Bursitis Overview

Inflammation of small sacks or bursa of synovial fluid in the body is known as bursitis. Bursa is a small fluid filled sac that helps reduce friction among various tissues in the body. There are about 160 bursae in the human body and they are generally located near large joints like elbows, hips and knees.

Bursitis affects adults usually and people over the age of 40 years are more susceptible to any potential symptoms of bursitis. Bursitis causes joint pain and stiffness in the body making it difficult for people to cater to their daily life activities. Bursitis has an adverse effect on health of a person and affects the elbow joints. Inflammation of the tendons or bursae causes pain in the elbow and joints and hinders the movement.

As elbows and knees are most commonly affected by bursitis, persistent pain in these areas can be linked with bursitis. Bursitis can be listed as a mild medical problem that can be treated with medications and alternative therapies. Bursitis has outer physical manifestations and starts with pain in hip. This pain extends to outer thigh area and spreads to the other parts of the leg and trunk.

Underlying rheumatic conditions or injury in the bursa can lead to bursitis. Traumatic injury is another common cause of bursitis. The inflammation results in irritation and pain as the bursa do not fit in the small area between bone and tendon. As the bone increases the pressure on bursa, it gives rise to bursitis.

Local joint pain and stiffness are the first signs of bursitis. This can aggravate to burning pain that surrounds the joints. Hip bursitis and knee bursitis are the common forms of bursitis. In case of hip bursitis, it gets difficult to lie on the affected side and in case one is suffering from bursitis in knees, kneeling down becomes difficult.

Overcoming bursitis completely is not possible but its severity can be reduced. Kneeling pads can be used to reduce pressure on knees, in case one requires to kneel down frequently. Taking frequent breaks and walking around helps, as one is not in the same position for long duration. Following a strict diet schedule helps as body weight is kept under control. Persistent localized pain, swelling and tenderness are the symptoms that help a doctor analyze the condition of a patient and link it with bursitis. X-ray testing is also recommended as it helps detect calcification in bursa.

The treatment for bursitis falls under two distinct categories. The first is when the bursae that have not been infected. These can be treated with physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and common pain medications. The second case is that of infected bursae. Antibiotic therapy is of great help in case the bursae have been infected. Surgical therapy is also advised in critical situations. Bursectomy is performed in extreme cases where the bursa is cut open endoscopically or through open surgery in serious cases. The bursae that grow again come up without its inflammatory component and the patient is cured of the problem.

Alternative therapies can also be tried in bursitis and massage therapy technique helps in curing the inflammatory portion of the bursae. Pain in the joints and elbows make it difficult for the person suffering from bursitis to carry on with normal life schedule.

Surgical treatment for bursitis requires hospitalization and the patient takes two to four weeks to recover completely. Alternative therapies take around a month to complete and the patient will recover soon after. No side effects have been noticed in surgical and alternative therapy methods. Care and support by family is vital for the person to gain confidence and lead a healthy life.