Overview
Contents
Bursitis is a common disease that causes swelling and pain around the bursa. However, it is generally not a severe disease and in good condition can heal spontaneously within 1-2 weeks, if you have bursitis. Don’t worry too much.
Bursitis is most common in the shoulder, but other body part include the humeral hawk, anterior or superior patella, Achilles tendon, iliopsoas, sciatica, greater trochanter, rotor, and first metatarsal head. It is a cushioning structure in the human body where friction is frequent, or pressure is greater, and there is a small amount of sliding fluid in the normal sac, which facilitates sliding.
The bursa has a lubricating effect on normal movement and reduces friction between the various parts of the body.
The bursa is present in high friction or pressure, such as the shoulder, Achilles tendon, etc. The bursa can be connected to the joint.
Prolonged, constant, repetitive, concentrated, and slightly more forceful friction and compression are the leading causes of bursitis, which is caused during sports. Some of these are direct violent injuries; some are excessive joint flexion, extension, dorsiflexion, and external rotation that strain the bursa and cause inflammation.
The inflammation produced may be edema, congestion, thickening of the synovial membrane in a downy form, and increased synovial fluid.
Bursitis usually affects the elbows and knees. Excessive use of the shoulder joint and muscles may also cause bursitis in the shoulder.
What are the symptoms of bursitis?
- acute bursitis
It is characterized by pain, restrictive pressure, and limitation of movement.
The skin is markedly red and warm locally. Episodes can last from days to weeks, with multiple recurrences, and acute symptoms can occur after abnormal movements or excessive exertion.
- Chronic bursitis
It develops after multiple episodes of acute bursitis or repeated trauma.
Due to synovial hyperplasia, the bursa wall thickens, and the bursa eventually develops adhesions, forming villi, excessive growths, and calcium deposits, due to pain and swelling. And tenderness may lead to muscle atrophy and limitation of movement.
- Subacromial bursitis of the shoulder
Subacromial bursitis manifests as limited pain and tenderness in the shoulder. It is especially pronounced at 50° to 130° of extension.
- Traumatic bursitis
Injury bursitis is more common and is chronic.
It is often found in areas of the prominence of bony structures, caused by chronic, repeated friction and compression, and usually develops on top of chronic bursitis, with deadly forces. In more significant cases, it may be accompanied by bloody synovial effusion.
- Infectious bursitis
Infectious bursitis can cause septic bursitis and cellulitis of the surrounding tissues due to pathogenic bacteria brought on by the foci of infection. The sinus tract is often left behind after rupture.
- Gouty bursitis
Gouty bursitis tends to occur in the hawser and anterior patellar bursa, and the bursa wall may undergo chronic inflammatory changes with deposits of calcareous deposits. Patients often have a history of chronic injury and occupational history associated with the causative condition. There are round or oval-shaped masses with well-defined margins of varying sizes at the bony prominence near the joint. Pain and tenderness are evident in acute cases and less so in chronic cases, and the affected limb may have varying degrees of mobility impairment. If secondary infection occurs, there may be redness, swelling, heat, and pain.
Quick fix: OTC Pain Killers
Patients may be treated with the following medications under medical supervision.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
This medication is used to control inflammation and relieve pain. Various types of NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and celecoxib, are available under medical supervision and require attention to adverse gastrointestinal reactions and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Corticosteroids
For non-infectious bursitis treatment, people commonly used medications that provide a rapid reduction in inflammation and pain, such as prednisolone acetate. Anti-inflammatory effects are exerted by local injections, with the caveat that injections around the tendon run the risk of weakening or rupture of the muscle.
Best Treatments for Bursitis
When the symptoms are mild, reduce the amount of activity and apply local heat to the area. If symptoms are not relieved after rest and continue to worsen, you will need to go to the hospital for treatment. Treatment includes physical therapy, medication, surgery, and other methods.
- Acute Treatment
In acute bursitis, care should be taken to reduce movement of the affected joint during the disease, and the injured bone can be immobilized with a brace, splint, or bandage. To avoid aggravating the condition. Patients may apply ice to the affected area within 48 to 72 hours after an injury or if swelling and pain are evident.
For patients with significant pain, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic medications, such as naproxen or ibuprofen, may be used as appropriate to reduce pain and inflammation.
In severe bursa swelling, a needle may be used to remove fluid from the inflamed and swollen bursa, and the diagnosis may be clarified by laboratory testing. At the same time, It helps to relieve the pain caused by pressure on the bursa. After ruling out infected bursitis, cortisone acetate can be injected into the bursa to reduce inflammation and pain.
- Non-infectious acute bursitis
Rest or braking of the affected area and high doses of NSAIDs, and narcotic sedation, if necessary, may be effective. Once the pain subsides, active exercise should be added. If this does not work, the slide may be aspirated. Then, a long-acting preparation of glucocorticoids mixed with dexamethasone at least 3 to 5 ml, may be injected into the bursa. Local anesthetics are inserted into the bursa after 1% local anesthetic (e.g., lidocaine) infiltration anesthesia. The dose of long-acting preparations of adrenocorticosteroids and the volume of the mixture depending on the size of the bursa. Infectious factors must be excluded in determining the cause of the disease. Patients with a persistent inflammatory process require repeated aspiration and infusion of the drug. In acute cases with reduced efficacy, oral prednisone or other equivalent hormones may be administered for three days after excluding infection and gout.
- Chronic bursitis
Chronic bursitis is treated in the same way as acute bursitis, but splint fixation and rest may not be as effective as in acute bursitis. Chronic calcific supraspinatus tendinitis, confirmed by X-ray, requires surgical resection in rare cases. Disabling adhesive capsulitis requires repeated intra- and extra-articular multi-site injections of adrenocorticosteroids and intensive physical therapy. Muscle atrophy must be corrected with exercise to restore range of motion and muscle strength. In case of infection, appropriate antibiotics, drainage, or incision is required.
Physical Therapy at Home
For patients with bursitis occurring in the posterior Achilles tendon, it is important to lie still and avoid adverse movements such as going up and down stairs or squatting as much as possible. Local heat treatment is given if necessary. In conjunction with the patient’s physical condition, braking may be appropriate to reduce pressure on the damaged area. However, you can perform joint stretching and muscle strength exercises to help speed up the recovery process, or on a patient-specific basis. Choose ultrasound and other physical therapy to eliminate bursitis.
Bursitis can be treated with medication, and you can apply Yunnan Baiyao spray evenly on the affected area, you can get a blood circulation and bruise. Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effect.
At the same time, the effect of dietary therapy is also perfect, eat more meat, eggs, and milk and other foods can effectively supplement the body’s need for calcium. It can significantly improve your bones’ toughness and strength and get rid of the threat of the disease.
Prevention and care of bursitis
Take care of hygiene: increase labor protection and make it a habit to wash your hands with warm water after work.
Take rest: rest is the number one solution to any joint pain, so you should give your joints a good rest.
Apply ice: if the joint feels hot to the touch, you can use an ice compress. Alternate between 10 minutes of ice and 10 minutes of rest. Do not apply heat as long as the joint is still warm.
Alternating hot and ice: If the acute swelling and pain have subsided and the heat has gone away, you can alternate between warm, and ice compresses, i.e., apply ice for 10 minutes and then rest for 10 minutes. Apply a hot compress for 10 minutes and do so repeatedly.
Swing the painful arm: If the pain is in the elbow or shoulder, it is recommended to swing the arm freely to relieve the pain.
