Some doctors recommend using the anti-inflammatory herbs boswellia, turmeric, willow, and topical cayenne ointment for bursitis.
Turmeric, boswellia, and white willow are three herbs that may reduce inflammation.
A. Turmeric is the yellow spice in curry as well as yellow mustard. One important component, curcumin, has anti-inflammatory activity and has been used for relieving arthritis, bursitis and other joint pain, stabilizing blood sugar, preventing cancer, treating warts and wounds and alleviating eczema and psoriasis.
Apply ice 10 to 15 minutes at a time, as often as twice an hour, for 3 days (72 hours). You can try heat, or alternating heat and ice, after the first 72 hours. Use pain relievers. Use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, to reduce pain and inflammation.
The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Examples include: Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly. Leaning on your elbows for long periods.
Apply ice to reduce swelling for the first 48 hours after symptoms occur. Apply dry or moist heat, such as a heating pad or taking a warm bath. Take an over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Some doctors recommend using the anti-inflammatory herbs boswellia, turmeric, willow, and topical cayenne ointment for bursitis.
Avoiding repetitive motion might be one way to relieve bursitis, but that isn't practical for people whose work or preferred activity requires such motion. In addition, sometimes the condition is caused by arthritis, infection, injury or other factors you can't prevent. That's where massage comes in handy.
Since prepatellar bursitis is quite superficial, topical NSAIDs such as diclofenac topical gel (Voltaren Gel) can be very effective, with minimal systemic side effects.
Taking a turmeric supplement for four to eight weeks could help to improve the effects of inflammation such as ease the pain of stiff joints or help to improve our general health.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has been used for 4,000 years to treat a variety of conditions. Studies show that turmeric may help fight infections and some cancers, reduce inflammation, and treat digestive problems.
Turmeric's main active component — curcumin — is what gives the spice its yellow color. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, making it a potential treatment for a number of health conditions, including reduced pain and increased ease of movement in people with osteoarthritis.
Usually, rest is all you'll need to treat bursitis. Avoid the activity or positions that irritated your bursa. Taking a break from activities that put pressure on that part of your body will give it time to heal and prevent further injury. Ask your provider how long you'll need to rest and avoid physical activities.
One remedy worth trying is Tiger Balm, a Chinese massage cream containing menthol, which may ease bursitis pain when used one or two times a day. If you can't find Tiger Balm in your local health food store, you can make a homemade balm by mixing water and turmeric powder (a spice used in curry recipes) into a paste.
Typical measures to relieve hip bursitis pain include: Resting the hip to avoid overuse. Applying heat, such as a heating pad or warm bath. Applying ice to help reduce the swelling (this should only be done for the first 48 hours after symptoms occur).
Bursitis is when a joint becomes painful and swollen. It can usually be treated at home and should go away in a few weeks.
Acute bursitis usually flares over hours or days. Chronic bursitis can last from a few days to several weeks. Chronic bursitis can go away and come back again. Acute bursitis can become chronic if it comes back or if a hip injury occurs.
Exercise is often prescribed to improve joint pain, so walking could be a vital part of managing your bursitis symptoms.
Bursitis is treatable and reversible, unlike arthritis (which is progressive). It's possible to develop bursitis from bumping your hip into a countertop. Most of the time our body is able to deal with the trauma and eliminates the inflammation on its own.
Activities or positions that put pressure on the hip bursa, such as lying down, sitting in one position for a long time, or walking distances can irritate the bursa and cause more pain.
There are several ways to get bursitis, but the condition is usually caused by too much stress on the bursa. In general, however, bursal irritation can be roughly divided into three groups. The first type, known as chronic bursitis, may be due to a variety of factors.