A-to-Z = BURSITIS – THE BODY’S CUSHIONS

By William (for wheezingaway.com)

(REMEMBER – a person without good breathing, is a person walking life in constant caution.

So, let us do what we can, to learn what we can, to improve what we can!)

          When you have a chronic illness and/or disability it seems that your joints tend to hurt more than normal. This is especially true as one reaches that stage of life referred to as the ‘elderly’ or ‘senior citizen’, and combined with any chronic illness, those joints tend to creak and ache.

          This brings us to write this week in our series ‘LANGUAGE OF CHRONIC ILLNESS, A-to-Z = BURSITIS.

          BURSITIS affects what some call the cushions of our body, found around joints.

          Among those small miracles our body has is BURSA – tiny, fluid-filled sacs that act like cushions between bones, tendons, and muscles. These help us move smoothly, bend easily, and go about our day without friction.

          When these little cushions become inflamed or irritated, we meet that sometimes very painful visitor called BURSITIS!!

WHAT BURSITIS MAY LOOK LIKE:

          …… Visible swelling – often a soft, round, fluid-filled bump over the affected joint.

          …… Redness or warmth – more common if the bursa is irritated or infected.

          …… Pain with movement or pressure – especially when bending the joint or pressing on the affected area.

          …… Localized Tenderness – the skin may feel sensitive even to light touch.

WHERE BURSITIS COMMONLY APPEARS:

          …… Elbow (olecranon bursitis) – swelling at the tip of the elboy; can be dramatic and very noticeable.

          …… Knee (prepatellar or infrapatellar bursitis) – swelling on or below the kneecap, often from kneeling or overuse.

          …… Shoulder (subacromial bursitis) – less visible externally, but causes pain when lifting the arm.

          …… Hip (trochanteric bursitis) – pain on the outer hip; swelling is usually less visible.

          Now we know that BURSITIS can show up in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, heel, or even the base of the big toe.

          BURSITIS will often begin with a dull ache, stiffness, or swelling.

          Sometimes bursitis will be caused by repetitive motion from things such as painting, gardening, lifting, kneeling.

          If you are a professional athlete or just an active participate, BURSITIS may come from constant throwing of a baseball, shooting a basketball, kicking a soccer ball, swinging a gold club, or flipping the wrist in bowling.

          Other times, BURSITIS can be sparked by arthritis, gout, or even an infection.

          While it sounds painful, which it can and will be, there is good news – BURSITIS in many cases can improve and be less painful or annoying with rest, ice, gentle movements, and giving the joint a break from whatever irritated it.

          In some cases, a person may even try other, non-conventional remedies such as acupuncture or even the use of CBD Oil either in a liquid or cream form.

          While full studies have not concluded true long-term successes using these non-conventional remedies, they have in many instances proven to supply some relief from the pain and inflammation for those who try them.

          For most people, it is best to contact your physician or a specialist, either of whom will most likely recommend clearing up the painful BURSITIS with physical therapy, a short course of medication, or (and only when needed) a corticosteroid injection.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!

          What matters most is one must listen to your own body!!

          Pain that lingers, swelling that worsens, or a sign of redness with warmth around a joint are all signs to check in with your physician and /or specialist and make a plan to attack the problem.

          Living with a chronic illness teaches us that the body is always communicating with us.

          BURSITIS is one more of those languages – one more way that the body is saying:

          ……Slow Down

          …… Protect Me

          …… Let Me Heal.

And in that slowing down, we often will find wisdom.

With that, I bid to all – smiles, prayers, blessings, and steady breathing – Shalom!!

          BE AWARE – if you or anyone you know have any symptoms similar to our discussion of the day, and they linger over and over to the point of disrupting your daily lifestyle – then please see or talk to your physician and ask questions while being honest about the symptoms, and then make a game plan to clear them up.

          ADDITIONAL INFORMATION on Bursitis can be found at http://www.mayoclinic.org or myclevelandclinic.org. 

(NOTE TO REMEMBER: We only give descriptions and highlights of various aspects of living with a chronic illness and/or disability and in no way do we ever want our information to be considered medical treatment type of information, always consult your physician for more, and clearer medical founded information.)

(Copyright © 2026, CrossDove Writer through wheezingaway.com. No part of this write may be used or copied without written permission.)