Any Doctors In The House?

[simon43]

A few weeks ago my left elbow swelled up and the local doctor diagnosed bursitis. He aspirated all the fluid, but it had returned the next day. So he then made a small cut (not so small ), and took some tissue for analysis. He said that the tissue did not look 'normal' and maybe there was an infection. However, this wound is now being left to heal naturally, with the wound being washed every day.

So far, after 3 days, the wound is still leaking fluid, and the nurses are saying 'mai dee'

I'm concerned because the doc has said that if this bursitis does not heal up naturally, then surgery is required to remove the bursa. (And if this is done under local anathaestic, then he said it wound be very painful!!!)

Any suggestions as to alternative treatments if this ###### elbow continues to leak fluid? BTW, it does not hurt, andarm movement is not resticted in any way

Thanks for any advice

[12call]

General information about bursitis

What is a bursa?

Every person has hundreds of bursa scattered throughout the body. The function of a bursa is to decrease friction between two surfaces that move in different directions. The bursa can be thought of as a Ziplock bag with a small amount of oil and no air inside. Imagine rubbing this bag between your hands; movement of your hands would be smooth and effortless. That is what a bursa functions as--a smooth, slippery surface between two moving objects. Therefore, you tend to find a bursa at points where muscles and tendons glide over bones. Without the bursa between these surfaces, all movements would be painful.

What is bursitis?

Bursitis simply put is the inflammation of a bursa. In the normal state, the bursa provides a slippery surface that has almost no friction. A problem arises when a bursa becomes inflamed. The bursa loses its gliding capabilities, and becomes more and more irritated when it is moved.

When the condition called bursitis occurs, the slippery bursa sac becomes swollen and inflamed. The added bulk of the swollen bursa causes more friction within already confined spaces. Also, the smooth gliding bursa becomes gritty and rough. Movement of an inflamed bursa are painful and irritating.

What causes bursitis?

Bursitis usually results from a repetitive movement or due to prolonged and excessive pressure. Patients who rest on their elbows for long periods or those who bend their elbows frequently and repetitively (for example, a custodian using a vacuum for hours at a time) can develop elbow bursitis, also called olecranon bursitis. Similarly in other parts of the body, repetitive use or frequent pressure can irritate a bursa and cause inflammation.

Other causes of bursitis include traumatic injuries and systemic inflammatory conditions. Following trauma, such as a car accident or fall, a patient may develop bursitis. Usually a contusion causes swelling within the bursa. The bursa, which had functioned normally up to that point, no begins to develop irritation with what were normal movements and activities. This can lead to bursitis. Systemic inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, may also lead to bursitis. These type of conditions predispose patients to developing inflammation of a bursa.

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/sportsmedi...lbursitis_2.htm