The source of bursitis pain is found in the hundreds of bursa located throughout the body between hard bone and soft tissue like muscles, ligaments and tendons. These small, slippery sacs reduce friction between these soft tissue and bone when they're in motion.

However, if irritated through pressure or overuse, a bursa loses its smooth gliding properties and makes joint movement difficult. The pain the inflamed bursa creates is known as bursitis.

The Causes of Bursitis Pain

Repetitive movement and extreme pressure have been known to produce bursitis pain in the elbows, knees, hips and shoulders. Prolonged movements involved in manual labor or assembly line work create the type of repetitive motions that inflame a joint's bursa.

The excessive pressure on knee joints experienced by roofers, carpet layers and gardeners are also occupational triggers of bursitis pain.

The inflammation associated with bursitis can also be caused by an infection of the bursa with bacteria. This is a serious condition that should receive immediate medical attention since the infection can spread to the blood and throughout the body.

Diagnosing Bursitis Pain

Because the joint pain and stiffness of bursitis is similar to that of tendonitis and arthritis, it's necessary to see a Pain Relief Professional for a accurate diagnosis. It's particularly important to seek a professional's opinion to differentiate between chronic bursitis and the much more dangerous infected bursitis.

X-rays, CAT scans and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) are all tools used by doctors to diagnose bursitis pain. Blood tests and aspiration, the removal of fluid from the swollen bursa with a syringe, are also used to check for infection and other conditions.

Surgery for Bursitis Pain Relief & Pain Management

Bursitis pain is rarely treated with surgery. However, it is used in cases of infected bursitis to drain fluid from an inflamed bursa and sometimes to remove the bursa entirely.

Bursitis Pain Relief & Pain Management Medications

Fortunately, only a few weeks of treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs is recommended for chronic bursitis pain management and relief. This avoids the risk of addiction and diminishing results that exists when using these drugs for an extended period of time. Besides addiction, continuous use of pain medications can create serious problems like digestive system and liver damage.

Medications can't cure bursitis pain, they're prescribed for the management of inflammation, spasms, nerve pain and the side effects such as insomnia.

Sometimes, a corticosteroid is injected directly into the affected area of bursitis pain. However, this therapy should only be administered once or twice a year due to the risk of serious side effects.

In cases of infected bursitis, antibiotics are prescribed.

Bursitis Pain Relief Doctors & Natural Pain Relief Therapies

Bursitis pain sufferers also have the option of pain relief doctors and healers whose alternative medicine therapies don't carry the risks of surgery and pharmaceutical approaches. Besides being more conservative than the medical establishment's methods of bursitis pain relief, they're just as effective if not more so.

Pain Relief Professionals connects you to practitioners of alternative medicine therapies-- doctors of chiropractic, doctors of Naprapathy and Acupuncture healers. The state licensed status of these practitioners assures patients that their education and expertise in pain management exceeds that of other unregulated alternative medicine healers.

For natural, alternative bursitis pain management and relief, click a button below to find pain relief doctors and healers near you.