Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

bursitis

 
(bər-sī'tĭs) pronunciation
n.
Inflammation of a bursa, especially in the shoulder, elbow, or knee joint.


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Inflammation of the lubricating sac (bursa) over a joint or extension of a joint, or between tendons and muscles or bones, caused by infection, injury, arthritis or gout, calcium deposits along a tendon or joint, or repetitive minor irritation. Common types are "housemaid's knee," "soldier's heel," "tennis elbow," and "weaver's bottom." Bursitis in the shoulder is the most common form. Usually occurring in people unaccustomed to physical labour, it may be so painful that the affected part cannot be used. Treatment includes rest, heat, mild exercise, and medication to relieve inflammation and remove calcium deposits.

For more information on bursitis, visit Britannica.com.

Any inflammation of a bursa. Bursae are synovial pouches, positioned to minimize friction between moving parts of the body. Bursitis most often occurs near the shoulder, hip, elbow, or knee. See also Bursa; Joint (anatomy).

Inflammatory changes in bursae produce acute or chronic swelling, an increase in the fluid content, and variable degrees of pain and tenderness. Acute bursitis may be septic (caused by microorganisms) or nonseptic. Nonseptic bursitis can be further subdivided into idiopathic (of unknown cause), traumatic, and crystal-induced bursitis. Septic bursitis may result from direct penetration by microorganisms through medical instrumentation or trauma; rarely, microorganisms may reach bursae through the blood. Most cases of bursitis are nonseptic; they may result from trauma or physical stress. In chronic bursitis, the wall of the bursa becomes thickened, shaggy, and irregular, with calcium deposits commonly being present.

The treatment depends on whether the bursitis is septic or nonseptic. Septic bursitis is most commonly due to Staphylococcus aureus and requires prompt administration of appropriate antibiotics and repeated drainage of fluid containing pus. Nonseptic bursitis can be treated conservatively by withdrawal of fluid and administration of nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs. Crystal-induced nonseptic bursitis is most frequently due to gout and usually responds well to drug therapy. Avoidance of trauma can help to prevent occupation-related cases of bursitis. Most cases of bursitis have a favorable prognosis. See also Connective tissue; Gout.


An inflammation of a bursa that results in a form of internal blistering causing the bursal sac to become inflated with fluid. Bursitis may be caused by repeated mechanical irritation (frictional bursitis), substances formed as a result of inflammation or degeneration of tissue (chemical bursitis), or bacterial infection (septic bursitis). Treatment may include diathermy and the topical application of anti-inflammatory drugs. Chronic bursitis may require surgical excision.

Columbia Encyclopedia:

bursitis

Top
bursitis (bərsī'təs), acute or chronic inflammation of a bursa, or fluid sac, located close to a joint. In response to irritation or injury the bursa may become inflamed, causing pain, restricting motion, and producing more fluid than can be absorbed readily. An attack of bursitis usually causes great pain and tenderness in the affected area. Common areas of involvement include the shoulder and big toe (see bunion). Depending on the cause and the degree of involvement, bursitis is treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics, corticosteroids, and immobility until the pain subsides. Superficial bursas, not necessary to the function of a joint, or bursas that have become calcified, may be excised.


(buhr-seye-tis)

Inflammation of a bursa. Common locations of bursitis include the joints of the shoulder, knee, and elbow.

Inflammation of a bursa. Acute bursitis comes on suddenly; severe pain and limitation of motion of the affected joint are the principal signs. See also hygroma, intra-abdominal abscess.
Chronic bursitis may follow the acute attacks. There is continued pain and limitation of motion around the joint.

  • atlantal b. — see poll evil.
  • carpal b. — see carpal hygroma.
  • trochanteric b. — inflammation, in the horse, of the bursa between the tendon of the middle gluteal muscle and the major trochanter of the femur or its cartilage. Causes lameness and atrophy of muscles in long-standing cases. Called also whirlbone lameness.
    Traumatic bursitis (capped hock) in horse. By permission from Knottenbelt DC, Pascoe RR, Diseases and Disorders of the Horse, Saunders, 2003.
Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'bursitis'

Top
Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to bursitis, see:
  • Afflictions and Conditions - bursitis: inflammation of small fibrous sacs lined with synovial membrane, due to injury or infection, characterized by pain and stiffness in joints


  See crossword solutions for the clue Bursitis.
Bursitis
Classification and external resources

Example of Elbow Bursitis
ICD-10 M70-M71
ICD-9 727.3
DiseasesDB 31623
MedlinePlus 000419
eMedicine emerg/74
MeSH D002062

Bursitis is the inflammation of one or more bursae (small sacs) of synovial fluid in the body. The bursae rest at the points where internal functionaries, such as muscles and tendons, slide across bone. Healthy bursae create a smooth, almost frictionless functional gliding surface making normal movement painless. When bursitis occurs, however, movement relying upon the inflamed bursa becomes difficult and painful. Moreover, movement of tendons and muscles over the inflamed bursa aggravates its inflammation, perpetuating the problem.

Contents

Signs and symptoms

Bursitis symptoms vary from local joint pain and stiffness, to burning pain that surrounds the joint around the inflamed bursa. In this condition, the pain usually is worse during and after activity, and then the bursa and the surrounding joint become stiff the next day in the morning.

Cause

Bursitis is commonly caused by repetitive movement and excessive pressure. Elbows and knees are the most commonly affected. Inflammation of the bursae might also be caused by other inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Although infrequent, scoliosis might cause bursitis of the shoulders; however, shoulder bursitis is more commonly caused by overuse of the shoulder joint and related muscles.[1]

Traumatic injury is another cause of bursitis. The inflammation irritates because the bursa no longer fits in the original small area between the bone and the functionary muscle or tendon. When the bone increases pressure upon the bursa, bursitis results. Sometimes the reason is unknown. It can also be associated with some chronic systemic diseases.

Examples

The most common examples of this condition:

Treatment

Bursae that are not infected can be treated with rest, ice, elevation, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory drugs and pain medication. Since bursitis is caused by increased friction from the adjacent structures, a compression bandage is contraindicated because compression would create more friction on movement (passive and active). Advanced massage therapy techniques can also be employed to help with the inflammatory process of bursitis.

Bursae that are infected requires further investigation and antibiotic therapy. In cases when all conservative treatment fails, surgical therapy may be necessary. In a bursectomy the bursa is cut out either endoscopically or with open surgery. The bursa grows back in place after a couple of weeks but without any inflammatory component.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Shoulder Bursitis". http://www.treatment-for.com/shoulder-bursitis-treatment.htm. 

External links


 
 

 

Copyrights:

American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
McGraw-Hill Science & Technology Encyclopedia. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Copyright © 2005 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/ Read more
Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: Health. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.  Read more
Saunders Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary. Collins Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary © Anne Bradford, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008 HarperCollins Publishers All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Bursitis Read more

Follow us
Facebook Twitter
YouTube