What is it bursitis? The definition of bursitis And How to Treat Bursitis
| Bursitis |
The definition of bursitis
What is it bursitis?
Bursitis is one of the types of diseases of the joints in the form of inflammation or swelling of the sac contains a lubricating fluid called bursae. Bursae are usually located around the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and feet.
Bursae serve as pads between the bones and organs in the surrounding areas such as muscles, tendons, and skin to facilitate movement.
Musculoskeletal disorders often occur in the joints that is often driven. Bursitis can recur after patients undergo treatment, unless the cause is stopped.
Treatment is usually rest the affected joint and protecting it from trauma more. In most cases, the pain due to bursitis will be gone in a few weeks with proper treatment, but the recurrence of this condition to interfere with the function of motion system is a general thing.
How common are this condition?
Inflammation of the sacs bursae is a common condition which can occur in all ages and gender.
Even so, growing age, the higher the risk. Especially on the people who perform the job of activity with repeated movements such as painters, gardeners, and musicians.
The signs and symptoms of bursitis
Signs and symptoms of health problems in the system of human motion is in fact quite simple and easily recognizable. Typical symptoms of inflammation in the sacs bursae are the the appearance of pain and redness in the area of the joints that are inflamed.
This pain will usually be more severe if You move. In addition, the bursitis also causes symptoms of pain and stiffness.
Bursitis can occur in all parts of the body. However, this condition generally occurs in the joints that is often moved, such as elbows, knees, shoulders, and hips.
When to see a doctor?
This disease is not a serious disease. However, if not treated properly, bursitis may become more severe. You should immediately contact a doctor if:
- The pain persists more than one week without reduction.
- Too puffy, red, bruises or rashes on the affected area.
- Sudden pain, especially when exercising.
- Have a fever.
Causes of bursitis
The most common cause of bursitis is a movement or a repeated position that gives pressure around the joints, for example:
- Paint.
- Gardening.
- Sports such as tennis and golf.
- Squat down for too long while brushing the floor.
- Bad posture.
- Leaning on the elbow for a long time.
- Throw a ball or lift something above your head repeatedly.
Not only that, this condition can also be caused from injury or trauma directly on the joints because the impact is too hard. In addition, different types of joint inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout or uric acid, as well as infections can also be the cause of inflammation in the sacs bursae is.
Risk factors of bursitis
Some of the factors that can make You more prone to diseases that attack the sacs bursae in the joints this is:
Age
The older, the higher risk You are exposed to this condition.
Work and hobbies
The risk of bursitis will increase if the profession or hobby requires movement-movement repetitive, monotonous, and put pressure on a certain part in the synovium.
History of certain diseases
Some diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and diabetes may increase the risk of bursitis.
Not having risk factors doesn't mean You can't be affected by this disease. Risk factors for reference only. Consult Your doctor for more information.
Diagnosis & treatment of bursitis
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult Your doctor.
To diagnose bursitis, your doctor will usually conduct an examination of the medical history and physical examination. Then, there are several types of tests that You may have to live, such as:
- X-ray, usually done to not include other conditions that are not associated with bursitis, for example a broken bone.
- Ultrasound or MRI (magnetic imaging resonance) is done to detect swelling in the pouch bursae.
- Blood tests to check whether there is an infection.
- Test the fluid in the bursa to determine whether the liquid involved affected.
What are the treatment options for bursitis?
Some of the treatment options that are common to bursitis are:
1. The use of drugs
Your doctor may recommend the use of pain medication or pain such as acetaminophen or the drug class nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
You can buy it without a doctor's prescription in a nearby pharmacy. However, if You feel the condition did not improve despite already taking the drug, your doctor will probably give you a prescription for a type of drug that has an effect is hard.
Even, can doctors prescribe corticosteroids which are given by way injected into the pockets of the bursae. Not only that, the doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if the inflammation in bursae occur due to the presence of infection.
2. Physical therapy
The Mayo Clinic also recommend that patients bursitis undergo therapy or physical exercises that can help strengthen the muscles in the affected area to reduce pain and prevent bursitis reappeared.
Physical therapy serves to improve the ability to move parts of the body that is experiencing bursitis. While undergoing physical therapy, You will probably do a few things here:
• Water therapy.
• Manual therapy to the soft tissues.
• A Program of physical exercise tailored to the body condition of the individual patient.
• Analysis of posture and way of walking.
• Learn the various ways to avoid injury due to joints too much used to do the same movement.
3. The use of tools
When experiencing bursitis, You will probably experience distress in the deal. These conditions depend on the location of the occurrence of bursitis. If bursitis occurs in the leg area, You may be difficulty walking.
Meanwhile, if bursitis occurs in the area of the elbow or hands, You may trouble to move the hand. Therefore, tools that can be used are also tailored to the area affected.
If You experience bursitis in the foot area, tools that can be used is a walking stick, crutches, or any tool that can help reduce pressure in the foot area that is experiencing bursitis.
If this condition occurs in the elbow area and the hand, You can use arm slings that can help support Your hands for a while until the pain reduced.
4. Operation
At a level that is already severe, You may have to undergo the procedure of surgery. Usually, the operation must be executed if the treatment is to overcome the bursitis does not give effect after six months to one year.
Even so, the operation to cope with bursitis which is done by lifting the main stock that is experiencing this inflammation is often a final choice and still relatively rarely done.
5. Compress with cold water
You can also compress the area that hurts with a towel that has been moistened with cold water at least for 15 minutes and is performed for several times in a day.
6. Multiply the rest
If You've experienced bursitis, one of the alternatives that can be done is to multiply the break. Try to stop the heavy activity at least for two weeks.
Do light activity and avoid activities that make You must perform repetitive movements, especially with the parts of the body affected.
Home treatment for bursitis
Some lifestyle changes and home treatments that may help You cope with the inflammation that attack the sacs bursae in the joints this is:
• Rest and do not move the part inflamed to speed up the healing.
• Use ice to reduce the swelling.
• If You suffer from bursitis on the knee, put a pillow between your legs when lying on one side to reduce pressure on the knee.
• If You suffer from bursitis at the elbow, avoid pressure on the hands while being lean.
• Use protective equipment when participating in sports matches.
• Avoid activities that repeatedly.
Prevention of bursitis
Although not all types of bursitis can be prevented, You can reduce the risk and severity of the condition by changing Your habits. Here are the prevention of bursitis You can do:
• Use knee pads
Use some type of bearing to reduce the pressure on Your knees if your job or Your hobby requires a lot of kneeling.
Lift objects the right way
Bend Your knees when You lift something. If You do not do this, it means You give additional pressure on the bursae in the hips.
Push heavy loads with the correct way
Carrying heavy loads puts pressure on the bursae in Your shoulders. Use a dolly or cart wheel instead.
• Take frequent breaks
Do breaks in between tasks or repetitive activities.
• Maintain ideal body weight
Excess weight puts more pressure on Your joints.
• Exercise regularly
Strengthen Your muscles with exercise can help protect the joints that hurt.
• Warm up before strenuous activity
Do warming up and stretching before performing strenuous activities to protect Your joints from injury.
Complications of bursitis
Basically, there are no conditions or serious health problems that may be a complication of bursitis. However, there are some conditions that may become more severe due to inflammation that occurs in the sacs bursae is not treated immediately.
One of them is the joints that become stiff due to the occurrence of inflammation in the pouch bursae. If joint stiffness occurs, the body part affected may be difficult to be moved, or movement that can be done would be limited.
In addition, the inflammation that attack the sacs bursae in the joints can also add to the severity of the joint pain that might earlier have already appeared or feels.
Then, another complication that may occur due to bursitis is the spread of the infection to the tissues and other organs of the body, which are not subjected to this inflammation. This may occur if the inflammation of the main bursae caused by infection.
Therefore, if You have bursitis, please do the treatment as well as home treatments to treat the condition. If after a certain period of time Your condition still did not improve, please consult a health doctor for further treatment.