Bursitis: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

The shoulder is one of the most important joints in the body that uses a ball and socket to join the arm to the rest of the body. Any pain can make it difficult to carry out motion in a comfortable manner. The shoulder consists of the long arm bone called the humerus, the collarbone or the clavicle, as well as the shoulder blade called the scapula. A layer of cartilage provides essential padding to the bones in this area and its two main joints. There are a number of issues that can cause shoulder pain. 

Let us get to know the six most common ones. 

1. Rotator Cuff Injury: This is the most common cause of shoulder pain and it occurs when the four muscles or the tendons are injured. These muscles and tendons usually control the movement of the arm. This injury can involve strains and tears which may also be caused by constant lifting of heavy objects. 
2. Rotator Cuff Tendonitis: This condition affects the tendons and muscles that help in moving the arm freely. This usually happens due to inflammation in the tendons. It is commonly experienced by patients who are actively involved in sports and other heavy physical pursuits in their line of work. 
3. Frozen Shoulder: This is a debilitating condition that restricts the free movement of the arm and is also known as adhesive capsulitis. When the shoulder tissues become too thick, it leads to the growth of scar tissue that hinders proper movement and causes pain. 
4. Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a condition that comes as part of aging bones that also become hollow and brittle over the passage of time, which leads to joint and bone pains in various parts of the body. It is a degenerative disease that is caused due to prolonged wear and tear as well as other factors including family history and sports injury.
5. Bursitis: This condition is known to affect the fluid-filled sacs that lie in between the joints. These are known as bursae. When the bursae suffers from swelling, the effect usually shows up as pain in the joints. 
6. Tendon Sheath Inflammation: The fibrous tissue that connects the bones and the muscles is called a tendon. The presence of the tendon makes it possible to pursue activities like running, jumping, lifting, gripping and more. It is protected by a sheath known as synovium, which also lubricates the same. Any injury or tear to this sheath can cause shoulder pain.

Acute and persistent pain that does not abate and gets even worse should be treated with immediate medical intervention. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an orthopedist.

Bursitis is a disorder that is characterized by inflammation of a fluid filled sac called the bursa. Bursa is present in between various tissues such as muscles, tendons and bones where friction may occur. This sac cushions the tissues and prevents friction. The usual areas that are affected by this condition are hip, shoulder and the elbows.

The symptoms of bursitis are:
1. You will experience pain in the affected area
2. Tightness and stiffness in the area
3. Local swelling of the muscle
4. Redness of the area
5. Any physical contact with the area causes pain

Bursitis may also occur due to the following reasons:
1. Ageing results in loss of elasticity of the tendons, thus impairing their ability to tolerate any stressful activity
2. Sports such as baseball where you are required to throw the ball with force may lead to bursitis
3. If you do tasks that require kneeling down on a regular basis
4. Sitting on hard surfaces for extended periods of time
5. Abnormalities such as improperly placed joints
6. Inflammation from other conditions such as gout, thyroid disorders and rheumatoid arthritis may lead to bursitis

Treatment
The condition is treated by using a variety of methods such as exercise and medication. Antibiotics are used to treat any underlying infection causing bursitis. Injections may be administered to reduce inflammation in the affected area along with exercises to strengthen the affected muscle. In severe cases, the doctor may resort to surgery to treat this condition.

Prevention
You may use certain preventive measures to stay clear of bursitis. Some of them are
1. Lift with proper form: If you are lifting something heavy, then make sure you keep the spine straight and bend your knees slightly.
2. Take breaks: Don’t remain in the same position for long durations, take small breaks and walk around to release the stress from your legs.
3. Exercise: Do strength building workouts to build strength in the joints. Include mobility and flexibility stretches in your routine to keep your joints healthy, thus increasing the range of motion.
4. Maintain optimal weight levels: If you are obese, then take steps to reduce your weight. Maintain a proper diet to check your waistline.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Adhesive Capsulitis: An Overview
If you are taken aback by the very mention of this condition, you must know this is something you face every now and then. The problem is not too serious until it persists and hence people do not bother to look up terrifying medical terms for the case. Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder is a condition that could arise from a host of reasons. It is usually characterized by a marked stiffness in and around the shoulder blade felt either in the middle of the night, early in the morning or while trying to move a hand close to the end of its reach. Frozen shoulder might become a chronic problem in which case remedying it takes a minimum of one or two years.

Factors leading to Adhesive capsulitis

1. This condition is prevalent amongst patients of diabetes.
2. Lack of movement of a limb, either of the two hands, due to a fracture or a surgery can result in the same.
3. Adhesive capsulitis occurs when the capsule of connective tissues ensconcing the ligaments and bones of your shoulder joint tightens around them hindering free and easy movement.

How is Adhesive Capsulitis Treated?

There are various treatments for adhesive capsulitis. Even though the condition usually gets better on its own, improvement can take two to three years. Over 90% of patients improve with non-surgical treatments, including the following:

1. Physical therapy
2. Heat
3. Corticosteroid injections
4. Anti-inflammatory medications

Surgery can be performed for patients who see no improvement after non-surgical measures are taken.

How is subacromial bursitis different from Adhesive capsulitis?

While a frozen shoulder affects your entire shoulder area, subacromial bursitis affects a single point in the shoulder blade. The topmost boney part of the shoulder blade is referred to as the acromion. The acromion is placed above the ball- and- socket joint without touching the bones directly. The subacromial bursa is a soft cushion like thing that prohibits friction between the muscles or tendons of the shoulder joint and the acromion. An irritable subacromial bursa is referred to as subacromial bursitis.

How is Subacromial Bursitis Treated?

Subacromial Bursitis can be treated in a number of ways, including:

1. Avoiding activities that aggravate the problem
2. Resting the injured area
3. Icing the area the day of the injury
4. Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicines

What do you mean by rotator cuff tear?

Rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles located on top of the upper arm bone or humerus. The cuff helps to hold your arm in place allowing easy movement. Acute stress or physical exertion can lead to muscle cramps or might even make the tendons tear apart. Tennis players, swimmers, or people lifting heavy weights are prone to Rotator Cuff Tear. This condition leads to excruciating pain and tenderness in your shoulder blade.

What's the Treatment for a Rotator Cuff Tear?

As bad as these injuries can be, the good news is that many rotator cuff tears heal on their own. You just need to give them a little time. You also should:

1. Rest the joint as much as possible. Avoid any movement or activity that hurts. You may need a sling.heal
2. Ice your shoulder two to three times a day to reduce pain and swelling.
3. Perform range-of-motion exercises, if your doctor recommends them.
4. Consider physical therapy to strengthen the joint.
5. Use anti-inflammatory painkillers, or NSAIDS, like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin.

More serious rotator cuff tears require surgery. One procedure is shoulder arthroscopy, usually an outpatient procedure. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Joints form the connections between bones. They provide support and help you move. Any damage to the joints from disease or injury can interfere with your movement and cause a lot of pain. 
 

Many different conditions can lead to painful joints, including 
- Osteoarthritis 
- Rheumatoid arthritis 
- Bursitis 
- Gout 
-  Strains, sprains and other injuries of joints and around joints. 
-  Inflammation in and around joints 
- CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) 
- Fibromyalgia 
- Bursitis 
- Ankylosing Spondylitis(A.S.) 

Joint pain is extremely common. In one national survey, about one-third of adults reported having joint pain within the past 30 days. 
Knee pain was the most common complaint, followed by shoulder and hip pain, but joint pain can affect any part of your body, from your ankles and feet to your shoulders and hands. As you get older, painful joints become increasingly more common. 
 

Physiotherapy treatment: 
For joint pain treatment we can use following techniques: 
-Taping 
-Modalities 
-Exercises 
-Corrective devices if needed (orthotics) 
-Manual therapy etc. depending upon the case. 

 

The movement between bones and muscles is possible due to the fluid filled sacs that enable smooth gliding of the bones. When there is an inflammation of these sacs, condition known as bursitis results, leading to friction, reduced movement, painful movement, discomfort, and irritation.

Some of the common causes of bursitis include age, which brings along reduced elasticity of the tendons and ligaments.  Additionally, sudden injury to the bursa area, repetitive stress, overuse of the ligaments or tendons, incorrect posture, and improper exercise can all lead to bursitis.

The most commonly affected parts are the elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. The dull, aching pain that ensues is accompanied by stiffness. Movement can worsen this pain.  The area can be red, hot, and swollen indicating infection. Whatever the area affected, some of the common ways to manage bursitis pain are listed below.

1. Rest: As soon as bursitis is identified, the area must be rested. As noted, in most cases, repetitive stress and injury is the most common cause, and resting the area really helps.
2. Ice only: If bursitis is happening for the first time, then an ice pack alone should help reduce the pain in 1 to 2 days.
3. Ice and moist heat: If it is happening repeatedly, then alternating moist heat and ice for 15 minutes each will help.  This can be done two to three times a day. 
4. Anti-inflammatories: In most cases, if rest and topical therapy are not working, then the regular anti-inflammatory agents may be given. 
5. Physical Therapy: In some cases, mild exercises can help reduce inflammation and pain. 
6. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide): This clear, colorless, oily liquid is made from wood pulp and helps in reducing the inflammation caused by bursitis. A 70% DMSO mixture can be applied with cotton on the affected area 3 times a day for 3 days, then 2 times a day for the next 3 days, and then 1 time a day for the next 3 days.  If there is no improvement in the first 3 days, it needs to be discontinued.
7. Foods to remove calcium deposits: In a number of cases, bursitis that is present for months or years is worsened due to the calcium deposits. Foods like apple cider vinegar can help dissolve the calcium deposits that could have formed in the bursa.
8. Steroids: Local injections of corticosteroids may be necessary in some cases. Though inflammation can be curtailed with this, there is always the fear of hampered immunity and altered sugar levels.
9. Surgical drainage: In very rare cases, the bursa may need to be surgically drained.

Bursitis is a very common issue and can be managed easily as well. 

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!