All you need to know about Bursitis.
Know your ailment well, so you can manage it better!!
Here we come with Bursitis today!
What is Bursitis :
Bursitis is a painful disease that affects the thin, fluid-filled sacs — called bursae, which protect the bones, tendons and muscles around your joints. If the bursae is inflamed, bursitis happens.
Bursitis most often occurs in the shoulder , elbow, and hip. Yet your ankle, heel and the base of your big toe will also give you bursitis. Sometimes, bursitis occurs around joints that perform regular repetitive motion.
Treatment usually requires relaxing and protecting the affected joint from further traumas. In most cases, bursitis pain should go away with proper care within a few weeks but frequent bursitis flare-ups are normal.
The bursa becomes red with bursitis, and fluid rises, causing swelling and pain.
What are the different types of Bursitis :
Although bursitis can occur anywhere in the body where bursae are located, there are several specific types of bursitis, including the following:
- Anterior Achilles tendon bursitis
This type of bursitis is also called Albert’s disease. Extra strain on the Achilles tendon, such as injury, disease, or shoes with rigid back support, causes this condition, which is characterized by inflammation of the bursa located in front of the attachment of the tendon to the heel. - Posterior Achilles tendon bursitis
This type of bursitis, also called Haglund’s deformity, is located between the skin of the heel and the Achilles tendon (which attaches the calf muscles to the heel). Aggravated by a type of walking that presses the soft heel tissue to the hard back support of a shoe, this type of bursitis occurs mostly in young women. - Hip bursitis
Also called trochanteric bursitis, hip bursitis is often the result of injury, overuse, spinal abnormalities, arthritis, or surgery. This type of bursitis is more common in women and middle-aged and older people. - Elbow bursitis
Elbow bursitis is caused by the inflammation of the olecranon bursa located between the skin and bones of the elbow. Elbow bursitis can be caused by injury or constant pressure on the elbow (for example, when leaning on a hard surface). - Knee bursitis
Bursitis in the knee is also called goosefoot bursitis or Pes Anserine bursitis. The Pes Anserine bursa is located between the shin bone and the three tendons of the hamstring muscles, on the inside of the knee. This type of bursitis may be caused by lack of stretching before exercise, tight hamstring muscles, being overweight, arthritis, or out-turning of the knee or lower leg. - Kneecap bursitis
Also called prepatellar bursitis, this type of bursitis is common in people who sit on their knees a lot, such as carpet layers and plumbers.
Bursitis might affect your:
- Elbow
- Shoulder
- Hip or thigh
- Buttocks
- Knee
- Achilles tendon or heel
Interesting Statistics on Bursitis:
About 85% of septic bursitis occurs in men.
The most common causative organism is Staphylococcus aureus (80% of cases), followed by streptococci.
In the majority (50–70%) of cases, it results from direct introduction of microorganisms through traumatic injury or through contiguous spread from cellulitis (50–70% of cases).
What are the symptoms of Bursitis?
Common Symptoms:
Pain is the most common symptom of bursitis. It might build up slowly or be sudden and severe, especially if you have calcium deposits in the area. Your joint might also be:
- Stiff
- Swollen
- Red
Consult your doctor if you have:
- Disabling joint pain
- Sudden inability to move a joint
- Excessive swelling, redness, bruising or a rash in the affected area
- Sharp or shooting pain, especially when you exercise or exert yourself
- A fever
Who Develops Bursitis?
- Bursitis is common in adults, especially after age 40.
What causes Bursitis:
The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Examples include:
- Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly
- Leaning on your elbows for long periods
- Extensive kneeling for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors
Other causes include injury or trauma to the affected area, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and infection.
An infection, especially with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, can sometimes cause bursitis.
What are the Risk Factors of Bursitis?
Anyone may develop bursitis but there are some factors that may increase the risk:
Age: Bursitis becomes more common with aging.
Profession or hobbies: When your work or hobby involves constant movement or pressure on particular bursae, the risk of developing bursitis will increase. Examples may include laying of carpets, placing tiles, planting, painting, and playing a musical instrument.
Other health conditions: Many chronic disorders and illnesses — such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and diabetes — raise the risk of developing bursitis. Overweight can increase the risk of developing bursitis in the hip and knee.
How to diagnose Bursitis:
Physicians are also able to detect bursitis based on history and physical examination. Where applicable, research may include:
- Imaging tests: X-ray scans can’t make a definitive diagnosis of bursitis, but they do help to rule out possible causes of the pain. Ultrasound or MRI can be used if a physical test alone can’t effectively identify bursitis.
- Lab tests: Your doctor may order blood tests or an inflamed bursa fluid examination to determine the cause of your inflammation and pain in the joint.
How to Prevent Bursitis?
You can’t always prevent bursitis, but some steps can lower your risk.
- Use cushions or pads when you’re resting a joint on a hard surface, like if you’re kneeling or sitting.
- If you play sports, mix things up so you don’t make the same motions all the time. Warm-up and stretch before you play, and always use proper form.
- Start slowly and easily when you’re trying a new exercise or sport. As you build strength, you can use more force and do the motion more often.
- Don’t sit still for a long time.
- Take breaks often when you’re making the same motions over and over again.
- Use good posture all day.
- Keep a healthy body weight.
- If something hurts, stop doing it and check with your doctor.
What is the treatment for Bursitis?
In general, Bursitis is getting better on its own. Conservative interventions like rest, ice, and taking a pain reliever will reduce discomfort. If conservative steps are not effective, you may need to:
- Medication. If the inflammation in your bursa is caused by an infection, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic.
- Therapy. Physical therapy or exercises can strengthen the muscles in the affected area to ease pain and prevent a recurrence.
- Injections. A corticosteroid drug injected into the bursa can relieve pain and inflammation in your shoulder or hip. This treatment generally works quickly and, in many cases, one injection is all you need.
- Assistive device. Temporary use of a walking cane or other devices will help relieve pressure on the affected area.
- Surgery. Sometimes an inflamed bursa must be surgically drained, but only rarely is the surgical removal of the affected bursa necessary
How to Cope Up ?:
Measures you can take to relieve the pain of bursitis include:
- The action you can take to relieve bursitis pain includes:
- Rest the affected area, and do not overuse it.
- Apply ice for the first 48 hours after symptoms arise, to reduce swelling.
- Apply dry or humid heat, such as a heating pad, or a hot bath.
- To relieve pain and reduce inflammation, take an over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium.
- Cushion your knees by placing a small pillow between your legs, if you sleep on your side.
References:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bursitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353247
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/arthritis-bursitis#1
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/bursitis
By,
Gopala Krishna Varshith,
Content Developer & Editor,
Clipo.
