Bursitis

Learn about signs and symptoms of knee bursitis, including swelling at the front of the knee and knee stiffness. Certain symptoms can indicate septic bursitis, which is a potentially dangerous condition that needs a medical diagnosis and treatment.

Without treatment, knee bursitis may become chronic. There are several ways to treat knee bursitis at home. If home remedies don’t work, or if the knee bursa is infected (septic bursitis) then a doctor may recommend medical interventions, such as removing fluid from the bursa (aspiration).

Septic bursitis can turn into a serious medical condition if the infection spreads. Learn about the symptoms of septic bursitis, how a bursa can become infected, and how the condition is diagnosed.

Septic bursitis requires medical treatment. Experts agree that everyone who has septic bursitis needs antibiotic treatment, but whether they receive additional treatment, such as a draining or removal of the infected bursa, will depend on certain factors.

Inflammation of the shoulder’s large bursa, known as shoulder bursitis, can have many underlying causes, ranging from poor posture to a rotator cuff tear. Even a poorly placed vaccination injection can trigger shoulder bursitis.

Shoulder bursitis is rarely an isolated problem—it usually appears with other shoulder conditions, such as a rotator cuff tear. To diagnose the underlying cause of shoulder pain, a doctor will begin with a physical exam. He or she may recommend an injection or order x-rays, MRI, ultrasound, or lab tests to provide additional information.

Most people who have shoulder bursitis won’t need surgery unless the bursitis is accompanied by a rotator cuff tear. If shoulder surgery is recommended, the type of surgery performed will depend on the patient’s symptoms and the underlying cause of the shoulder pain.

The symptoms of shoulder bursitis can range from localized pain and tenderness at the shoulder to radiating pain and muscle weakness.

Treatment for shoulder bursitis focuses on decreasing inflammation of the bursa. Resting the shoulder and avoiding activities that aggravate the bursa, such as throwing and lifting, are essential to relieving shoulder pain. When those changes are not enough, other treatments, such as medications and injections, are available.

A bursa is a tiny, slippery sac of fluid that provides a cushion and reduces friction between the surfaces of a bone and soft tissue. When a bursa becomes inflamed it is called bursitis.