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$Title{Bursitis:  Causes and Treatment}
$Subject{Bursitis cause Causes treat Treatment treatments elbow elbows knee
knees bursa sac sack fluid joint joints tendon tendons ligament ligaments bone
bones muscle muscles overuse overwork injury injuries trauma infection
infections operation operations surgery surgeries diagnose diagnosis bursa
swell swelling swollen}
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Bursae of the Knee*0016401.scf}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Bursitis:  Causes and Treatment


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QUESTION:  I always thought bursitis was a condition of the elbow until I
developed this swelling of my knee after starting a part time weekend
construction job.  It didn't hurt much, but I couldn't bend my knee properly
and so couldn't work.  Now I am worried that I will have to have surgery to
fix this thing, something I can't afford at the moment.  Can you help me with
some insight into this condition.  It couldn't have happened at a worse time.

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ANSWER:  Injuries, just like illnesses, never are welcome, and always occur
just when we are least able to cope with them.  It's a rule.  And a bursitis
can occur anywhere there is a bursa.  A bursa is a fluid filled sac, usually
close to a joint and located between a tendon or ligament and a bump or
prominence on an adjacent bone.  They help to promote the action of a joint
and protect muscles by reducing friction when the joint moves.  While there
are many causes for a knee to swell, a bursitis is frequently the result of an
acute episode of overuse, chronic overuse, a blow or other trauma, or an
infection.  In your case it was most probably brought on by the physical
demands your new job made on your knee.  However, the good news is that such
conditions are relatively easy to treat and do not usually require an
operation to set things right, certainly not the first time they occur.  Your
treatment may start with the doctor drawing the fluid out of the sack through
a syringe.  The fluid may be submitted for laboratory examination to search
for other possible causes.  Making a precise diagnosis early on is essential
to correct treatment in the future.  If there is considerable amounts of
inflammation, a corticosteroid can be injected back into the bursa.  The rest
of the treatment consists of rest, immobilization of the knee, cold packs to
reduce the further production of liquid, and analgesics if there is pain.  The
condition usually resolves in a few days, and then it is up to you to seek the
reasons and causes for the flare up.  Perhaps you were spending too much time
on your knees during your work.  This then would be a case of "coal miner's",
"carpet layer's", or "housemaid's" knee (take your pick) and a pair of knee
cushions would be useful additions to your working gear.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.