7 Ways to Get Relief for Bursitis

Dealing with pain from Bursitis? Here are 7 ways to get relief!

Bursitis is a condition that affects your bursa, which are small fluid-filled sacs located between soft tissues and bones that act as a cushion between the joints, muscles, and tendons. Bursa are scattered throughout the body.

The bursa serves an important function to prevent friction. The problem is, they can also become inflamed. When the bursa becomes irritated and inflamed, the condition is called bursitis.

Symptoms of Bursitis

Bursitis most often affects the shoulders, hips, and knees. It can also occur in the elbow. It is most common in areas near joints that perform repetitive movements and are overused. For example, if you frequently run or continually throw a ball, such as a pitcher, it can lead to an overuse injury in the form of bursitis.

The repetitive motions place pressure on the bursa, which may lead to inflammation. Although less common, developing an infection that spreads to the bursa can also lead to bursitis.

Symptoms of bursitis may start out mild and gradually progress and may include:

Pain, which may be worse on movement
Decreased range of motion
Stiffness
Swelling

Bursitis can usually be diagnosed based on a physical exam and a review of symptoms. In some cases, your doctor may order imaging tests, such as an x-ray or CT scan, to rule out other conditions.

Bursitis Pain Relief Tips

Bursitis can become quite painful and interfere with everyday activities. The tips listed below may help decrease symptoms and ease the pain.

#1) Modify Activities

Continuing to do an activity that causes pain will only keep inflaming the bursa and increase symptoms. Decreasing the activities that place pressure on the bursa until the pain subsides is helpful.

#2) Try a Pain Relief Lotion

Pain relief lotion applied a few times a day can ease discomfort from bursitis. Topical pain relief is effective without causing the side effects that pain medication can. Look for a topical pain relief lotion that contains ingredients like menthol, arnica, or trolamine salicylate, which can all help to reduce pain. Other ingredients to look for include peppermint oil, hemp oil, capsicum, and glucosamine. When using a pain relief lotion, apply a liberal coat and wait a few minutes for it to be absorbed by the skin, then reapply a second coat.

#3) Use Ice

Applying ice often can help ease bursitis. Ice not only numbs the pain, but it will also decrease inflammation. Usually, ice can be applied several times a day. But you should limit each application of ice to about 20 minutes. Allow the skin to warm back up to avoid damage. Also, avoid placing the ice directly on the skin since it can lead to a freeze burn.

#4) Add a Bath Bomb

Adding a bath bomb to a warm tub provides pain relief in a natural way to ease symptoms of bursitis. Use a bath bomb that has various ingredients to reduce pain and decrease stiffness. A good choice is a bath bomb that contains arnica, which helps to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness. Other great ingredients to find in a bath bomb are chamomile, Epsom salt, willow bark, and helichrysum. Add the bath bomb to a tub of warm to hot water and soak for about 20 minutes.

#5) Apply Moist Heat to the Area

Heat can also be useful to treat bursitis, especially if the condition is chronic. Heat improves blood flow to the area and eases soreness. Place a warm washcloth on the affected bursa for about ten minutes. Reapply several times a day. It might be even more effective to alternate between ice and moist heat.

#6) Do Strengthening Exercises

If bursitis pain is acute, it might be best to hold off on strengthening exercises until the pain and inflammation ease. Once your discomfort has lessened, proper strengthening exercises might decrease your risk of future flare-ups of bursitis. Strengthening exercises help improve the function of the muscle and allow you to use it more efficiently.

The specific type of exercise depends on what area of the body is affected. If you are unsure of which exercises to do, talk with your healthcare provider.

#7) Get a Massage

Massage may not be recommended if bursitis is acute. But when bursitis is chronic, massage might be a good way to reduce pain. Massage should focus on the muscles that cross the joint near the painful bursa. The muscles near the irritated bursa tend to be inflamed, contracted, or have adhesions.

For extra relief, take along your favorite topical pain relief lotion and ask your massae therapist to use it instead of a regular oil.

Conclusion:

When at-home treatments do not work, physical therapy or a corticosteroid injection may help. In severe cases that do not respond to other treatments, surgery may be an option. But in most instances, home treatments including the relief tips above can help ease bursitis pain.

If you have had bursitis, you might be at a higher risk of developing the condition again. To prevent future symptoms of bursitis, always stretch and warm-up before vigorous activities to ease your joints and muscle into exercise. It’s also helpful to take a break from doing repetitive activities that can lead to inflammation of the bursa.

Need alternative ways to get pain relief without taking pills? (Click Here) to learn more!

Dealing with joint pain? Learn how Ginger Root Extract can help!

Check out our articles and infographics to learn a multitude of ways to start relieving your pain naturally!

Real Time Pain Relief not only cares about the quality ingredients that go into each and every one of our products – but also about the people who buy them. We hope this blog becomes a valued resource for your own personal journey to better health. For 20 years, Real Time Pain Relief has provided family safe pain relief infused with Nature’s Ingredients. From the useful information in our articles to our high-quality products, we hope you feel better and pass it on!

References: