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Bursitis is swelling in one of your bursa.
A bursa is the flat sac between your bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons that helps keep them from rubbing against each other.
Tissue that lines the bursae produces fluid to lubricate these structures. This reduces friction and helps your bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons move smoothly.
Bursitis occurs when the bursa lining becomes thick and produces too much fluid. This causes swelling and pain.
Bursitis happens most often in the:
The following risk factors can cause bursitis:
Other health issues that may increase your risk of bursitis include:
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UPMC's HealthBeat Blog:
From our Health Library:
Common bursitis symptoms include:
When diagnosing bursitis, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and perform an exam.
He or she may also order:
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From our Health Library:
UPMC's HealthBeat Blog:
Doctors at UPMC Orthopaedic Care may use nonsurgical or surgical methods to treat your bursitis.
Treatments include:
Your doctor may also suggest:
Surgery may be necessary if other bursitis treatments don't work.
Your doctor may want to remove the affected bursa via open or arthroscopic surgery.
Both are outpatient procedures, but arthroscopic methods are less invasive than open ones. Most people return home the same day.
Depending on where your surgeon removes the bursa, you may need a rehab program before resuming normal activities.
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From our Health Library:
UPMC's HealthBeat Blog:
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