Rheumatoid Arthritis Support

By: Deanna Mascle
Bursitis is an ailment that afflicts people of all ages. It is not only a problem for older people, but young people can suffer from bursitis if they do not take proper precautions. The pain mimics that of arthritis, but the symptoms and causes of bursitis are quite different. We would like to address some of your questions and concerns regarding this potentially debilitating ailment and explain some ways to deal with it.

What exactly is bursitis?

Bursitis is a form of arthritis in which the joints of the body become inflamed. In each joint, there is a bursa sac that is filled with fluid. This fluid-filled sac is what helps your joints move freely without pain. It basically prevents your bones and muscles from rubbing against each other when they move. Bursitis occurs when one of the bursa sacs become inflamed. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as repetitive movements or a sudden injury. When the bursa sac becomes inflamed, it no longer provides the protection in your joints and, as a result, you feel pain in that joint every time you move it.

What is the difference between acute bursitis and chronic bursitis?

Acute bursitis is generally the result of the joints doing repetitive movements over a long period of time. Acute bursitis can creep up on your and can last for only a few days to a few weeks. Many times, you will have good days with acute bursitis when it does not cause any pain at all whereas other days it will be extremely painful to move your joints. With chronic bursitis, on the other hand, the pain is unrelenting for days or even months. Most times, the pain will last until you receive some type of treatment for it. Chronic bursitis can also be the result of repetitive movements or as the result of a traumatic injury to a joint.

What is traumatic bursitis?

Traumatic bursitis occurs as the result of an injury to a joint. The majority of cases of bursitis occur as the result of repetitive movements for a long period of time. Traumatic bursitis, on the other hand, can happen suddenly when you injure a joint as the result of falling on it or if it gets hit with an object. . If it causes the bursa sac in your joint to become inflamed, you have acquired traumatic bursitis. It can be treated with a variety of methods, but your doctor will have the best options available for your particular case.

What are some common symptoms of bursitis?

Symptoms of bursitis usually consist of pain in the affected joint area as well as swelling and stiffness. The pain will often prevent you from moving the joint freely and the area will also feel tender, meaning that you'll feel pain when somebody touches it. You might also notice some redness and warmth in the affected joint area. Bursitis will also cause you to have more pain in the area the more you try to continue the activity that caused it in the first place. Oftentimes, bursitis symptoms are at their worst during the night and early morning after you just get out of bed.

What are some other treatments I might need for my bursitis?

If you have a chronic case of bursitis, your doctor may suggest surgery to relieve your pain. Surgery for your bursitis can have several options. It might be as simple as going into the specific joint and removing the fluid from the bursa sac that is causing your joint to be inflamed. For more serious cases, you might need a joint replacement. This is reserved for the most serious cases. Until you get relief from the inflammation, you can also take pain relievers in combination with anti-inflammatory medications as a short-term solution.

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Deanna Mascle