Predisposing contributed risk factors of bursitis include diabetes, alcoholism, steroid therapy, uremia, trauma, and skin disease. Symptoms of bursitis pain and diminish swelling. The bursae sacs could swell, frequently making motion difficult. The most generally affected joints are the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, knee, and foot. Medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen may be benefitful to reduce inflammation. NSAIDs are used as anti-inflammatory agents and for pain relief.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen to diminish the swelling and pain. Ibuprofen is not advised to those with asthma. Atypical mycobacteria intermittingly may be successfully treated with moderate drainage and appropriate antibiotics. Corticosteroids are often used because they work quickly to decrease the inflammation and pain. Steroids are also one of the safest treatment methods and will be injected directly at the site of injury. Physical therapy is other treatment choice that is frequently used, especially for a frozen shoulder.
Bursitis will sometimes be prevented with a gradual buildup in activities, with restricted force and limited repetitions. Ice is a very effective anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving agent. Applying ice to diminish swelling. Stretching before you exercise, strengthening your muscles and resting when you do repetitive tasks might benefit obviate bursitis. Surgical drainage and removal of the infected bursa sac (bursectomy) will sometimes also be essential a number of cases of bursitis. Proper strengthening technique will assist avoid bursitis by using your muscles in a unharmed, more effective manner. For example, patients with shoulder bursitis can learn methods to move the shoulder that will not cause inflammation.
