Bursitis Specialist

What is bursitis?

Bursitis is a painful inflammation of the bursae — small fluid-filled sacs that sit between your bones and the overlying muscle, tendon, or skin.

It most often affects the:

• Shoulders

• Elbows

• Hips

• Knees

Bursitis is sometimes confused with arthritis because they both cause joint pain.

What symptoms does bursitis cause?

As well as pain, bursitis causes swelling and tenderness around a joint. The pain worsens with movement and can make it hard to use the affected joint. If you have bursitis in an area like your hip (trochanteric bursitis), the pain might be considerable when you lay down.

Bursitis might develop slowly over weeks or months or occur suddenly. It can last for a few days or much longer, and while it typically improves with rest and treatment, bursitis can become a chronic problem.

What causes bursitis?

Bursitis often develops as a result of sports injuries or making repetitive movements over a prolonged period. You're more likely to get bursitis if you have poor posture or gait (the way you walk), joint abnormalities, or problems like different length legs that put stress on your soft tissues.

Some forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout, increase the likelihood of developing bursitis, as can metabolic disorders like diabetes.

What should I do if I have bursitis?

Mild bursitis often resolves itself with self-care measures. Resting the joint and applying cold therapy helps reduce swelling and pain when your symptoms first start, but after 48 hours, heat treatments are usually more effective.

You should avoid activities that make your bursitis worse, but don't remain wholly immobile, or your joints can stiffen up. If you're overweight or obese, then losing weight relieves the pressure on the affected joint.

If your bursitis doesn't clear up after trying these approaches, the Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy team can help.

How is bursitis treated?

Treatment options for bursitis include:

Splints and braces
Splints, braces, and other supportive devices can help you keep pressure off the affected area while the bursa heals.

Medications
Pain-relieving medications such as acetaminophen or an NSAID (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibuprofen are often effective for relieving the discomfort of bursitis.

If over-the-counter medicines aren't sufficient, the Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy team can prescribe something stronger, or you might benefit from a steroid injection to reduce the inflammation.

Physical therapy
Physical therapy might involve active exercises to help the tissues heal and maintain strength and flexibility. Passive treatments such as massage, manual therapy, and therapeutic ultrasound can also be beneficial.

If you have joint pain, get an accurate diagnosis and the right treatment by calling Sahni Rheumatology & Therapy today.