Bursitis is a term that most of us have heard… yet the majority have no idea what it actually is.
A bursa is a small, very thin walled sac that the body puts between a bony prominence and the skin or muscles and tendons. We literally have dozens of bursae all around the body.
The cells inside the wall of the bursa make a small amount of fluid to allow our bones and tendons to glide on one another without pain or friction. If the bursa becomes inflamed, or infected then the cells will make a lot more fluid. The bursa will become larger and it can be quite painful.
Common Causes of Bursitis:
- Trauma or Injury
- Gout
- Chronic repetitive stress
- Infections
By far the most common cause of bursitis is chronic repetitive stress. The most common areas in our body to suffer from bursitis are the:
- Shoulder
- Knee
- Elbow and
- Ankle
Most cases of bursitis will subside or go away on its own. Moist heat, anti-inflammatories and gentle compression can help a more stubborn case. On rare occasion, removal of the fluid or a steroid injection can be useful to get a nasty case of bursitis to go away.
