Bursitis Specialist

What is bursitis?

Bursitis is an often-painful condition that affects the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) near your joints. Bursae cushion tendons, bones, and muscles. When you have bursitis, the bursae become inflamed and painful. Common spots for bursitis include your hips, shoulders, elbows, knees, heels, and the base of your big toe.

What are the symptoms of bursitis?

The common symptoms of bursitis include:

• Achy joints
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Painful joints
• Pain with movement
• Swelling
• Redness
• Warmth

See the Rheumatology Associates team if your pain doesn’t go away over time or is severe and crippling. Treatment can relieve the pain and dramatically improve your quality of life.

What are the risk factors for bursitis?

The common causes and risk factors for bursitis include:

• Repetitive motions
• Sports injuries
• Physically demanding jobs
• Leaning on your elbows
• Joint trauma
• Extensive kneeling
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Infections
• Aging
• Diabetes
• Being overweight

Forming healthy habits can reduce your risk of developing bursitis. Use knee pads when kneeling for extended periods, use proper lifting techniques, and take frequent breaks when doing repetitive tasks.

Maintain a healthy body weight, get regular exercise, stretch and warm-up before participating in strenuous activities.

How does my doctor diagnose bursitis?

Your provider reviews your symptoms and medical history to find out if you have bursitis. They check your vital signs, complete a physical exam, and could order X-rays, an MRI, ultrasound, or another imaging procedure. Blood and fluid tests can help pinpoint the cause of joint pain.

How is bursitis treated?

To get relief from bursitis pain, the experts at Rheumatology Associates could recommend a combination of home remedies and medical treatments. They could suggest resting the affected joints, applying ice to painful joints, using heating pads, or cushioning your knee joints.

Additional treatments include prescription medications, physical therapy, injections, and using a walking cane or another medical device to relieve pressure on your joints. Sometimes, surgery to drain an inflamed bursa is the best way to achieve long-lasting relief.

Call the Rheumatology Associates office today or use the online scheduler to find out if you have bursitis or be treated for it.