Bursitis Treatment in Dallas & Frisco

Treatments for Bursitis, Pes Anserine Bursitis, Hip Bursitis, Elbow Bursitis, and Shoulder Bursitis

Bursitis Treatments in Dallas & Frisco, TX

It can be immensely frustrating to deal with stubborn pain and discomfort on a daily basis. Bursitis pain has the potential to be debilitating, especially if treatment is not sought quickly enough. This pain can hinder your ability to do the things you love, it can disturb your sleep, and it can greatly impact your quality of life. According to the National Institutes of Health, bursitis affects approximately one in every ten thousand people yearly. If you’re suffering with pain from inflamed bursa, you need prompt bursitis treatment in Dallas.

At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, we have a great deal of experience diagnosing and treating a wide array of joint conditions, including bursitis. We have the skills and the tools necessary to treat bursitis so that our patients can return to their way of living pain-free. If you’re suffering from the symptoms of bursitis, don’t hesitate to reach out to our providers. To schedule your appointment with us, please call our office at 469-200-2832 today.

What Is Bursitis?

Bursitis occurs when the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion our bones (bursa) become irritated and inflamed. The inflamed bursa causes pain, aching, and stiffness in the affected joint, which can greatly affect one’s range of motion.

What Is the Difference Between Arthritis and Bursitis?

The main difference between bursitis and arthritis is the parts of the body that they affect. People develop bursitis when the bursa in their joints become inflamed. Bursitis is generally a temporary condition, although it is possible for people to have chronic bursitis. Arthritis, on the other hand, affects the bones, joints, and cartilage of the body. It causes irreversible damage to these structures, which can result in long term pain and joint problems.

What Is the Difference Between Tendinitis and Bursitis?

While bursitis affects the bursa in the body, tendinitis affects the tendons. Both conditions can cause pain and joint stiffness, and they often result from overuse. Additionally, either condition can be a short term problem, or a chronic condition.

Symptoms of Bursitis

When you see your doctor about your symptoms, they will likely perform a physical exam to assess the basic symptoms. Patients with bursitis often experience the following symptoms in the affected area.

Inability to move the joint
Redness or swelling of the affected joint
Pain when you move or press on the affected area
Achiness or stiffness of the joint
Fever
Sharp, shooting pain

Many patients find that repetitive tasks worsen the pain in the affected bursa, and can often increase the stiffness in the joint.

Where Does Bursitis Occur?

Bursitis can occur in several different joints of the body. However, certain locations are naturally more prone to developing bursitis than others. Some of the most common locations for bursitis include the shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee joints. Other locations that may develop bursitis include the heel, the kneecap, and the base of the big toe. Depending on the location of the condition, each joint can develop a different type of bursitis.

Types of Bursitis

As we mentioned before, swollen bursa can cause pain in several different joints. Each type of bursitis has its own name and tends to result from different causes. We outline some of the most common types of bursitis below.

Elbow Bursitis

When the olecranon bursa in the elbow become inflamed, this is known as elbow bursitis. The olecranon bursa are located between the skin and bones in the elbow joint. The two most common causes of elbow bursitis are sudden injury and applying too much pressure to the elbow for too long.

Knee Bursitis

Other terms for knee bursitis include goosefoot bursitis and pes anserine bursitis. This form of bursitis affects the pes anserine bursa between the tendons that connect to the hamstring and the shin bone. Bursitis of the knee can occur due to tight hamstrings, poor stretching, having arthritis, being overweight, or a poorly positioned joint. Bursitis that occurs in the kneecap is also called prepatellar bursitis.

Trochanteric Bursitis

One of the main structures in the hip is known as the greater trochanter. The greater trochanter is the part of the femoral head that is opposite from where it fits into the hip socket. It attaches to several muscles in the hip joint. When the bursa around the greater trochanter become inflamed, this is known as trochanteric bursitis.

Septic Bursitis

When the bursa becomes inflamed and irritated due to infection, this is known as septic bursitis. It occurs in approximately one-third of all bursitis cases. Generally, bacteria enter the bursa via a cut or scrape in the skin. Some of the main symptoms of septic bursitis include fever, redness, and warmth around the affected area.

Aseptic Bursitis

Unlike septic bursitis, aseptic bursitis results from trauma or a strain injury to the area. It is not infectious, and therefore does not require antibiotics to treat. Generally, the inflammation and pain can be remedied with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Achilles Tendon Bursitis

When someone overuses their ankle, this can cause Achilles tendon bursitis. It can occur either between the skin at the heel and the Achilles tendon, or in front of where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone. These conditions are called posterior Achilles tendon bursitis and anterior Achilles tendon bursitis, respectively.

Hip Bursitis

Another form of hip bursitis that is less common than trochanteric bursitis affects the iliopsoas bursa. This is located toward the groin side of the hip. Although it is unique from trochanteric bursitis, the two conditions are treated similarly.

Shoulder Bursitis

When any of the bursa in the shoulder become inflamed, this causes shoulder bursitis. It can also be referred to as shoulder impingement syndrome. In most cases, it can be treated with conservative methods, such as rest, ice, compression, elevation, and NSAIDs.

What Causes Bursitis?

As with other musculoskeletal and skin diseases, bursitis has common causes and risk factors. The most common causes of bursitis include the following.

Not maintaining a healthy weight
Repetitive motions
Having inflammatory arthritis
Maintaining positions that put too much pressure on the bursa
Gout
Having infected bursa

Bursitis Risk Factors

While technically anyone can develop bursitis, the following risk factors can increase one’s chances of developing the painful condition.

Older age
Certain jobs or hobbies, such as those that require repetitive motion
Having certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout

Certain types of bursitis can develop when we do not relieve pressure from a particular joint. For example, think of a carpet layer. They spend a lot of time kneeling for their jobs, so they are at a heightened risk of developing bursitis in their knees.

How Is Bursitis Diagnosed?

In order to diagnose bursitis, we may use a combination of imaging tests, lab tests, and physical examinations of the painful joint. First, we will take a medical history and perform a physical exam, manipulating the affected joint by hand. Then, we may order an ultrasound or MRI to confirm the condition. X-rays are rarely used, as they mainly help to rule out other sources of pain. Lab and blood tests taken from the inflamed bursa can also help to diagnose the source of your pain. This is particularly true if infected bursa are causing pain in your joint.

How Is Bursitis Treated?

Most cases of bursitis are fairly mild, which means that conservative methods tend to help tremendously. Begin with getting plenty of rest, taking pain relievers when needed, and applying ice to the joint to reduce swelling. If conservative, at-home methods don’t relieve pain from the condition, we may recommend the following treatments.

Pain medicines combined with antibiotics if the condition is caused by an infection
Physical therapy and exercise of the affected area
Corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and swelling
The use of an assistive device, such as a cane, to reduce pressure on the joint while walking
In rare cases, surgery is necessary in order to drain an inflamed bursa

How to Prevent Bursitis

There are a few ways in which you can lessen your chances of developing bursitis. Generally, we recommend that our patients take the following steps to alleviate their symptoms and to reduce the risk of bursitis in their joints.

Before physical activities, stretch and warm up your joints adequately.
When starting new exercises or sports, gradually increase your level of activity, rather than starting with a demanding level from the start.
If an activity causes you pain, take a break and refrain from doing that activity.
Especially when you’re doing repetitive tasks, take frequent breaks.
Practice proper posture with all parts of your body. This lessens the strain placed on your joints.
Uses cushions, such as elbow pads or knee pads, for the joints that are most at risk.

When to Call Your Doctor About Bursitis

In some cases, bursitis can progress to the point where you may need immediate medical attention. If you begin to experience the following symptoms, we strongly recommend that you contact your primary care doctor or one of our orthopedic specialists as soon as possible.

Joint pain lasts longer than two weeks
Feeling warmth or seeing redness on the joint
Having an unusual level of swelling around the joint
Sudden inability to move the joint
Fever
Pain that radiates to nearby areas of the body

Contact SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy Today

At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, we take great pride in offering a wide array of treatment options for our patients. Our orthopaedic surgeons have extensive experience diagnosing and treating bursitis, so you can rest assured that you’ll be in good hands with our providers. We can not only help relieve pain from your condition, but we can also show you how to avoid and prevent bursitis in the future. To schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon in Dallas, please call our office today at 469-200-2832.