Arthritis and bursitis are different conditions that have similar characteristics. Arthritis includes a group of chronic diseases, with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common. Bursitis is a temporary condition that's usually caused by overuse, injury, or infection.
There are a few basic ways to know if you have hip bursitis or arthritis. If the pain you feel is sharp and severe before spreading out into an ache in the affected area, you may have hip bursitis. On the other hand, if your pain develops slower and is more painful in the morning, it may be hip arthritis.
Certain systemic diseases and conditions — such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and diabetes — increase your risk of developing bursitis. Being overweight can increase your risk of developing hip and knee bursitis.
Bursitis does not cause arthritis. The reverse isn't true either, though having arthritis does make getting bursitis more likely. “You commonly see them together. For instance, if a person develops arthritis in their shoulder, they might change the way they use their shoulder, which could lead to bursitis,” says Dr.
Bursitis is likely to improve in a few days or weeks if you rest and treat the affected area. But it may return if you don't stretch and strengthen the muscles around the joint and change the way you do some activities.
If you have chronic bursitis, try to minimize flare-ups by stretching each day to increase range of motion. And avoid activities that you know will result in pain. Repetitive-motion activities are especially bad for bursitis. If you do have a flare up, remember that resting your hip is important.
The most common causes of bursitis are injury or overuse, but it can also be caused by infection. Pain, swelling, and tenderness near a joint are the most common signs of bursitis.
Leaving shoulder bursitis untreated can result in problems beyond mobility issues. In rare cases, it can also lead to a life-threatening complication. Septic (infectious) bursitis, in particular, can cause severe redness and warmth of the skin over the bursa, fever and chills, and tenderness at the site.
Rest, Ice, Heat, Compression, and Elevation
This may include resting: tendons, which are tough cords of tissue that connect muscle to bone; bursae, or thin, fluid-filled sacs that act as cushions between tendons and bones; and muscles. A splint, sling, or crutches may help you to keep the affected area immobile.
Whereas, bursitis is most common in the shoulders, hips, elbows, and knees. Bursitis can occur suddenly, last for a few days or longer, and usually resolves with rest or treatment. In comparison, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are progressive and degenerative conditions which generally become worse over time.
Activities or positions that put pressure on the hip bursa, such as lying down, sitting in one position for a long time, or walking distances can irritate the bursa and cause more pain. It is also important to learn the hip bursitis exercises to avoid making the condition worse.
Doctors can often diagnose bursitis based on a medical history and physical exam. Testing, if needed, might include: Imaging tests. X-ray images can't positively establish the diagnosis of bursitis, but they can help to exclude other causes of your discomfort.
The primary causes of bursa sacs inflammation are sudden trauma, long-term joint stress, and infections.
The swelling and redness may spread away from the affected site and go up or down the arm. Also, an infected bursa can make you feel very sick, feverish and tired. If you have any of these symptoms, it is very important to seek immediate medical attention. Traumatic bursitis presents with the rapid onset of swelling.
You should call your doctor if you experience the following:
Inability to move the affected joint. Unusual swelling near the joint. Fever in addition to the above symptoms.
Is Walking Good for Bursitis? Exercise is often prescribed to improve joint pain, so walking could be a vital part of managing your bursitis symptoms.
Cases of malignant bursitis have been reported several times in the literature, though nearly all of the instances involved connective tissue or metastatic tumors.
If your hip bursae become infected, it's called septic hip bursitis. Septic hip bursitis can be serious and causes additional symptoms, like feeling feverish, tired and sick.
Since prepatellar bursitis is quite superficial, topical NSAIDs such as diclofenac topical gel (Voltaren Gel) can be very effective, with minimal systemic side effects.
Massage can feel good, and myofascial release therapy (a type of massage) may decrease the pain of a sore joint. However, do not massage the affected area if your bursitis is caused by an infection; you may inadvertently promote the spread of the infectious agent throughout the body.
Foods that can trigger inflammation may make your pain worse so these are ones to avoid if you can. This includes processed foods (ready meals, sliced meat), caffeine, fizzy juice, sugars (cakes, biscuits etc.), and alcohol.
Walking, running, cycling, and many cardio exercise machines, as well as, deep squats, and lateral hip exercises can all aggravate hip bursitis pain because of the compression caused. For similar reasons sitting with crossed legs, standing with a dropped hip, or lying on your side can also be very painful.
In each of these cases, the cause of the bursitis is usually prolonged pressure over the affected bursa. While bursitis affects people of all ages, the elderly may be at greater risk given that many elderly people are afflicted by osteoarthritis and other chronic diseases which can increase the risk of bursitis.