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Bursitis Discharge Instructions


About this topic


A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac. It acts as a cushion between your bone and tendon. A tendon is a thick band that attaches your muscle to the bone. Bursa help the tendons glide and let your joints move easier. A bursa can get swollen and hurt. This causes pain and swelling around a joint. Bursitis most often happens in the shoulder, elbow, hips, and knee. It is caused by: ‚  
  • Doing the same motion over and over again, like throwing a baseball.
  • Staying in the same position for a long time, like kneeling, sitting, or resting on your elbows
  • Falling on a bursa or hitting a bursa very hard
  • Infection
  • Gout
  • Rheumatoid arthritis

What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
  • Rest the area and keep it still. For example, if you have shoulder bursitis, try not to lift items with that arm. You may need to wear a sling to keep it still.
  • Do not put pressure on the area. For example, if you have knee bursitis, do not kneel. Sleep with a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side.
  • Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
  • Prop the painful part on pillows to help with swelling.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • Your doctor may suggest physical therapy or exercises to build muscle strength.

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling
  • Prevent infection

The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚  

Will physical activity be limited?


You may need to limit your activity for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. Talk to your doctor if you run, work out, or play sports. You may not be able to do those things until your health problem get better. ‚  

What problems could happen?


  • Bursitis can come back
  • Bursitis may not go away
  • Infection

What can be done to prevent this health problem?


  • Use cushions or knee pads for things you do on your knees like gardening and scrubbing floors. If you have a job where you are on your knees a lot, like a carpet layer, roofer, or plumber, use knee pads.
  • Protect your knees if you play contact sports like football and wrestling.
  • Take breaks often when doing things that use repeat movements.
  • Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints.
  • Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Go to the ER right away.
  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
  • Pain or swelling gets worse
  • Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my condition.
  • I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
  • I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or swelling.

Where can I learn more?


National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases ‚  
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/default.asp ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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