Home » Natural Cures » Bursitis

Bursitis

Whether you're at work or at play, if you overuse or repetitively stress the areas around your body's joints (known as “bursas”), you may eventually develop a painful inflammation called bursitis. It can be difficult to tell the difference between bursitis and arthritis. Simply put, bursitis affects bursas and arthritis affects joints.

Bursitis often affects the areas around the joints of the shoulders, elbows, or hips; but it’s not unusual to have bursitis in the knee, heel, or base of the big toe.

Bursitis pain usually goes away within a week or so with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups are common and can be frustrating. To cure bursitis, the cause must be eliminated. The following tips can help alleviate symptoms:

Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug.
Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, and others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) can provide relief. Use them as directed.

Keep pressure off your joint.
If possible, use an elastic bandage, sling, or soft foam pad to protect a joint until the swelling goes down.

Apply ice packs.
Use them for twenty minutes several times a day during the first few days, or for as long as the joint area is warm to the touch.

Apply heat.
Use heat only after the affected joint is no longer warm or red. This can help relieve muscle and joint pain and stiffness. But don't apply heat for more than twenty minutes at a time.

Stretch your muscles.
Stretching can help restore the full range of motion.

Elevate the affected joint.
Raising a knee or elbow above the heart can help reduce swelling.

Bursitis usually responds well to these types of home treatment. If the problem persists after a week, see a physician. Or if at anytime the patient develops a fever, the cause is probably an infection, and medical care is a must. Consult your doctor immediately if you cannot move the affected area, or if you have fever, general illness, or multiple sites of pain.