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What is bursitis?
Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of the bursa. The bursa is a sac
filled with lubricating fluid and is located between tissues—such as bone, muscle,
tendons, and skin—to decrease rubbing, friction, and irritation.
What causes bursitis?
This condition is usually caused by repetitive, minor impact on the area,
or from a sudden, more serious injury. Age also plays a role. As tendons age,
they are are less elastic and less able to tolerate stress, and tear more easily.
Overuse or injury to the joint at work or play also can increase a person's
risk. Examples of high-risk activities include gardening, raking, carpentry,
shoveling, painting, scrubbing, tennis, golf, skiing, throwing, and pitching.
Incorrect posture at work or home and poor stretching or conditioning before
exercise also can lead to bursitis.
An abnormal or poorly placed bone or joint (such as length differences in
your legs or arthritis in a joint) can put added stress on a bursa sac, causing
bursitis. Stress from other conditions—such as rheumatoid arthritis,
gout, psoriatic arthritis, thyroid disorders, or
unusual medication reactions—also may increase a person's risk. In addition,
an infection can occasionally lead to inflammation of a bursa.
What parts of the body can be affected by bursitis?
- Base of the thumb
- Elbow
- Shoulder
- Hip
- Knee
- Achilles tendon
What are the symptoms of bursitis?
The most common symptom is pain at the site of the bursa and beyond. The pain
may be a gradual buildup or sudden and severe, especially if calcium deposits
are present. Loss of motion in the shoulder—called "adhesive capsulitis"
or frozen shoulder—also can be a sign of bursitis.
Who usually gets bursitis?
Bursitis is more common in adults, especially in those over 40 years of age.
How can I prevent bursitis?
Bursitis can be prevented with a gradual buildup in activities, with limited
force and limited repetitions. Stop what you are doing if unusual pain occurs.
Try again later; if pain recurs, do not continue the activity that day.
How is bursitis treated?
Bursitis can be treated in a number of ways, including:
- Avoiding activities that aggravate the problem
- Resting the injured area
- Icing the area the day of the injury
- Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines
If the condition does not improve in a week, see your doctor.
Your doctor also can prescribe medications to reduce the inflammation.
Corticosteroids, also know as "steroids," often are used because they
work quickly to decrease the inflammation and pain. Steroids also are one of the
safest treatment methods and can be injected directly at the site of injury.
Unfortunately, 30 percent of patients may not get complete relief from one
injection, and 2 percent of patients may even get worse. Another disadvantage is
that for recurrent cases, it is not safe to administer steroids frequently (more
than every 3 months).
Physical therapy is another treatment option that is often
used, especially for a "frozen shoulder." This includes range of
motion exercises and splinting (thumb, forearm, bands).
Surgery, although rarely needed, may be an option when bursitis does not
respond to the other treatment options.
Warning
Consult your doctor immediately if you have:
- Fever (over 100º Fahrenheit)
- Swelling, redness, and warmth
- General illness or multiple sites of pain
- Inability to move the affected area
These could be signs of another problem that needs more immediate attention.
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