Bursitis is an inflammation of the joint capsule. The disease can affect almost any joint, as well as the fingers and toes. Lesions of the knee, elbow, and hip joints are more often diagnosed. To get rid of bursitis, complex treatment is used using physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises, systemic and local medications. Also, folk remedies and methods can be used throughout the treatment. The diagram is drawn up by a doctor. To achieve remission, you will need to strictly follow all recommendations. After successful therapy, it is necessary to undergo proper rehabilitation.
In what cases is treatment with traditional methods possible?
It is advisable to use traditional methods for almost any type of bursitis, regardless of its severity and location. However, you need to know when to use them. It is worth understanding that folk remedies cannot replace pharmaceutical medications, but at the same time they perfectly complement them. Therapy using them should be carried out only after consultation with your doctor.
It is necessary that he correctly combine all medications and treatment methods. Among the most effective remedies are various decoctions, compresses and baths. Traditional methods demonstrate the greatest effectiveness during the period of remission and rehabilitation. If bursitis is acute, it is necessary to postpone their use, focusing on drug treatment. For very severe bursitis, surgical intervention will be required. You can read about how a bunionectomy of the elbow joint is performed in our article.
The final decision about when to use traditional methods is made by the doctor. Before this, it is necessary to assess the person’s condition and the effect of using traditional medicine.
How does bursitis begin?
There are about 180 joints in the human bone structure, which are responsible for bone mobility. They have a complex structure. Joints connect bones to each other in the area of cartilage. Synovial bursae and membranes are located in these places. People consider these connections to be very strong, although in reality everything is different. The synovial bursa, which is located at the junction of joints and muscles, secretes a certain fluid. The substance serves as a lubricant to facilitate joint movement. When that same bag undergoes inflammatory processes, an excessive amount of fluid accumulates in it, which leads to impaired joint mobility. This process is called bursitis. This disease mainly affects:
- elbow joints
- knee
- hip
- shoulder
Inflammation with bursitis looks very scary. The joint becomes inflamed, reddens and increases in size. Most often, the disease manifests itself after injury and during infection. Sometimes bursitis begins without such prerequisites. Inflammation of the bursa is often accompanied by fever and weakness in the body. If the inflammatory processes have reached serious proportions, surgical intervention is required. But at the initial stage of the disease, you can get by using folk remedies.
General recommendations
To ensure that bursitis is treated as quickly as possible, you must adhere to the following rules:
- consult a doctor on time ;
- reduce the load on the affected joint;
- for acute pain , use bandages and compresses with medications;
- undergo a full course of therapy;
- use support devices (crutches, bandages, bandages) during all treatment and rehabilitation.
Under no circumstances should you self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear (pain, decreased performance, swelling and hyperemia), you should visit a doctor. For a speedy recovery, you will need to correctly diagnose the pathology, since other joint diseases have symptoms similar to bursitis. Only after receiving an accurate diagnosis is treatment prescribed. As a rule, a whole range of procedures is developed to cope with the disease in the shortest possible time.
The use of crutches or a cane is mandatory during the rehabilitation period after severe forms of bursitis of the hip and knee joint.
General principles of therapy
Home treatment should be discussed with your doctor
Having noticed symptoms of bursitis, patients should go to see a doctor. He will examine the problem area and prescribe adequate treatment. He will also tell you whether the patient should use traditional methods of combating joint disease in order to increase the effectiveness of the entire course.
If the attending physician nevertheless allowed treatment of bursitis at home with unconventional means, then the patient will have to adhere to a number of simple rules:
- From the first days of detection of the disease, it is necessary to isolate the affected area from physical activity, as it can aggravate the painful condition. During the treatment course, it is prohibited to engage in intense sports and jogging. It is very important to provide yourself with peace for at least 5-7 days;
- It is strictly forbidden to use traditional methods during acute bursitis. In this situation, it is better to give preference to traditional medications prescribed by a doctor. Failure to comply with this rule may result in disability;
- Throughout the course of therapy, you need to carefully monitor the condition of your own body. You should use folk remedies with caution, which can lead to side effects.
Don't forget to listen to your body and feelings.
If the symptoms of the disease intensify during the use of a certain non-traditional remedy, it is necessary to immediately abandon such therapy.
Traditional methods
Traditional methods of treatment mean all methods of alternative medicine. Basically, various compresses are used to relieve pain and relieve inflammation. Almost all products are applied locally for a short period of time. Frequency of use: 3-5 times a day. It is necessary to use compresses made from natural remedies between the application of medications. A distinctive feature of traditional methods is the almost complete absence of side effects and contraindications for use. This allows them to be used for a long period of time.
There are many recipes for preparing decoctions and compresses. A person will not have problems creating a medicinal infusion. The ingredients can be found at the pharmacy or assembled yourself. Mostly various herbs and other natural remedies are used. To get results from using natural remedies, you need to use them regularly.
Decoctions
For decoctions, it is best to use medicinal plants. You can use the following recipes:
- Burdock root decoction . A decoction of burdock root has many beneficial properties. With its help, compresses are created that help relieve inflammation and pain. To prepare a decoction, you need 2 tablespoons of burdock root, which has previously been crushed, add to 1 liter of water, bring to a boil and hold for 5 minutes. The resulting liquid should infuse for 15 minutes. After that it can be used ;
- Decoction of St. John's wort herb . This decoction can be used internally to improve well-being. St. John's wort has a slight anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect, and also contains vitamins. To prepare a decoction of St. John's wort, you need to take 1 tablespoon of the herb and 200 ml of hot water. After this, heat the water for 20-30 minutes, let it cool and strain. The decoction is taken orally, 50-100 ml 2-4 times a day.
To create compresses or use internally, you need to prepare a new decoction each time. The shelf life of the prepared product is no more than a day if stored correctly. It is highly not recommended to use decoctions that have been prepared for a long time, as harmful substances accumulate in them.
Only proven ingredients must be used. Almost all of the most effective medicinal herbs can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Compresses
Cold and warm compresses can be used to treat bursitis. They help provide first aid, relieving a person of acute pain and inflammation. Compresses are applied to the affected area. Among the most popular recipes are:
- Warm compress from calendula tincture . To create a compress you will need an alcohol tincture of calendula. You will need to moisten a rag or gauze with calendula, apply it to the source of inflammation and wrap it in a bandage or towel. It is worth noting that this compress cannot be used during the acute course of the disease and exacerbations;
- Compress made from white cabbage leaves . To create this compress, you only need leaves, a bandage or gauze. For greater effect, before putting the leaves on the inflamed area, you can knock them a little so that they release the juice;
- Cold compress using a heating pad or ice . Exposure to cold can relieve inflammation during acute or exacerbation of the disease. Making a compress is very simple: you need to apply a heating pad with cold water or crushed ice to the affected area for 15-30 minutes.
Even simple exposure to cold (in acute cases) or heat (during remission) will help fight bursitis. Compresses should be used on an ongoing basis, especially during remission. The optimal frequency of procedures is 2-3 times a day, preferably in the morning and evening.
You cannot warm up bacterial inflammation. If a person suffers from purulent bursitis, any compress should be used with great caution.
Baths
Local baths are used for inflammation of the fingers and toes. For lesions of the knees, elbows and bursitis of the hip joint, you can take full baths with specially prepared liquid. The basis for baths can be:
- St. John's wort - to create a bath you will need 1 tablespoon of St. John's wort and 400 ml of boiling water. You will need to brew the grass and sue it. After this, it can be poured into a container in which you will need to place the palm or foot with the affected joint for 15-20 minutes;
- Pine baths are excellent for relieving inflammation . To create them you will need to weld pine or spruce branches. You will only need 1 small branch to make a bath. You can also use pine branches to create a full bath.
If a person is going to take a bath, then its temperature should not be higher than 37 degrees. It is advisable to use these treatment methods only during remission. For bursitis, a simple bath in warm water with the addition of sea salt will also have a positive effect. The main thing is to take it no more than once a day and only in the absence of an infectious lesion.
Exercises
Quite often, the cause of bursitis is excessive stress. During treatment, any tension should be avoided. During remission, it is necessary to restore muscle and joint tone with the help of special exercises. The complex is selected based on the location and severity of the lesion. Typically the following steps are performed:
- Extension . Simple flexion and extension of the joint helps restore its functionality. If the knee is affected, you will need to straighten and bend it in the air 10-15 times several times a day.
- Rotations . If a moving joint is affected, gentle rotations can be performed. They are executed within 15-45 seconds.
Only a doctor can select a set of exercises based on the individual characteristics of the person and the specific diagnosis. It will also determine when it is necessary to connect the load for more effective therapy.
Under no circumstances should you exercise until you feel tired. The main goal of physical education is to restore the functionality of the joint and get rid of atrophy. Actions should be as simple as possible, but regular.
Physical exercise
Full-fledged gymnastics for bursitis is used only at the stage of stable remission, when a person is not bothered by pain and other symptoms of the disease. Among the most effective gymnastic exercises are:
- short walking;
- bends;
- swimming;
- skis;
- wave your arms.
During rehabilitation and for some time after it, you can begin to put stress on the muscles of the whole body. Particular attention should be paid to those muscles that are located next to the previously affected joint. By strengthening them, you will be able to avoid re-inflammation. Complex gymnastic exercises and classes in the gym with high loads are available only after the inflammatory process has been completely suppressed and the functionality of the joint has been normalized.
Recipes for oral medications
The tincture should be taken internally with caution.
Traditional medicine offers proven remedies that are intended for oral administration. With their help, you can reduce the intensity of bursitis symptoms. In addition, some home remedies can improve the health of the entire body.
Propolis
Folk medicine is prepared from 100 g of butter and 15 g of propolis. The components are mixed until the mass acquires the consistency of an ointment. Use it 1 tsp. 3 times a day.
Celery
To cope with subcutaneous inflammation, you can start taking products with celery. To prepare a medicine based on it, you need to take 1 tbsp. l. seeds and pour 1 glass of hot water over them. After 2 hours of infusion, the product should be taken 2 times a day, a whole glass. The course of treatment is no more than 12 days.
Grapefruit
Until their health improves, patients are recommended to drink half a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
Honey and vinegar
Patients who are interested in questions about how to treat bursitis with folk remedies should be very familiar with this recipe. You need to mix 1 tsp. honey and apple cider vinegar. The resulting mixture is stirred in a glass of water and consumed in full every day for a week.
Useful products for treatment and prevention
Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of bursitis. During therapy, it is necessary to increase the consumption of the following products:
- animal meat (chicken, beef, fish);
- dairy products (kefir, cottage cheese, cream);
- plant products (cabbage, carrots, beets, nuts).
The diet should contain a large amount of protein. You can get it from both animal meat and eggs. It is also necessary to take vitamin complexes. It is advisable to find specialized vitamins that contain collagen. This will speed up your recovery. The diet must be maintained on an ongoing basis. During the period of remission and rehabilitation, it should be as nutritious and balanced as possible.
It is necessary to increase the intake of vitamins A, C and E. Gelatin can be used as a source of collagen.
First aid for bursitis at home
If a person is faced with pain in the knee, shoulder, hip or bursitis of the elbow joint, then first of all he should eliminate the load and do a minimum of movements with the affected joint.
If a person has previously suffered from bursitis, then the likelihood of relapse is high. In any case, first of all, you need to make an appointment with a doctor or call him at home if the pain is acute. It is necessary to undergo examinations to make a diagnosis. It is advisable not to use painkillers until an accurate diagnosis is obtained. You can apply a bandage to the affected area and take a horizontal position. You need to get to the clinic without putting stress on the inflamed joint. Bursitis rarely makes itself felt suddenly, so a person will have time to seek help and quickly solve the problem. The sooner a person visits a doctor, the faster and easier he can get rid of the disease.
Causes of hip inflammation
Inflammation in the hip joint occurs due to many factors, including:
- uncontrolled loads on the joint;
- acquired pathology of the spine, for example scoliosis, arthrosis, arthritis, etc.;
- overweight;
- flat feet;
- leg length asymmetry;
- hip bone injury;
- osteophytes and calcium salt deposits;
- consequences of surgery in the hip joint, etc.
According to statistics, the disease occurs more often in women over 40 years of age than in men or younger patients. Despite the list of factors causing bursitis, the most common causes are injuries, bruises and abrasions. It can also be caused by infection with microbes from cuts, minor wounds and abrasions in the joint area.