The definition of bursitis is an inflamed bursa but most of us have many questions about it.
What is a bursa? Where is it? Why does this happen?
The human body is stock filled with structures that most of us haven’t even heard of. It is estimated that the average human body has approximately 150 bursae in total. This is a large number of miniature structures serving us in our daily lives in such a simple and effective manner. They are small and resilient and work very hard for us. When they get inflamed, it is normally isolated to one specific area and there are a few that we take note of which we will discuss below.
Firstly, what is a bursa?
A bursa is a small, fluid-filled, sac-like structure that provides cushioning for the tendons, muscles, and bones that they lay on. Simply put, they provide shock absorption, protection, and friction reduction in specific areas. When we are born, we have over 150 bursae situated in a variety of places. The body is a magnificent structure that can adapt well to its surroundings. In areas of high friction, it has the innate ability to create new bursae when necessary. So many of us don’t even know they exist until they become problematic. A few areas we take note of the bursa more often are the hip, the shoulder, and the elbow. These are simply more vulnerable areas that are a bit more susceptible to inflammation.
What are the symptoms?
Some of the symptoms may vary from area to area but the general ones are:
- Localized pain, specifically to the touch.
- Pain that is made worse with movement, especially after periods of no movement.
- Pain that is worse at night.
- Pain that is relieved with anti-inflammatory medications (allopathic or homeopathic).
- Possible localized swelling.
How do we treat it?
Each area that has bursitis requires slightly different treatment according to its location. This is simply because the cause of the inflammation is different.
One of the major forms of bursitis that we commonly see here at Chirolink is trochanteric bursitis. This is the bursa that sits over the bony area on the side of your hip called the greater trochanter. When have we seen this the most? During the COVID-19 lockdowns. This is because we were all moving much less than we normally do! By sitting too much, the gluteal muscles tighten up and as a result, pull on their combined tendon located at the greater trochanter, resulting in more friction than usual. The bursae laying here bear the brunt of this friction and get inflamed. This is notably more prevalent in women as they have a wider angle at the hip joints to allow more room during childbirth and this results in more tension along the gluteal tendons, creating more friction in the area.
Trochanteric bursitis is mainly treated with chiropractic adjustments to the pelvis to rectify the mechanical imbalance in the area and stimulate proper neurological function in the gluteal muscles. We use trigger point therapy and muscle activation of the gluteal and psoas muscles to calm the area down and facilitate optimal adjustments. The homework we give is non-negotiable! Move, move, move. Sitting for too long is a recipe for pain but treatment and movement in combination with appropriate stretches is a recipe for success.
Another area where we commonly see bursitis is the shoulder.
Acute bursitis and tendinitis of the shoulder often go hand in hand. It could be infected which occurs infrequently, but it almost always starts with a tendinitis nearby. This commonly occurs after a traumatic injury but occasionally happens gradually with calcific tendinitis. The phenomenon of calcific tendinitis and bursitis occurs with repetitive overload for a very long period. The body responds with a stress reaction where new tissue is laid down as a byproduct of inflammation. Due to the large amount of mobility in the shoulder, tendinitis, be it regular tendinitis or calcific, left untreated for too long results in a hyper-response in the body and the tendon starts to calcify. The bursa of the shoulder sits directly on top of this tendon so the chronic inflammation and scar tissue production will most likely affect both structures.
At Chirolink, the most important thing we can encourage is to not neglect your shoulder pain. The sooner you catch it in its tracks, the better. To treat bursitis of the shoulder, we must treat the tendonitis so that when this resolves, the bursitis resolves. How do we as Chiropractors treat it? The most important thing is to reduce inflammation and regain normal movement. We do this by assessing and restoring movement with Chiropractic adjustments to the entire biomechanical chain of the shoulder girdle, upper back, and neck. We release the surrounding muscles and associated tendons to reduce pain and inflammation and to facilitate smooth and effective Chiropractic adjustments. By correcting this we allow smooth and friction-free movement but also allow your nervous system to adapt to the proper movement and allow it to function properly without interference. In severe cases, prescription medication or surgery is required but only when there is no response to conservative treatment at all.
The next commonplace for bursitis is the elbow. We call this olecranon bursitis, and it usually occurs with direct trauma, overuse of the elbow, or with infection. One thing is sure when this bursa is inflamed, it is, visually, very noticeable due to the significant swelling that comes with it. In this case, it is best to consult your Homeopath or General Practitioner as they will prescribe the necessary medication required (anti-inflammatories or antibiotics) and possibly aspirate the accumulated fluid.
There are various other locations where this condition occurs such as the knee (pre-patellar or supra-patellar) or the bum bones (ischial bursitis) with kneeling or sitting too much respectively, but these occur less frequently.
The important things to remember when it comes to bursitis:
- Don’t leave your pain unchecked.
- Keep moving.
- Keep stretching.
- Stay strong.
- See your Chiropractor regularly 😊
When suffering from any of the symptoms discussed above, it warrants seeing your Chiropractor for an assessment. Bursitis is treatable and not worth leaving to progress with time. Give us a call at Chirolink or book online. We are here to help.