BURSITIS

                                             

Are you experiencing radiating pain in your shoulders, knee, elbow, and hip? Do you notice tenderness when you press around that joint? If you do, maybe you are suffering from bursitis.

Bursitis is a common medical problem. It causes pain in the bone, joint, and muscle aches, most often in the knees, shoulders, elbows, and hips. It is a disorder that can make everyday activities seem like a chore.

 Bursitis Facts

●     Overuse or too much physical activity of the muscles can lead to bursitis. It will flare up for no known reason. It may occur at the knee or elbow, from kneeling or leaning on the elbows longer than usual on a hard surface.

●     The danger signs of bursitis are worsening of pain, redness, swelling, or sudden inability to move a joint.

●     Bursitis could last from a few days to several weeks.

●     Rest, ice, compression, and elevation is an immediate treatment for bursitis.

●     Another option the doctor does is to remove the test fluid from the inflamed area. They also prescribe antibiotics in the case of infection caused by bursitis.

What is Bursitis?

The condition is known as bursitis when there are inflammation and swelling of the bursa. It becomes infected, traumatized, or injured. The human body has over 150 bursae. Bursa is a fluid-filled sac or saclike cavity, especially one countering friction at a joint. It helps joints move more by allowing muscles and tendons to glide over bone and others. This is your body’s shock absorber so the speak.

 Types of bursitis

Bursitis occurs anywhere in the body where bursae are located. When a person has bursitis or inflammation of the bursa, any movement or pressure is usually painful.

●     Anterior Achilles tendon bursitis - This type of bursitis has symptoms such as swelling, pain, warmth, and a soft spot at the back of the heel.

●     Posterior Achilles tendon bursitis - It is also called Haglund's deformity in between the skin of the heel and the Achilles tendon.

●     Hip Bursitis - It is usually the result of injury, arthritis, overuse, spinal abnormalities, and surgery. This type of bursitis is particular among women, middle-aged, and older people.

●     Elbow bursitis - Constant pressure the inflammation between the skin and bones elbow cause of pain.

●      Knee bursitis - It is also known as goosefoot bursitis; Pes Anserine bursitis occurs in the knee. The inflammation of a small fluid-filled sac (bursa) situated near your knee joint.

●     Kneecap bursitis - People to suffer from this type of bursitis are those who sit on their knees a lot, plumbers, and carpet layers.

Causes of Bursitis

● Injury - The tissue inside the bursa is the common cause of inflammation.

● Overuse of joints, tendons, or muscles near the bursa.

● Infection - Bursitis caused by an infected cut on the skin. Such as those near the elbow, where the bacteria have the opportunity to get in, tend to be in bursae.

● Health conditions Illnesses that exacerbate bursitis include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and scleroderma.

 Symptoms and Signs

Bursitis can have the following symptoms:

1.  Pain that increases that leaves you unable to move

2.  There's a sign of tenderness, swelling, redness, fever, and redness.

3.  The feeling of hotness in the affected area and the affected when touched.

4.  If an infection causes bursitis, we called it septic bursitis.

Diagnosis

A doctor will begin by first reviewing a person's medical history and symptoms.

A physical exam must do to cut the possibility of a more severe condition.

There will be a need for more tests and studies to check for abnormalities associated with the bursa.

 Tests include:

·         X-ray, for broken or fractured bones

·         Blood tests, to assess for rheumatoid arthritis

·         A CT scan or MRI to see if there is a torn tendon.

 Bursitis Treatment

Some of the methods used to treat bursitis include the following:

● Nutritional therapy

As emphasized by naturopaths and nutritionists, diet is the underlying cause of bursitis. The leading cause is the incorrect use of calcium by the body, food allergies, and magnesium.

 Herbal therapy

Herbs or plant products are also useful for the treatment of bursitis. The following include:

·   Curcumin (turmeric)

·   Bromelain (an enzyme found in pineapple)

·   Ginger

·   Grape-seed extract

·   Pine-bark extract

·   Citrus bioflavonoids

● Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies for bursitis include Belladonna, Bryonies, and Rhus Toxicodendron.

● Cold Therapy

The application of ice after an injury helps decrease the inflammation of acute bursitis.

● Acupuncture

Proven effective in treating bursitis, especially on the painful shoulder and hip.

● Chiropractic

Spinal manipulation, a chiropractor of the pressure in the affected joints. May help relieve and improve the movement.

● Massage

  Massage can also relieve localized pain and inflammation in the affected area.

● Allopathic treatment

Conservative treatment of bursitis is usually adequate.

● Corticosteroid injection may also be done for severe pain.

● Heat Therapy Apply a heating pad, or cooling pads to reduce inflammation and to help manage pain in the affected area,

● Physical therapy exercises are helpful to improve motion and strengthen the muscles.

● Surgery Invasive techniques can be done through the removal of their bursa if the symptoms have not yet improved within 12 months.  

Prevention

The following tips are recommended for preventing bursitis:

❏  Protect vulnerable parts of the body.

❏  Warm up or stretch before physical activity. It is good to warm up for at least 5 to 10 minutes before vigorous exercise.

❏   Maintain a healthy weight. Being obese or overweight puts extra stress on the joints which causes pain.

❏     Practice good posture and position the body when going about your daily activities.

 It is an excellent idea to visit a doctor to check out other causes of your pain. Differentiating between non-infected and infected bursitis is important to avoid it from becoming a debilitating and severe condition.