Bursitis - treatment of bursitis. Disease "bursitis". Treatment of shoulder bursitis

Quite often, people who consult a doctor with joint pains are diagnosed with bursitis. The treatment of bursitis can be conservative, but in the late stages without surgical intervention can hardly be dispensed with. That is why many are interested in questions about what this disease is and what its symptoms are. After all, the earlier a patient consults a doctor, the more chances for a quick recovery.

Bursitis - what is it?

Bursitis is the inflammation of the tissues of the synovial bag. Such a bag is a small cavity between the articular surfaces of bones, which contains a small amount of synovial fluid.

As a rule, with inflammation in the cavity of the bag begins to accumulate exudate, and in the absence of treatment and purulent masses. This accumulation of fluid leads to the stretching of the tissues of the synovial bag, which is accompanied by discomfort and pain.

Classification of bursitis

There are several classification systems that are used in modern surgery and traumatology. These schemes help the doctor to understand which joints affect the disease and how exactly bursitis proceeds. Treatment of bursitis because it depends on its form.

• The inflammatory process is classified according to where it is located. For example, there are knee and elbow bursitis.
• In addition, a variety of infection is also taken into account. There are specific forms of the disease that are characterized by the activity of a specific pathogen, which is observed with syphilis, gonorrhea, etc. Nonspecific bursitis occurs against the background of the activity of staphylococci or streptococci.
• Depending on the clinical picture, it is customary to isolate the acute, subacute and chronic form of the disease.
• Pay attention to the nature of the exudate. Serous bursitis inside the bag accumulates plasma with a small number of blood cells. With purulent inflammation there is an accumulation of destroyed cells, dead leukocytes and pathogenic microorganisms. Hemorrhagic bursitis is accompanied by a congestion of blood, and in the fibrinous form of the disease inside the synovial cavity a fluid with a high fibrin content accumulates.

The main causes of the disease

Infectious activity plays an important role in the development of the disease. It is pathogenic microorganisms most often cause the disease under the name of bursitis (treatment of bursitis for this reason includes taking antibacterial drugs).

Nevertheless, bacteria can enter the synovial gap in different ways. For example, the risk factors include purulent inflammation, the foci of which are near the joints. Bursitis often develops on the background of erysipelas, formation of pressure ulcers, furunculosis, carbunculosis, osteomyelitis, since pathogenic microorganisms enter the synovial fissure together with lymph or blood.

On the other hand, the infection can get directly into the synovial bag in case of trauma, in particular, severe bumps, cuts, etc. The state of the immune system is important. Some kidney diseases, as well as diabetes, alcoholism affect the work of the body's defenses, which increases the chance of activation of the infection. Risk factors include some other diseases, in particular, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma gout (with gout in the joint cavity accumulate salt crystals, which can cause inflammation).

As for chronic forms of the disease, they are usually associated with a permanent mechanical irritation of the joints. Most often, this bursitis is associated with the peculiarities of professions. For example, miners are often diagnosed with inflammation of the synovial bags of the elbow joint, but athletes discover knee bursitis.

What joints are most susceptible to the disease?

In fact, the inflammatory process can develop in almost any joint of the human body. Nevertheless, it is possible to identify the most common forms of the disease. For example, most often the inflammation affects those joints that are most exposed to intense stress or trauma.

As already mentioned, quite often bursitis is a kind of "side effect" of some professions. So, some athletes (in particular, baseball players), as well as miners, are often diagnosed with inflammation of shoulder bags . The disease often affects the knee and hip joints. And if you like wearing beautiful, but very uncomfortable shoes with high heels and with a narrow toe, then you are not surprised if the doctor diagnoses you with "bursitis of the foot" (treatment of this form of illness, incidentally, includes the refusal of uncomfortable shoes).

In any case, the inflammatory process brings a lot of inconvenience and unpleasant sensations to the patient. A lack of treatment is fraught with deformation of the joint and damage to the periarticular tissues.

Bursitis and its main symptoms

The signs of the disease directly depend on its shape. As a rule, it begins with soreness in the area of the affected joint. Later on in the synovial bag Exudate begins to accumulate, which leads to the formation of a small edema and swelling.

If there is no treatment, the swelling increases, and the skin over the affected joint turns red and becomes hot to the touch. Acute bursitis is also accompanied by an increase in body temperature and the appearance of symptoms of general malaise - patients complain of weakness, drowsiness, constant fatigue and chills. The mobility of the joint is preserved, but every movement is accompanied by severe pain.

If the patient was not given timely help, then the acute form of the disease can pass into a subacute, and then into a chronic one. With such a bursitis, swelling and swelling may be absent, the pain is less intense, but is almost constant. These types of inflammation can lead to serious consequences.

Methods of diagnosis

As a rule, a doctor can prescribe a primary diagnosis already during the examination. Nevertheless, several more tests will be needed. For example, a laboratory study of blood samples will help determine the presence of infection and inflammation. In the future, as a rule, the puncture of the affected synovial bag is performed. The collected samples are then examined in the laboratory. This procedure, while not very pleasant, but it makes it possible to determine the nature of the pathogen, as well as its sensitivity to certain types of antibiotics.

In addition, it is sometimes necessary to exclude certain specific infections, for example, gonorrhea or syphilis - in such cases additional studies are needed.

If surface bursitis can be detected during medical examination, then some auxiliary methods are used to diagnose deep lesions, in particular, MRI and X-ray studies.

Is bursitis dangerous? Treatment of bursitis in conservative ways

The methods of therapy primarily depend on the nature and characteristics of the disease. For example, treatment of shoulder bursitis caused by trauma is limited to taking pain medications. In addition, the patient is recommended to apply ice packs to the affected joint. What other drugs are used to fight the disease called bursitis? Treatment is an ointment with anti-inflammatory properties that eliminates soreness, swelling and redness.

In more severe cases, puncture the joint, pumping out the excess fluid from it. In severe inflammation, steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are needed. Sometimes corticosteroids are injected directly into the synovial gap to achieve a quick and maximum effect.

If the tests confirmed the presence of infection, then antibacterial therapy is needed. Quite often the synovial cavity is drained, the purulent contents are pumped out of it, then it is washed with antiseptic solutions and antibiotics are administered.

When is surgery necessary?

In some cases, you can not do without surgery. For example, in medical practice, severe, purulent bursitis of the hip joint is often encountered. Treatment in this case consists in the removal of the bursa and the full course of taking antibiotics.

Another indication for surgical intervention is the chronic form of inflammation. In such cases, the excision of the affected synovial bag is performed. As a rule, recovery after such an operation lasts 10-14 days.

Treatment with folk methods

Immediately it is worth noting that folk treatment of bursitis is possible only after a preliminary consultation with a specialist. Useful baths are considered with a decoction of pine needles and cones.

In addition, some folk medicine men recommend that patients prepare a special ointment for joints. Mix one part of aloe juice, two parts of honey and three parts of vodka. Apply on the skin near the affected joint, wrap a handkerchief or towel and hold for 1-2 hours. Useful is haymelder - it should be brewed first, then moisten the gauze dressings and apply it to the sick joints in still warm (even hot) broth.

In any case, do not forget that such procedures can be used only as an auxiliary method along with more traditional treatment. And, of course, during therapy it is necessary to limit physical activity and strain on the joints.

Possible complications

Of course, bursitis is a disease that requires appropriate treatment. In the absence of medical care, the disease quickly turns into a chronic form, from which it is much more difficult to get rid of. In addition, with acute infectious inflammation, it is possible to damage adjacent soft tissues with the formation of phlegmon.

In turn, chronic bursitis leads to the formation of adhesions, which limit the mobility of the joints. The defeat of articular tissues on the foot often leads to the formation of calcaneal spurs.