Bursitis Information

Last updated on 27 April 2021 by Danniel Jacques (B.Med.Sci UNSW)

What is Bursitis?

Bursitis Treatment OSMO PatchBursitis is the irritation and inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small lubricated balloon like sac found throughout the body. These sacs help bones and tendons to articulate and glide over each other by reducing friction and irritation.

The bursae contain a small amount of lubricating fluid within them known as ‘synovial fluid’. These sacs are located around joints and other moving parts of the body, such as the shoulder, elbow, foot, hip, knee and ankle.

The bursae act like cushions while also reducing friction between sliding tendons and bones. Occasionally a bursa will be subjected to ongoing stress or a sudden trauma. When this occurs it usually results in an inflamed bursa that fills with fluid. This condition is known as BURSITIS and can be the cause of considerable discomfort and pain.

What Causes Bursitis?

There are a number of possible causes of bursitis and these include overuse and repetitive strain, a sudden impact injury,  several autoimmune diseases as well as other disorders. In many cases there will already be pre-existing age related degenerative changes in the joint that make an individual more susceptible to inflammation and subsequent episodes of bursitis.

There is an increased risk in developing bursitis for individuals working in some physical jobs or participating in regular sports. This is due to placing repetitive stress and strain on their joints, which increases their risk of developing bursitis. An example of this would be a carpenter developing knee bursitis or a golfer, elbow bursitis.

Identifying the cause of the bursitis is important as this may help with the treatment of the condition. For example, identifying the cause may allow you to eliminate or avoid an activity that initially led to the condition.

What Parts of the Body can Bursitis Affect?

What are the Symptoms of Bursitis?

The signs and symptoms of bursitis can vary from individual to individual depending on the degree of inflammation and will normally include localised pain and tenderness.

An extremely inflamed bursa may also result in visible swelling that appears as a lump. Visible swelling is a particularly common symptom of both knee and elbow bursitis that may cause joint stiffness and extreme pain when weight or pressure is applied to that affected joint.

(Diagnosis of bursitis should always be confirmed by a qualified doctor prior to starting any treatment and will often require an ultrasound).

How is Bursitis Diagnosed?

It is always best to visit a qualified medical professional if you suspect that you have bursitis in order to get a proper diagnosis before starting any treatment.

While many areas of bursitis can be assessed by a physical and visual examination it is still best to have an ultrasound to properly confirm the diagnosis. Your doctor may also feel that additional images or tests, such as an MRI, X-Ray and/or blood tests, are required to rule out other possible causes or co-existing conditions.

Next Page: Learn the answers to the most common questions asked about treating bursitis, including:

Testimonials

Real accounts by real people. Hear what they have to say!

Elbow bursitis

Hi Danniel, I wanted to send you a testimonial on the patches for my bursitis.  I woke up one Saturday morning and saw a bulge on my elbow. I noticed there was fluid in there. As I’ve never had bursitis before I never knew what it was. I immediately put on my jacket to go […]

Les S
Vancouver, Canada
General Bursitis

Dear Toky,   Thank you for your prompt response. I’ll look forward using the patches again as they were so successful last time.   Kind regards

Merle O
London, United Kingdom
General Bursitis

Hi Toky We are both very appreciative of your offer and we will certainly keep it to ourselves. My wife has had several months without pain so the patches really work and she is looking forward to the arrival of the new ones. Again thank you Regards

Don C
VIC, Australia
Bursitis in heel

Dear Wonderful Mediwise Pty. Ltd., My brother bought your patches for the bursitis in my heel.  After the first patch on Tuesday, I saw no results.  After the second patch I was actually worse.  Then while wearing the third patch yesterday, I was thrilled to see improvement…so much so that I cancelled the appointment that […]

Judy B
Georgia, United States
Shoulder Bursitis

I have worn the patch for 2 months and it has drained the fluid out of shoulder and reduced the pain significantly.

Steve R
TX, United States
Achilles Enthesopathy

I used this patch from yesterday. My first patch application was wonderful. I feel no pain and discomfort on my retrocalcaneal area. After removal of patch I could see some fluid or discharges like a chocolate color discharge on my applied area .. what is that? How long I have to continue the patch..is that […]

Bibin J
VIC Australia
General Bursitis

Hi Patches have arrived promptly, I have tried them, they have made a difference, thank you.

John H
Essex, United Kingdom
General Bursitis

Thanks again.  I found the first batch really worked!! You have a wonderful product

Bill T
Nevada, United States
View More Testimonials Disclaimer
Have a Question?
Close

Do you have a question about OSMO Patch?

Simply complete the form below and we will get back to you shortly. Please note, our response does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your medical practitioner:

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Back to Top