Bursitis

Bursitis is the swelling of the bursa, flat sacs between your bones and muscles. 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.

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On this page

• What Is Bursitis?
• What Are the Symptoms of Bursitis?
• How Do You Diagnose Bursitis?
• How Do You Treat Bursitis?

What Is Bursitis?

Doctors define bursitis as the swelling in one of your bursa.

What is a 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.

What are the types of bursitis?

Bursitis happens most often in the:

• Achilles tendon.
• Elbow.
• Hip.
• Knee.
• Shoulder.

What causes bursitis?

• Repetitive movement.
• Excessive pressure on joints.

What are bursitis complications and risk factors?

Bursitis risk factors:

• Repetitive motion.
• Sudden injury.
• Overuse during certain activities — such as raking, carpentry, shoveling, painting, and climbing stairs.
• Infections.
• Past surgery.
• Reactions to some drugs.
• Age (most common in people older than 40).

Other health issues that may increase your risk of bursitis include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Psoriatic arthritis.
• Gout.
• Thyroid conditions.
• Spinal problems — such as scoliosis, differences in leg length, and bone spurs.
• Calcium deposits.

How can I prevent bursitis?

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise.
• Stretch before physical activity.

How common is bursitis?

Bursitis is very common.

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Bursitis?

Common bursitis symptoms include:

• Swelling.
• Pain, which may increase gradually or come on suddenly.
• Redness, tenderness, and warmth to the touch.
• Aching.
• Stiffness.

When should I see a doctor for my bursitis symptoms?

Make an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing a fever, swelling or redness, or excessive pain.

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How Do You Diagnose Bursitis?

When diagnosing bursitis, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and perform an exam.

They may also order:

• Imaging tests, such as an x-ray or MRI, which can help rule out other causes of your symptoms.
• Lab tests to check your blood or the fluid in your bursa, which can help find the cause of the inflammation and pain.

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How Do You Treat Bursitis?

Doctors at UPMC may use nonsurgical or surgical methods to treat your bursitis.

Nonsurgical bursitis treatments

Treatments include:

• Rest.
• Avoiding activities that can cause symptoms or make them worse.
• Icing the affected area.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.
• Antibiotics, if an infection caused your bursitis.

Your doctor may also suggest:

• Splints or canes to help relieve pain or keep a joint still.
• Physical therapy, including range of motion exercises for bursitis.
• Corticosteroid shots, if your bursitis doesn't improve with more conservative treatments.

Surgical treatments for bursitis

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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