Bursitis

It comes on as a dull ache and swelling in or around a joint, usually after strenuous activity, and it can get pretty painful. The basic treatment for bursitis, through, is fairly simple: rest the sore joint and take an anti-inflammatory medication.

What is happening

Bursitis can hurt every bit as much as arthritis, even though it isn't a joint disease. Instead, it affects the fluid-filled sacs near joints, called bursae, that normally reduce the friction between muscles and tendons and bones. When they become irritated, the bursae fill with excess fluid, and the pressure brings on a dull, persistent ache and swelling in the joint, which feels even worse you move it.
    Although it can strike anyone, bursitis develops most frequently in athletes, people who do manual labour and couch potatoes who start to work out and overdo it. That's because overuse or injury is the most common cause of this condition. Bursitis typically affects the shoulder, although it can also crop up in the elbow, hip, knee or heel (or in any of the 150 bursae in the body). Bunions at the base of the big toe, for instance, are a frequent trigger for bursitis.
    Bursitis can be acute or active for only a few days, or chronic, which means it lasts several weeks and recurs. And if bacteria invade a bursa, they can cause an infection known as septic bursitis (most common in the elbow). This infection can spread and become life threatening, so it needs to be treated right away. Most cases of bursitis are not serious and if cared for, almost ways clear up in a week or two.
          
                                                          SHOULDER BURSITIS

The shoulder is one of the most common sites for bursitis, which occurs when the fluid-filled sac known as the bursa becomes irritated and fills with excess fluid.  The resulting swelling and pain can often be successfully treated with self-help measures and anti-inflammatory drugs.

LIKELY FIRST STEPS

• Rest and apply ice to the affected area. After swelling goes down, apply heat.
• Anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling.
• A range of stretching and strengthening exercises once pain and swelling are gone.

QUESTIONS TO ASK

• If I have cortisone injections, will they ultimately damage my joint?
• Could there be an underlying medical condition responsible for my bursitis?
• When should I get either an x-ray or an MRI?

                                            Treatment Options 
MEDICATIONS
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NSAIDs                                                   Nonprescription and prescription pain killers. Topical
                                                                 NSAIDs often used in acute plans
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 Corticosteriod Injections                         Relieve persistent, inflammatory pain

Procedures
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 Diathermy/ultrasound                                Improve blood flow around the area.
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Bursa drainage                                             Relieves painful pressure

LIFESTYLE CHANGES
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 Rest                                                             Allows injured bursa to heal
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Ice/heat                                                        Ice to reduce swelling, then heat for stiffness
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Exercise                                                      Starts slowly; always stretch first.

NATURAL METHODS
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 Alternative therapies                                  Acupuncture and chiropractic ease pain.