BursitisDoes it hurt to move your arm? Is it tender and radiating pain to your neck andfinger tips? Do you have a fever? If you answered yes to two or more of thesequestions then you may have typical joint injury called bursitis.
Bursitis is aninflammation of the bursa that is easily prevented, detected and treated. Bursitis is a common condition that can cause much pain and swelling around anaffected bursa. A bursa is a sac between body tissues that move against eachother. They are filled with a lubricating liquid to minimize the fiction betweenthe tissues.
The bursa are found mostly in joints between skin and bone or boneand tendons. When you irritate these lubricating sacs, the bursae fill withfluid and become irritated and inflamed. This inflammation causes severe painwith movement of the joint, often limiting the movement of the affected area. Bursitis commonly strikes in the shoulders, elbows, knees, pelvis, hips orAchilles tendons.
Bursitis can affect nearly anyone for any number of reasons. It affects mainly adults both male and female. The individuals most at risk arepeople who engage in excessive and improper stretching and people who areinvolved heavily in athletic training. Bursitis can be caused by many things. For one, it can be caused by injury or overuse of a joint. Strenuous unfamiliarexercise also can cause Bursitis.
Plus, such diseases as gout, arthritis, andchronic infection of a joint can be likely causes. But frequently the cause ofBursitis can not be determined. The only ways to prevent getting it are to wearprotective gear when exorcising, practice appropriate warm ups and cool downsduring exercise and to maintain a high fitness level. Bursitis is an easilytreatable disease. If you suspect that you have bursitis, you will probablyseek the advice of a doctor.
Most likely the doctor will look at your medicalhistory and take some x-rays. If you are diagnosed with bursitis the doctor mayprescribe some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or pain relievers andmay make some cortisone injections into the bursa to relieve inflammation. Onceat home you are expected rest the affected area as much as possible and to applyRICE ( rest, ice, compression and elevation of the inflamed joint). Also toprevent the joint from freezing you should begin moving and exercising theaffected area as soon as possible. Most likely the problem will subside in 7 to10 days if proper care is taken. Bursitis a common, yet painful, joint disorderthat can be diagnosed and treated with much ease.
Although it is most common inathletes, it can happen to anyone. So take the proper precautions to preventyourself from acquiring this painful inflammation of the joints known asBursitis. Bibliography1. Jeffrey R. M. Kunz MD, Asher J.
Finkel MD, eds. The American MedicalAssociation: Family Medical Guide. New York: Random House, 1982. 2. Griffth, H.
Winter. Bursitis. Putnam Berkel Group, 1996. Online. Lycos.
Internet. 19 November 1996. 3. Lockshin, Micheal.
“Bursitis. ” World Book. 1992 ed.
