Duration of bursitis
introduction
Bursitis (bursitis) can affect various joints in the body and is caused by overuse, injury, or infection. The duration of bursitis depends largely on the underlying cause of the inflammation and whether the right treatment is given. With appropriate therapy, bursitis usually lasts for several weeks, with a significant improvement in pain after just a few days.
How long does bursitis last?
As a rule, bursitis can be treated well and heals without any problems. In the case of acute inflammation, the disease usually lasts four to six weeks, the duration largely depending on the location and severity of the inflammation. Inflammation of a large or frequently stressed bursa takes several weeks to completely heal. The duration of bursitis also depends on how effective the therapy is. If the bursitis is not treated or if the patient does not respond well to the treatment, the inflammation can persist for several months and become chronic. In such cases, surgical removal of the bursa (bursectomy) must be considered.
What can have a positive effect on the duration of a bursitis?
The duration of an acute bursitis can be positively influenced by rest. The doctor will immobilize the affected joint by putting a bandage or splint on it and may also prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac or ibuprofen, which reduce the pain and speed healing. In addition to immobilization, the patient can elevate the joint with the inflamed bursa and thus relieve it. Sport and excessive movement must be avoided at all costs so as not to unnecessarily irritate the bursa. During the healing process, patients should also avoid prolonged exertion, such as walking or standing for long periods.
Massages of the inflamed bursa and the surrounding muscles promote blood circulation and reduce swelling, which can also have a positive effect on the duration of bursitis. However, massages should only be used for inflammations that are not caused by a bacterial infection, as otherwise there is a risk that the inflammatory pathogens will spread further in the body. The use of cooling ointments, cool packs or ice also leads to accelerated healing of the inflamed bursa. In the case of acute inflammation, it helps to cool the affected area three to five times a day. It is important not to put the ice directly on the skin, otherwise the skin can get frostbite. It is best to wrap the ice pack in a thin cloth and cool the inflamed bursa for 15 minutes.
The patients pay attention to these points and adhere to the therapy prescribed by the doctor. The pain usually improves after a few days and the bursitis should be completely healed after six weeks at the latest.
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What can negatively affect the duration of a bursitis?
Bursitis must be treated properly, otherwise it can become chronic. The bursa usually reduces friction between the bone and the muscle or tendon; it also relieves the pressure that the bone exerts on the surrounding tissue. Any excessive mechanical stress on the inflamed bursa can negatively affect the duration of the disease and should therefore be avoided. Heat is not beneficial in acute bursitis as it increases inflammation. Therefore, it is better to cool the inflamed bursa with cold compresses or ice packs.
In some cases, the inflammation was caused by bacteria. If the patients then do not take antibiotics, they run the risk of the bacteria spreading, getting into the blood and thus causing life-threatening blood poisoning (sepsis).
Duration of bursitis on the elbow
Experience has shown that bursitis on the elbow lasts for about 2 weeks. This is due to the fact that the elbow joint is not completely immobilized and is always moved along with it in everyday life, even with physical restraint. The movement of the joint is important in spite of the inflammation, otherwise the joint will stiffen, which is irreversible. Those affected should therefore take care to protect the joint as much as possible and to use local anti-inflammatory measures, but at the same time to move the joint through all degrees of freedom at times.
For more information, see: Bursitis on the elbow
Duration of bursitis on the shoulder
In the case of bursitis in the shoulder, the duration of the inflammation depends heavily on the physical strain on the person concerned. If the shoulder joint is consistently spared, the acute symptoms persist for about 5 days. It usually takes another 5 days for the inflammation to heal completely, so that if the healing process is normal, a bursitis of the shoulder lasts for a week and a half. It is important, however, that those affected rest for another 3-4 days with complete freedom from symptoms and gradually increase their load so that there is no acute overload and thus a relapse.
For more information, see: Bursitis on the shoulder
Duration of bursitis on the hip
Bursitis in the hip is usually a protracted illness that can last 3-4 weeks if the healing process is uncomplicated. It often arises due to overuse of the joint and is accompanied by wear and tear of the bony joints. The stronger the bony degeneration, the more difficult it is to treat bursitis with conservative measures, as this does not eliminate the cause.
The inflammation will keep returning as long as the joint has not been repaired. However, if there is no bony cause and therefore no persistent stimulus for the bursitis, the symptoms can be expected to gradually subside after approx. 1 week.
For more information, see: Bursitis of the hip
Duration of bursitis on the knee
The duration of a bursitis on the knee depends very much on the mechanical stress on the knee. It often occurs due to work in the kneeling position (e.g. when laying tiles). If the load is paused and the joint is spared, bursitis on the knee usually lasts for 14 days. However, after the healing process is complete, those affected have to gradually increase the load in order to avoid a relapse. In the case of work-related illness, precautions must be taken to prevent re-inflammation, such as knee pads.
Find out more about the topic: Duration of bursitis on the knee
Duration of bursitis on the heel
In the case of bursitis on the heel, the duration of the inflammation depends primarily on the therapeutic measure chosen. If complete relief by means of crutches is chosen for the acute course of the disease, experience has shown that healing occurs more quickly, as this avoids renewed irritation of the bursa. In this case, the symptoms improve within 2-3 days and recede within approx. 10 days if the load builds up gradually. If those affected put pressure on the inflamed side and only take it easy, the symptoms last for about two to three weeks. Athletes have to reckon with a loss of up to a month, as complete stress should be avoided for a further 2 weeks after complete healing.
Read more on the subject at: Bursitis on the heel
Length of sick leave
The length of sick leave for bursitis depends on the location and the severity of the inflammation. In the case of mild inflammation, the patient is written off sick leave for a few days, in severe cases the sick leave can last for several weeks.
Duration of treatment
Treating an inflamed bursae promptly and properly is important because if left untreated, bursitis can become chronic. At the beginning, the doctor puts a bandage on the patient for several days in order to immobilize the affected joint and to protect the inflamed bursa. In septic bursitis caused by bacteria, the patient must also take antibiotic medication for seven to ten days to kill the pathogen.
When the acute inflammation has subsided, physiotherapy can aid healing. This promotes the mobility of the joint and prevents the patient from adopting a relieving posture in the long term, which results in incorrect strain and tension in the muscles. Depending on the severity of the bursitis, it may take one or more sessions with a physical therapist.
How much can cortisone shorten the duration?
Cortisone is the body's own hormone that is used as a drug. In the case of severe bursitis, cortisone is injected directly into the affected joint. In the bursa, the cortisone acts directly on the immune system's defense cells and suppresses the inflammatory process. As a result, cortisone treatment quickly relieves symptoms and accelerates healing. However, an injection of cortisone can also lead to side effects and cause complications, e.g. bacteria can get into the body via the syringe and spread there. Therefore, the doctor must carefully consider whether cortisone should be injected or an alternative treatment is possible.
You can find a lot more information under our topic: Cortisone injection
Duration of pain associated with bursitis
The duration of the pain of a bursitis depends on the severity and location of the inflammation. In acute bursitis, the pain can be severe and sudden. With rest and the right treatment, the pain usually subsides after a few days. The doctor will prescribe pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drugs that help quickly and relieve symptoms. After one to two months at the latest, even severe inflammation should completely subside and the pain should have disappeared.
Duration until you can do sports again
In the case of acute bursitis, it is essential to pause sport in order to protect the affected joint and the inflamed bursa. This is especially true for particularly intense sports in which the inflamed bursa is excessively irritated, e.g. Tennis for an inflamed bursa in the shoulder. In order to avoid complications and scarring of the bursa, sporting activities must be paused until the symptoms have disappeared and the patient no longer feels any pain. In most cases this takes three to four weeks. Light movement, such as walks, stretching or strengthening exercises, help to mobilize the joint again and can be practiced as long as the pain is not too severe.
