The shoulder, elbow and knee joints are common areas where bursa inflammation can occur. Bursitis is a condition where inflammation causes the bursae, the fluid-filled sacs in the joints, to become swollen. This causes irritation to the surrounding nerves and tissues. Bursa injections can be used to reduce inflammation in and around the affected bursae, offering relief from this painful joint condition.
Bursa sacs offer a cushion for the muscles and tendons as they slide over bones during joint movement. When an injury occurs, it can become inflamed, putting pressure on the tendons, muscles and other components within the joint. While some cases of bursitis, or bursa inflammation, can dissipate in a few days with rest, others can persist for weeks or months. This can cause intense pain, making it difficult to maintain the mobility of the joint. Bursa inflammation may occur as a result of a work or sports injury. It is also common in older adults from routine movements or as a side effect of arthritis.
Joint Pain Relief with Bursa Injections
Bursa injections deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the painful joint for quick relief. To perform a bursa injection treatment, our physicians use x-ray or ultrasound imaging to guide the injection to the correct location to deliver a local anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medication. The local anesthetic will offer immediate pain relief while the steroid or anti-inflammatory medication will begin reducing the swollen bursa over the next few days. The procedure usually takes less than half an hour and doesn’t have any required recovery or downtime.
If you have ongoing joint pain in your shoulder, elbow, knee or hip, you may have a swollen bursa, or bursitis. Contact Hanowell Spine Clinic today to schedule a consultation and examination. We offer bursitis diagnosis and treatment with bursa injections at our clinic in Covington, GA.