How to fix bursitis?

So you’ve got bursitis. Congratu-freaking-lations. Let me guess, your joint feels like it’s been punched repeatedly by the heavyweight champion of the world and now you’re left with a gnarly lump that won’t go away? Fear not my friends! I am here to give you all the juicy details on how to fix bursitis once and for all!

What is Bursitis?

Before we dive into any remedies or treatments let’s first clarify what the hell this condition actually is! So basically, bursa are small fluid-filled sacs within our joints that provide cushioning between bones, tendons, muscles and skin. When these little guys become inflamed due to excessive movement or injury – BAM – hello burs-ITIS (see what they did there with name?)

Causes of Bursitis

Okay kiddos time for some learning… in order to prevent any future bouts of bumpy boo-boos we need to address why this happened in first place.

Here are some root causes:

  • Repetitive motions
  • Injuries
  • Pre-existing conditions such as arthritis/gout/osteoporosis/menopause (bet you didn’t know menopause could be linked!)
  • Not warming up properly before exercise

The Top Home Remedies That Actually Work!

After some observation from Dr Google himself I have compiled a delightful list of tried-and-tested techniques that have worked WONDERS for curing both acute & chronic cases.

Rest AND Stretch:

Yes it may seem simple but resting your joint and stretching regularly can make a huge difference.
 Forward Bend– Standing up straight gently tilt forward reaching towards toes straining only as much as comfortable keeping knees soft.
 Calf Stretch – Facing wall lean forward against forearms pushing heel down toward floor. Hold 15 to 30 seconds for each leg.

Ice and Heat:

A classic “RICE” method that I’m sure some of you have been told before in gym class.
 Ice: Wrap bag of ice/cold compress around offending area – aim for no more than 20 minutes at a time, twice an hour.
 Heat: Get your hot water bottle ready! You may alternate with heating pad or warm towels.

Massage Therapy:

This one can be expensive but it works like magic. Professional therapists know which deep muscle groups to manipulate such as trigger point therapy & myofascial release technique.

Fun fact: Microcurrent therapy/muscle stimulators are also useful as they help reduce inflammation levels

When To Call In The Pros (you know, the peeps who went to school for this kind of thing)

If you’ve tried all above DIY methods and still experiencing major pain/inflammation/discolouration here is where going pro comes into play.

  • Your doctor might suggest Corticosteroids aka steroid shot injections
  • Physical Therapy –Incorporating resistance training/stretching IRL benefits by increasing muscles/tendons strength from within
  • Surgery: (This one should be noted mind you extra cost involved) In chronic cases where bursitis doesn’t respond to other treatments surgery becomes inevitable

Prevention

As the old saying goes ‘Prevention is better than cure’. Here’s what proactive steps we can take post recovery:

1) Warm up properly before exercise- Don’t let laziness become a habit!

2) Strengthen outer hip/tricep/rotator cuff muscles- By strengthening these guys it helps relieve pressure off joint areas.

3) Modify your activities to decrease repetitive stress on the affected joints.

Bursitis maybe painful & annoying but if caught early there’re ways control/manage/eliminate it for good! Rest, Stretching will always help as long involves patience/commitment. In case of chronic bursitis that doesn’t go away even after following preventive measures then going under steroids/surgery might be the only valid options left. Always remember to listen carefully to your body and take the steps needed in order to keep active and healthy!

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