You have hundreds of bursae scattered throughout your body. These connective tissue structures help promote smooth motion between bones, tendons, and muscles. When the bursa becomes inflamed, simple movements can become painful.
This condition usually improves with conservative treatment, such as rest or ice.
Sometimes, however, subacromial decompression is necessary. During this procedure, the bursa is removed to relieve inflammation. This surgery is typically done in conjunction with other procedures to address the underlying cause of bursitis at the same time.
Hip bursitis most often hurts with direct pressure on the hip, such as when you sleep on your side at night. Hip bursitis will almost always improve with conservative treatments—including rest, ice, injections, and physical therapy.
The olecranon bursa is susceptible to infection due to contamination from scrapes, cuts, or an injection into the bursa. These injuries can lead to a bacterial infection. While minor infections can resolve with nonsurgical treatment, an infected olecranon bursa may require surgical treatment.
Prepatellar bursitis can be distinguished from other causes of knee swelling by an examination of the joint to determine if the swelling is in front of the knee or inside the joint.
Kneecap bursitis develops when people spend time kneeling. This often affects workers, such as roofers or flooring workers. It can also result from activities around the house, such as floor cleaning, gardening, or even playing with little kids.
One of the best ways to prevent kneecap bursitis is to wear knee pads to cushion the prepatellar bursa during kneeling activities.
However, there are some general themes in treatment:
Rest the inflamed bursaHelp the inflammation to subsidePrevent the condition from becoming persistent or recurrent
Some of the most common treatments for managing bursitis include applying ice, taking oral anti-inflammatory medications, and getting cortisone injections—depending on the specific type of bursitis involved. All of these treatments are aimed at controlling the inflammation of the affected area.
In addition, physical therapy can be an essential aspect of treatment. Even for physically active people, specifically tailored exercises to improve joint mechanics to restore normal alignment and joint function can help to alleviate the symptoms of bursitis and prevent recurrence.
