Bursitis is a common, painful joint condition. It develops when the bursae, which are small sacs of fluid that cushion your joints, get inflamed or infected.
This inflammation could be the result of an acute injury, but in many cases, it’s a side effect of repetitive friction and overuse. Bursitis makes your joint swollen, painful, and sensitive to touch, and it can quickly interfere with your quality of life.
As a joint specialist at Manhattan Orthopedics, Edmond Cleeman, MD, is an expert in diagnosing and treating bursitis. If you’ve noticed joint pain and stiffness, it could be bursitis — and it doesn’t have to keep slowing you down.
As we mentioned, bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that cushion all your joints. They protect the bones, muscles, and tendons in your joint as you move, but they’re susceptible to inflammation.
This inflammation can develop in bursae anywhere in your body, and it’s most common in joints like your shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and feet.
Repetitive movement stresses your joints over time, and this overuse can lead to bursitis. If you have a joint affected by bursitis, it might feel:
Anyone can get bursitis, and it often develops slowly, so it’s not always easy to recognize the cause of your symptoms.
Certain factors may increase your risk of bursitis, and they include:
Dr. Cleeman and our team specialize in diagnosing bursitis. We start with a physical exam and a thorough review of your symptoms.
Bursitis that’s located in a joint near the surface of your skin may be easy to see. Bursitis that’s affecting a deeper joint, like your shoulder or hip, may necessitate medical imaging to confirm a diagnosis.
If you’re diagnosed with bursitis, Dr. Cleeman works with you to develop a treatment plan. Mild to moderate bursitis may resolve with a few weeks of at-home care, but more severe cases could bring lingering joint pain and stiffness.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a popular option for people with persistent bursitis. PRP is a solution that’s derived from your own blood, and it can stimulate your body’s natural healing process.
We take a small sample of blood from your arm and separate the platelets in a centrifuge. Platelets contain growth factors, which are responsible for healing and cell regeneration within the body.
We prepare your PRP injections and guide them into the affected joint. The procedure is minimally invasive, and the injections take just a few minutes to complete.
After you leave our office, your body starts working to heal the inflamed joint. Growth factors target the inflamed bursae and stimulate healthy tissue regeneration. You should notice an improvement in joint pain and stiffness over the next several weeks.
PRP therapy is a drug- and surgery-free treatment option for painful bursitis. If joint pain is slowing you down, it’s time to find out if PRP therapy could be right for you. Request an appointment with Dr. Cleeman online or call the office nearest you today.
