When a person suddenly develops a pain in the shoulder, he often thinks that arthritis is catching up with him or her.
Frequently, however, his problem is not arthritis, but bursitis, tendonitis, or capsulitis. All of these cause stiffness and discomfort.
Arthritis can cause gradual breaking down of the shoulder joint. The other problems are cause by an irritation or inflammation of the tissue surrounding the joint.
A bursa is a small soft sac located between parts of the body that move upon one another.
It eases the friction when a tendon passes over a bone. It is a protective cushion over the prominent bone areas in the body.
There are bursae located near most of the joints such as over the elbow, the kneecap, and the side of the hip.
Should the bursae in the knee become irritated, it is often referred to as “housemaid’s knee”.
It is the one near the shoulder; however, that most often gives trouble.
Bursitis does not begin in either the joint or the bursa itself, but in the tendons underneath the bursa.
One of the tendons which cause the shoulder joint to move may become inflamed and cause what is called tendonitis, resulting pain in the shoulder.
Following this, the adjoining bursa may become inflamed. People tend to lump both of these conditions (tendonitis and bursitis) under the term bursitis.
What causes bursitis? Bursitis usually comes on after a person has overexerted his or her shoulder, either through play or some form of unusual work.
It can result from strenuous gardening, from an active game of golf, or from painting or scrubbing walls. The shoulder joint is a very mobile joint but a weak one.
When a person’s occupation causes to extend his or her arm away from his or her body for long periods of time, the arms are unsupported and strain the shoulder, bursitis often results.
At first the patient will be aware of a sense of soreness when he moves the shoulder.
As the inflammation builds up more pressure within the enclosed sac, the pain becomes steady and more severe.
Merely trying to lift the arm causes great agony. The patient will note pain while reaching back to put an arm in a coat, to fasten a bra, or upward to comb the hair.
Many persons apply heat to the shoulder in the hope that this will relieve the pain. In the case of bursitis, applying local heat may make it more painful whereas ice can give relief.
In many cases, calcium salts carried by the blood stream are deposited in the inflamed area. These calcium deposits are a source of continuing irritation.
The doctor may prescribe a medicine by mouth to help reduce the inflammation. More severe cases of bursitis can be eased by the direct injection of an anesthetic and cortisone solution into the painful area.
If the attack is a mild one, the doctor may not wish to use these measures.
He may recommend complete rest for the shoulder for a short period of time or special physical therapy treatment.
One of the problems of bursitis is that once the acute pain is relieved, the person is likely to avoid using his shoulder for months because the patient aware of mild discomfort.
The patient runs the risk of being left with permanent stiffness which, when severe, is referred to as a frozen shoulder.
To avoid this, the patient should make a determined effort to continue to move and use the shoulder.
Like many forms of rheumatism, bursitis and tendonitis are so common that many persons tempted to diagnose and treat themselves; this may rend to make the period of suffering longer and actually cause permanent damage.
Properly treated be a doctor, the pain and discomfort of these conditions can be reduced and the after-effect controlled.