“Is there a cure for bursitis? ”
My mother has been diagnosed with bursitis and it is causing her a lot of pain around joints. Is there a cure for her condition?
12 Answers
It's curable with treatment.
Bursitis is an inflammation at a tendon bone attachment site. It can be related to overuse, poor mechanics in walking, weakness if the muscle. It can be improved with physical therapy, anti inflammatory medicines and /or steroid injections depending on the area
Depends on the area; usual treatment includes but not limited to oral and transdermal anti-inflammatories and analgesics, Physical Therapy and sometimes fluoroscopy Guided Cortisone injections.
Depends where the bursa is. Usually low impact aerobics is a good place to start. If this does not help the bursa may need to be injected. As a last resort the bursa can be excised
Most of the time, corticosteroid shots will cure it. However if it continues to recur, then a surgery may be the answer. Your Orthopaedic Doc will tell you.
My question would be bursitis where? Bursitis can occur around any joint and treatments may be different. Typical initial treatment is use of heat or ice, therapy and using anti-inflammatory medications. Bursitis causes pain but not disability and therefore individuals can still function although they may experience pain with activities.
The bursa is the body's built-in shock absorber. One is located near every major joint in the body. Think of the bursa as a balloon of tissue that is usually empty until irritate. Take the knee for instance. A knee contusion might wake up the bursa in and around the knee. The bursa tissue becomes inflamed and that triggers the secretion of fluid into the bursa. Begin to resemble a water balloon. Inflamed bursae can be painful. In the acute phase, the bursa can be drained and then injected with a small does of anti inflammatory medicine such as an injectable steroid along with lidocaine. Anti-inflammatory meds may follow. If the bursa is beneath a tight band of tissue, as in the hip's greater trochanteric bursa, physical therapy may be in order for stretching, ultrasound, and, in some cases, iontophoreisis. In rare cases with chronic intractable pain, the bursa may have to be removed. The court of last resorts, of course.
Richard E. Grant, MD
Richard E. Grant, MD
Might be inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis so get more testing
Yes.
James W. Cahill
Orthopedist
The treatment is very dependent upon location. Certain locations can be treated with over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and physical therapy. Some joints that have bursitis require drainage in the office or Cortizone injections. Surgery is usually a rare and last option.
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa. There is no instant cure. General anti-inflammatories often help like ibuprofen, 200 mg tab, 2 or 3 tabs 3 or 4 times a day, assuming your kidneys function well. (Do not take if kidney problems unless you ask your kidney or family doctor first.) Cold compresses or an ice pack (melting ice in a zip lock - mix ice and water) can help. Rest the joint, avoid heavy use, but some use like walking 5 to 10 minutes is good. Cortisone injections from your family doc or a specialist can also help.
It is unusual to have multiple joints with bursitis, so look for a cause. Maybe an irritating activity like kneeling causes knee bursitis. An unusual cause would be gout.
Good luck!
It is unusual to have multiple joints with bursitis, so look for a cause. Maybe an irritating activity like kneeling causes knee bursitis. An unusual cause would be gout.
Good luck!
Nabil A Ebraheim
Orthopedist
Bursitis is typically treated by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, diet and possible injections. It would be best for her to see a physician for treatment.
