Elbow
> Bursitis
Bursitis is usually caused by repetitive
stress to the area in pain. It is an inflammation of
the bursa sac (any area where skin is close to bone).
The bursa becomes irritated, causing pain in the joint.
There are bursa sacs all over the body - in the shoulder,
the knee, the elbow, anywhere there is a prominence
in the bone. Bursa sacs allow the skin to slide over
the bony prominence. For instance, the skin on the hand
is close to the bone; if it were not, a firm grip would
be impossible. The bursa sacs are like an empty balloon
with a drop of oil in it - one side of the balloon is
attached to the bony surface and the other to the skin
so it slides.
Repeated small injuries to bones
- for instance, a wrestler who spends a lot of time
on his knees - can cause the cells that line the bursa
sac to become inflamed, secreting fluid that fills the
sac. Anybody can suffer bursitis. Secretaries get bursitis
in their elbows; plumbers get it in their knees. Shoulder
bursitis can afflict javelin throwers, pitchers, or
even electricians doing work over their heads that requires
them to raise their arms for extended periods.
The first mode of treatment is RICE
- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Anti-inflammatories
can help as well. If there is an underlying problem,
perhaps a muscle weakness in the shoulder, it can be
addressed with strengthening exercises. But the first
goal is to lessen the inflammation. The prognosis for
recovering from bursitis is uniformly good. The one
problem with the bursa is infection, since it is right
under the skin. Most of the time, the RICE treatment
alleviates bursitis pain. In chronic bursitis, usually
with the elbow, the collection of fluid will not go
away. It becomes thick and surgery is required to remove
it.
As in any case of direct trauma,
the best prevention is protection. Wearing pads around
bones that are exposed to contact will help prevent
bursitis.
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