Elbow diseases: purulent bursitis and epicondylitis. Bursitis of the elbow joint: photos, symptoms and treatment Bursitis of the elbow joint does not go away what to do

The articular surfaces of the elbow are covered with a kind of capsule - a bag (in Latin: bursa), the role of which is not only the external protection of the joint, but also the mitigation of friction between its components. The bag is filled with liquid, which ensures proper lubrication of the joint. Sometimes an inflammatory disease of this capsule can develop, the name of which is bursitis. Bursitis most often affects the shoulder, elbow and knee joints..

Purulent bursitis of the elbow joint: symptoms, treatment

The elbow is surrounded by several membranes that are not connected to the articular cavity. The largest is superficial, from the side of the protruding part of the elbow.

Cause, types and type of ulnar bursitis

Prepare the ground for bursitis:

• Systematic arthritis of rheumatoid, gouty, psoriatic and other nature.
• with synovitis - accumulation of fluid leading to inflammation of the synovial membrane
• Constant irritation of the elbow when resting it on the surface, as a result of daily monotonous movements. The following are at risk:
  • Chasers, engravers, leather craftsmen
  • Diligent diligent students, etc.
• Frequent mechanical injuries of the elbow during a fall, sudden amplitude movements:
  • this is typical for professional tennis players, volleyball players, handball players

Causes of purulent bursitis of the elbow joint

Purulent inflammation of the bursa begins when the infection penetrates into the joint due to:

• Wounds of the elbow joint resulting from trauma
• Formed near the inflammatory focus:
  • erysipelas
  • subcutaneous phlegmon
  • pustular skin lesions, etc.
• Surgical intervention with hemorrhage in the joint
• Specific diseases (tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc.)

Types of ulnar bursitis

Inflammation of the articular bag of the elbow is classified according to three criteria:

• anatomical location
• type of inflammatory process
• the nature of the disease

Type of bursitis

• Serous - inflammation affects the intercavity and cavity surfaces and occurs without the formation of pus inside the cavities
• Purulent - pus and pathogenic bacteria accumulate in the bursa (streptococci, staphylococci, etc.)
• Hemorrhagic - in the exudate of the articular cavity contains blood

The nature of the disease:

Acute, subacute and chronic.

Symptoms of purulent elbow bursitis

The usual serous form is accompanied by swelling of the elbow, painless on palpation. At the same time, the skin is not modified, and the elbow does not experience any special difficulties in movements.

Another thing is purulent inflammation. The following symptoms can speak of a purulent type:

• Slightly above the elbow there is a painful swelling and a feeling of twitching
• The skin in the area of ​​swelling turns red and feels hot to the touch
• Body temperature can rise to high levels
• Movement in the joint becomes difficult, but because of pain, and not because of a decrease in the true range of motion, as happens with:
  • pain with bursitis is superficial, and with arthrosis it is concentrated inside the joint
• You should also distinguish between synovitis with arthrosis and bursitis:
  • with synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane), the elbow swells evenly
  • with bursitis - a clearly localized swelling
• There may be enlargement and inflammation of the lymph nodes (lymphadenitis) and skin lymphatic ducts (lymphangitis), as occurs with bacterial infections

Purulent inflammation of the capsule, if left untreated, leads to:

• To the symptoms of intoxication: nausea, headache, drowsiness and apathy
• The formation of fistulas and phlegmon
• To the chronic form of the disease:
  • Constant aching pain in the elbow
  • One or more lumps are felt under the skin
• To periodic exacerbations with all of the above symptoms

Treatment of bursitis of the elbow joint

Diagnosis of bursitis

For diagnosis, laboratory and instrumental methods are used.:

• Complete blood and urine tests
• Blood sugar test:
  • The presence of diabetes can complicate the course of the disease and require a different treatment regimen.
• A puncture is performed, the purpose of which is to collect exudate:
  • Such an analysis is important for the selection of a drug for antibiotic therapy of purulent inflammation of the bursa.
• To differentiate arthrosis, x-rays or ultrasound can be performed.

If the serous inflammation of the membranes can somehow go away on its own, then this rarely happens with purulent bursitis.

But usually any form of this disease does not need to be left to chance.

Video: Puncture of the elbow joint with purulent bursitis:

Treatment of serous bursitis

With a non-purulent nature of inflammation, treatment is usually limited:

• Immobilization of the elbow with a scarf
• Removal of exudate accumulated between the shells by puncture and washing
• Applying a tight bandage
• Physiotherapy:
  • warming treatments
  • electrophoresis, UHF, ultrasound, etc.

Conservative treatment of purulent bursitis

With a purulent form of bursitis, first of all, it is necessary to eliminate the abscess of the articular bag

• Fluid is aspirated with a syringe, immediately facilitating the condition
• Prescribe antibiotic therapy
• Treat with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nimesil, diclofenac, ibuprofen) and corticosteroids

Surgery for purulent bursitis

Surgical treatment is necessary for:

Operation types

• The usual operation for bursitis is simple and takes place under local anesthesia.:
  • A thick needle is inserted into the joint bag, through which the accumulated exudate is evacuated
  • Complete pumping of the liquid is performed using a catheter with a rubber pear at the end.
• Another type of operation is partial excision of the articular bag

• Radical surgery - complete bursectomy is performed in case of recurrence of purulent bursitis

Prevention of ulnar bursitis

To prevent the purulent stage of inflammation of the articular bag, it is necessary:

• Avoid permanent elbow injury:
  • protect the elbow with an overlay (caliper) during sports activities
  • put something soft under it when sitting at a desk or studying
• Timely treat wounds on the ulnar surface
• Eliminate specific chronic purulent processes

Attention:

Most often, the cause of prolonged pain in the elbow is not arthrosis, and not bursitis, but epicondylitis, inflammation of the attachment site of the elbow tendons, which can be cured on its own.

The video below will tell you more about epicondylitis of the elbow joint.

Video: What is epicondylitis

P.S. We do not even suspect that many diseases are treated much easier than in the medical myths composed about them. Dr. Shperling, as always, authoritatively and with humor tells about many secrets of treating ODS diseases and not only.

Or elbow bursitis is one of the most common diseases of the human musculoskeletal system.

What is an elbow?

This is the junction of three bones: the humerus, ulna and radius. A complex anatomical connection is “embraced” by 3 articular bags, inside of which there is a lubricant, or synovial fluid. Bags - in Latin "bursa" - are needed so that there is no friction between the bones.

The amount of synovial fluid in the bags is strictly limited, it should only be enough to lubricate the surfaces. Excess fluid is one of the signs of dysfunction. For any cause of the disease, the treatment of elbow bursitis is aimed at ensuring that the elbow joint moves without difficulty. When moving, there should be no crunching, pain and discomfort.

Why do elbow bags become inflamed?

In terms of frequency, the causes of inflammation are as follows:

• Constantly recurring same type of injury. Most often, the joint is damaged if the weight of the body is regularly transferred to the elbow. This applies to athletes, miners, porters, students. This is how "miner's elbow" and other inflammations associated with professional activities develop.
• Acute injury - for example, a fall on the elbow in ice.

• Inflammation of all joints of the body, arthritis of various origins, as well as gout.
• Abrasions or cuts in the joint area when the infection penetrates from the outside.
• For an unknown reason. In this case, the treatment of elbow bursitis begins with a clinical examination, which allows you to find the cause of the disease.
• With common severe infectious diseases - tuberculosis, syphilis, brucellosis, gonorrhea, erysipelas.
• In other severe systemic diseases - diabetes mellitus, rheumatism.
• In bedridden patients or at a very old age.

How does elbow bursitis manifest itself?

You can suspect this condition if:

• the joint area is sharply swollen, increased in size, the swelling gradually increases;
• worries about pain in the joint, which increases with movement;
• the joint is hot to the touch;
• redness is visible above it, which can spread far around;
• fever starts;
• weakness, malaise, chills appear, appetite disappears.

If at least one of these signs appears, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to start treatment of elbow bursitis in time. The sooner it is started, the greater the chance of a full recovery.

What happens if bursitis is left untreated?

There will be complications, since this disease cannot “pass” on its own. The blood supply to the articular bag becomes poor, the infection settles there firmly. There may be suppuration that spreads to neighboring tissues. Pus from the inside can break through all the tissues, resulting in a fistula or non-healing hole. At the site of the purulent process, adhesions may appear, due to which the joint will become immobile. Acute inflammation can take on a chronic form, in which pain and fever become constant. All this can be avoided if the treatment of elbow bursitis is started from the first days of the disease. You need to contact a traumatologist or orthopedist, they are the main specialists in bursitis.

Can bursitis be treated at home?

It is possible if the disease was the result of a bruise, and the general condition does not suffer. The first thing to do is to put a tight bandage on the joint. This is necessary so that the joint rests, and the movements in it are limited. It is recommended to bandage the hand in a bent state at an angle of 90 °. After bandaging, the hand must be fixed in a scarf thrown over the neck. The hand should hang on a bandage. When bandaging, it is important not to pinch the blood vessels. Fingertips should retain sensitivity. If they are numb, the bandages should be loosened. Ready-made sports bandages are great for this procedure.

At home, you can cure bursitis of the elbow joint. Treatment: anti-inflammatory and analgesic ointments. A napkin is applied to the joint with any anti-inflammatory ointment that can be found in a pharmacy. The range of such drugs increases annually.

Antibiotics can only be prescribed by a doctor

Sometimes the inflammation of the joint capsule is so aggressive that simple remedies cannot cope with it. There is a simple rule: inflammation should subside after 3 days from the start of treatment.

If this does not happen, and the condition only worsens, you need to urgently go to the doctor. When the doctor confirms elbow bursitis, antibiotic treatment should be started immediately.

The choice of this or that drug depends on many factors: the severity of the process, the age of the patient, concomitant diseases. The dosage form - tablets, injections, gels, ointments or irrigations - is also chosen by the doctor.

What factors influence the choice of drugs?

First of all, from the form of the disease, which can be as follows:

• Serous - a lot of fluid is formed in the joint, but there are no bacteria.
• Hemorrhagic - blood has poured into the cavity of the joint capsule.
• Purulent - the most severe form, when pyogenic bacteria have entered the joint.

Bursitis of the elbow joint. Treatment

Photos of people suffering from bursitis of the elbow joint clearly show what complications can arise if treatment is not started in a timely manner.

Sometimes medicine is not enough. This happens when too much fluid has accumulated in the joint. The joint bag cannot be stretched, and the fluid pressure causes unbearable pain. To alleviate the condition, the doctor may perform a puncture. The bag is carefully pierced with a needle, and the inflammatory fluid is sucked off. In some cases, this fluid is sent to a laboratory for research in order to find out a more accurate cause of acute pain. Without removing the needle from the cavity, medicine is immediately injected into it, and the patient's condition is instantly relieved. Fast-acting drugs are usually administered.

Is it possible to completely cure purulent bursitis?

Not always, although every doctor strives for this. A lot depends on the general reactivity of the patient's body. When a purulent bursitis of the elbow joint is found, the treatment is always prescribed complex. Isolated bursitis, when the whole body is healthy, and the person is young and full of energy, most often can be cured without a trace. With concomitant diseases, the prognosis worsens.

If necessary, the doctor may prescribe the following studies:

• X-ray of the joint to determine the condition of the bones.
• Ultrasound of the joint to detect changes in the joint bag: the presence of cavities, the nature of their contents.
• General clinical examination: blood and urine tests, glucose levels, sensitivity to antibiotics, and so on.

During treatment, it is necessary to completely get rid of pathogenic bacteria in order to improve the general condition of a person. Quite often, with purulent bursitis, it is necessary to cut the joint cavity and install drainage there so that the purulent discharge has an outlet. Along the incision, the joint cavity is washed with antiseptics and antibiotics, accelerating recovery.

Bursitis of the elbow in general diseases

If elbow bursitis is a complication of another common disease, such as diabetes, tuberculosis, or erysipelas, then all efforts are directed to eliminating the symptoms of the underlying pathology. Elbow bursitis, the symptoms, the treatment of which is completely related to the overall clinical picture, requires immediate therapeutic action. Remember that a timely fight against the main pathogen and the main disorder always leads to recovery.

In all people with severe general diseases, it is better to prevent the development of bursitis than to try to cope with it later. Elderly people should be protected from injury, and bedridden patients should be turned over more often in bed. A good functional bed can significantly improve the quality of life of such patients.

Will folk remedies help?

Only with a mild form, when there is no pus or blood in the joint, wraps are carried out with fresh leaves of medicinal and vegetable plants, lotions with propolis, coniferous baths and other available warming and absorbing procedures.

The result will always be better if the treatment of elbow bursitis is started early. Medicines for this should be selected only by a doctor. To relieve inflammation, not only antibiotics are used, but also non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs, and in advanced cases, corticosteroid hormones are prescribed. Any folk remedies should be abandoned if a purulent process has begun.

What to do if bursitis has become chronic?

It is necessary to persistently continue treatment, achieving a stable and long-term remission. In the chronic form, the inflammation is less acute, most often there is no fever and severe swelling. But the chronic process causes stiffness of the joint, which is very difficult to cope with.

If chronic elbow bursitis occurs, treatment necessarily includes physiotherapy. To date, a large number of medical devices have been created that generate ultraviolet, ultrasonic waves or ultrahigh frequency current. All these methods of physical influence are successfully used in the chronic form of bursitis.

Phonophoresis also has an excellent effect, by means of which the medicine is carried into the thickness of the skin by ultrasound. Acupuncture gives a wonderful result, especially if it is performed by a highly qualified specialist.

In recent years, shock wave therapy has become very popular as a method of getting rid of chronic pain. The medical device generates an acoustic wave, the power of which is sufficient to destroy pathological formations. With shock wave therapy, adhesions, seals and scars are perfectly absorbed, and the mobility of the elbow joint is greatly increased.

Always after inflammation, the elbow joint must be developed; physiotherapy exercises are intended for this. They usually start with simple hand swings, gradually bringing the range of motion to the usual level. It is important to do simple exercises daily. Massage or passive physical education is very useful.

Proper, complete and specialized treatment helps to achieve either a complete cure or a significant improvement in the condition of the elbow joint.

Article publication date: 20.04.2016

Date of article update: 05.12.2018

Bursitis of the elbow joint is an inflammatory lesion of the synovial bag - the bursa. Due to the proximity of the neurovascular bundle and a thin layer of fatty tissue, the joints of the elbows are vulnerable to various traumatic factors, reacting sharply to even the slightest damage. In response to inflammation, the inner shell of the joint capsule begins to actively produce joint fluid, with an excess of which the bursa swells, increasing in size. Clinically, this is manifested by local swelling, pain from moderate to acute throbbing, forcing to abandon any movement of the hand in the elbow joint.

The disease is more often diagnosed in young and middle-aged men. It is typical for athletes, students and people who, by the nature of their activities, overload their elbows: accountants, office workers, watchmakers, miners. Those who suffer from gout or other types of arthritis are also susceptible to the disease.

Bursitis of the elbow joint usually does not pose a serious danger, the general condition worsens slightly. The prognosis is favorable even with surgical treatment with further rehabilitation. But this does not mean that the disease can be taken lightly: there are cases when an infection with purulent inflammation spreads to nearby tissues or spreads throughout the body with blood flow, leading to serious consequences (cellulitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis, fistulas, lymphadenitis or persistent).

The mechanism of development and features of elbow bursitis

The joint capsule is a slit-like capsule with synovial fluid inside, which acts as a lubricant to facilitate movement in the joint. It is a kind of shock absorber, protecting the bones and periarticular tissues from friction or pressure.

When inflammation in the joint cavity begins for one reason or another, the production of synovial fluid increases, its nature and composition change, pain appears, bursitis of the elbow joint develops. The bag increases, swells, reaching sometimes considerable sizes. If the exudate is mixed with blood, hemorrhagic bursitis occurs. If inflammation is caused by infectious pathogens that have entered the cavity, a purulent process develops, which can pass to neighboring tissues and even organs. With a long course of the disease, adhesions, foci of necrosis or calcification are formed.

Swelling of the elbow joint with bursitis

The development and course of ulnar bursitis has two characteristic features:

Firstly, the elbow joint is more prone to injury and overload, because it is not protected by either fat or muscles. Therefore, bursitis of the elbow joint is diagnosed more often than, for example, and is in first place in terms of prevalence among inflammations of the burs of other joints.

Secondly, with ulnar bursitis, out of the three synovial bags of the elbow, the bursa located on the extensor surface in the region of the olecranon is more often affected. With knee bursitis, only three bags out of ten are more often affected, and the protrusion of the inflamed can be not only towards the patella, but also into the popliteal fossa.

Inflammation of the bursa in the region of the olecranon

Otherwise, the course of the disease practically does not differ from inflammation of the bursae of other joints.

Causes of the disease

There are many reasons for inflammation of the bursa. The main one is various mechanical injuries: elbow bruises, abrasions, wounds, fractures, as well as microtraumas due to everyday increased loads.

Other reasons:

• in the synovial cavity;
• arthritis of various types: gouty, rheumatoid, psoriatic;
• erysipelas;
• boils, bedsores, carbuncles with the introduction of infection with lymph or blood flow into the joint of the infection.

Provoking factors:

• diabetes,
• immunodeficiency,
• advanced age,
• violation of metabolic processes,
• professional activity,
• having an autoimmune disease
• allergic reactions,
• taking steroids.

Types of bursitis

(if the table is not fully visible, scroll to the right)

• The subcutaneous bursa is more often affected with the development of a serous type of the disease.
• Nonspecific infected elbow bursitis is also common, rarely - brucellosis, syphilitic or other specific type.
• Of all types of pathology, purulent is the most dangerous, because it gives severe complications: sepsis, osteomyelitis, the appearance of an abscess, phlegmon, fistulas, and inflammation of the elbow lymph nodes.
• The most "harmless" is serous bursitis of the elbow joint, since the joint fluid is not infected.

The primary purulent process develops when the elbow is injured, the secondary one develops against the background of an existing acute or chronic process after infection of the bursa secretion.

Post-traumatic serous bursitis can eventually become purulent due to the high risk of infection through probably existing wounds, scratches or other violations of the integrity of the skin.

Characteristic symptoms

Symptoms of acute serous-hemorrhagic or serous process

Unsharp pain, swelling, redness, fever in the area of ​​inflammation.

Elbow movements are limited.

Perhaps noticeable to the eye spherical protrusion, soft to the touch.

The general condition, as a rule, does not suffer; only some patients have a low body temperature, accompanied by malaise and weakness.

Acute inflammation ends with recovery or becomes chronic.

Symptoms of a chronic type of illness

Chronic bursitis of the elbow joint lasts much longer than acute, manifesting itself with the following symptoms:

• moderate pain on movement
• discomfort in the elbow area
• movements in the articulation are preserved almost in full,
• the area of ​​inflammation looks like a dense formation.

Purulent bursitis

Symptoms of a purulent type of disease:

• Pain with purulent sharp, arching or twitching.
• The more acute the inflammation, the more intense the pain syndrome.
• The elbow is hot to the touch, edematous, the skin is overflowing with blood (hyperemic), on palpation there is a sharp pain.
• Movements are severely limited, regional lymph nodes are enlarged.
• Symptoms of general intoxication appear: the temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, weakness, weakness are felt, sweating, headache, irritability appear.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis is made after a visual examination, x-ray of the elbow, puncture of the inflamed cavity, followed by examination of the resulting fluid. With purulent inflammation of the bursa, serological and bacteriological analyzes of the joint fluid are made to determine the pathogen and its sensitivity to antibiotics. If it is difficult to establish a diagnosis, an MRI of the elbow joint is additionally performed.

Treatment Methods

Acute bursitis of the elbow joint is treated by a rheumatologist or orthopedist, chronic neglected - by a surgeon.

Acute serous inflammation is treated by applying a tight bandage to limit the range of motion, taking one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, applying cold, lubricating the elbow with ointment, and preferably with a gel with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect. With severe inflammation, for example, with traumatic bursitis, the symptoms are stopped by the introduction of corticosteroids into the bursa, which have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

Treatment of a purulent process is complemented by antibiotic therapy. A therapeutic puncture of the synovial sac is shown to remove excess fluid, rinse the cavity, and introduce an antibiotic there. In severe cases, the bursa is drained. If the above methods are ineffective, an operation is performed to excise the inflamed bag. During the period of remission, physiotherapy is indicated to prevent re-exacerbation.

Summary

Modern treatment of elbow bursitis provides a positive outcome and relief from symptoms even in severe purulent inflammation. It is only important not to start the disease, turn to a rheumatologist or orthopedist in time and be treated - only then you can hope for a speedy recovery without complications.

Owner and responsible for the site and content: Afinogenov Alexey.

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Our joints perform a lot of work every day and cope with the huge loads that we place on them in view of our life activity. With such a high level of stress, very often the joints can be exposed to a wide variety of pathologies and diseases. One of the common diseases affecting the articular bag is bursitis of the elbow joint.

It is the elbow joint - this is the most favorite place of the disease. Synovial fluid, which is secreted by synovial cells lining special articular bags - bursae, cushions the load on bones and joints, and also lubricates them. Fluid accumulates in the joint bags and as a result of its excess, inflammation can occur, which is called bursitis.

The mechanism of the occurrence of pathology

Due to the content of the lubricating fluid in the bag cavity, the friction of bones and tissues against each other during mobility is minimized. The elbow joint is anatomically surrounded by three articular bags: subcutaneous, interosseous and radiohumeral. Thanks to them, a person does not feel any discomfort and can perform any function with his hands. Normally, the ulnar bursa is smooth, flat, and ideally contributes to the work of the elbow joint. When inflammation occurs, an excess of synovial fluid appears in the bursae, which presses on the surrounding tissues and causes pain. In this case, we are talking about bursitis of the elbow joint.

Causes of the disease

Most often, this disease affects people who make multiple active movements with their hands, and in particular flexion - extension of the elbow. This may be due to the performance of certain monotonous work or the participation in certain sports, such as golf, hockey or tennis.

In some cases, bursitis can be provoked by an injury in which the blow falls on the very edge of the elbow. Another likely cause of bursitis is joint disease such as arthritis or gout, as well as infection inside the bag. When synovial fluid becomes infected, acute purulent bursitis develops inside the bursa.

Classification by type

Depending on the nature of the exudate, bursitis can be one of three types:

• serous, in which the effusion is not infected;
• hemorrhagic, in which there are blood impurities in the joint bag, most often occurs as a result of injury to the elbow joint;
• purulent, in which infection of the synovial fluid inside the joint bag occurs.

Purulent bursitis can be specific and nonspecific. A specific type occurs against the background of syphilitic, tuberculous or gonococcal etiology. As for the non-specific form, the causes of its occurrence are infection with streptococci, staphylococci and other non-specific microflora. Often it occurs with various injuries, when the infection gets inside through skin lesions - abrasions, scratches. Also, infection can pass through the lymphatic vessels from neighboring tissues when there are foci of purulent abscesses, boils, etc. in the human body.

Depending on the nature of the course, the disease is classified into the following forms of bursitis:

• chronic;
• spicy;
• subacute;
• recurrent.

Characteristic signs and symptoms

Symptoms of elbow bursitis can develop in different ways depending on its form and cause. So, in acute they appear suddenly and have a fairly intense character. In the chronic form, symptoms may appear and be observed steadily for several weeks, after which they subside again.

In the place of the inflamed articular bag of the elbow joint, a seal, swelling is formed, and the tissues increase in volume. Visually, bursitis can be quite difficult to determine, since inflammation is not visible through the skin. Only in some cases, when the affected articular bags are located close to the outside, there is reddening of the skin over it, as well as a local increase in temperature.

It is possible to find out that the patient develops bursitis of the elbow joint by the presence of a specific swelling, soft in texture on palpation. The size of the swelling can be 7-10 centimeters. All manipulations of the patient's hand are accompanied by painful sensations, possibly general malaise and in some cases a sharp rise in body temperature. However, movements, unlike arthritis of the elbow joint, are not at all limited.

With a purulent form of bursitis, the inflammatory process can also affect nearby tissues. In this case, patients may develop a fever. In view of the acute deterioration of the patient's condition, very often he has to be urgently hospitalized for treatment in a hospital.

Diagnostic methods

Most often, the diagnosis of the disease occurs by examining and examining the symptoms, without any additional research methods. Bursitis is most often indicated by a specific edema formed around the elbow bend. However, in some cases, a clarification of the diagnosis is required, for which a puncture can be performed. In this case, the synovial fluid is taken for examination to clarify the nature of the exudate and its bacteriological examination is performed.

In some cases, it is advisable to resort to x-ray examination, which allows you to establish damage to the process of the elbow or the presence of osteophytes on it.

Existing treatments

Treatment of bursitis of the elbow joint is reduced to the elimination of pain and localization of the inflammatory process. The tactics of treatment is determined by the form of the inflammatory process. In any course of the disease, patients it is necessary to ensure maximum peace injured elbow. This can be done quite effectively with a fixing bandage. Dry heat also helps very well at home.

Treatment in a hospital setting may include:

• drug therapy;
• physiotherapy;
• surgical intervention;
• non-drug therapy.

Drug treatment methods can treat bursitis, both in acute and in its chronic form. To do this, anti-inflammatory drugs are very effectively used today, including locally, for example, Voltaren, ibuprofen, diclofenac. Also, drug treatment includes antibiotic therapy, which is necessary in the presence of infections. Drugs are selected for patients depending on sensitivity to certain microorganisms that cause inflammation. With a clearly manifested inflammatory process, glucocorticosteroids are used, which are injected into the inflamed bag.

Surgical treatment is most often advisable for purulent inflammation and in some cases with chronic forms. In this case, the following types of operations apply:

1. Puncture of the inflamed bag. Suitable for purulent forms of bursitis. During the manipulation, a purulent formation is removed, followed by washing the joint bag with an antiseptic. At the same time, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs can be introduced into the cavity of the bursa.
2. Drainage of the inflamed bag. It is also indicated for purulent bursitis. In this case, the cavity is opened and drained with a tube. The procedure is carried out until the signs of the inflammatory process disappear.
3. Bursectomy. The most radical operation, during which the inflamed ulnar bursa is excised. Most often, this method is used for chronic bursitis of the elbow joint, when there is a thickening of the bursal walls, which affects the quality of life of the patient and makes it difficult for him to live normally. This operation can be performed under local or general anesthesia. After the operation, a splint is applied to the patient for several days, thanks to which rest is provided to the elbow joint and wound healing. In the future, a new articular bag is formed from the connective tissue of the patient.

Traditional Treatments can be successfully combined with folk methods, which effectively treat such a disease as bursitis of the elbow joint. After treatment, patients are advised to limit their ability to work for some time and stop playing sports. With a favorable outcome of treatment, patients fully recover after a few weeks.

- this is an inflammatory process that has arisen in the tissues surrounding the olecranon. In order to understand what is at stake, you should know that around any joint, including the elbow, there are synovial bags filled with a small amount of fluid, which in Latin are called bursa. In the normal state, they perform the same role as lubricants in the engine, that is, they do not allow rubbing against each other during movement. Therefore, they are not injured as a result of natural human activities.

If we consider specifically the elbow joint, then it is surrounded by three bursae:

Interosseous

Ulnar subcutaneous

Interosseous ulna

Each of them contains a certain amount of fluid, which normally performs its function, so a person does not experience pain when moving his hands. But sometimes, for a number of reasons, inflammation occurs in the cavity of one or several synovial bags at once, the fluid begins to arrive, its composition changes, and the elbow becomes painful. This condition is called elbow bursitis.

Doctors classify bursitis according to several parameters:

Depending on the place of localization (by the name of the synovial bags).

By the nature of the course of inflammation - acute, subacute or chronic type.

Depending on the composition of the fluid (exudate) accumulating in the synovial sac - purulent, serous, fibrous, hemorrhagic.

If bursitis is caused by any microorganism, then it may have the name of non-specific (microorganisms from the strepto-and group) or specific (for example, caused by gonococci, spirochete pallidum, tuberculosis or syphilitic bacterium).

Inflammation of this slit-like formation on the elbow is a fairly common phenomenon and is in second place after inflammation of the shoulder joint.

Causes of elbow bursitis

Bursitis of the elbow joint can occur for a number of reasons, among which it is customary to single out the following:

In the first place, as a factor leading to the development of bursitis, is arthritis of any nature - psoriatic, rheumatoid or gouty. That is, against the background of acute inflammation in the cartilage itself or in the synovial bag, fluid begins to accumulate, which leads to the formation of bursitis.

Bursitis can be the result of a microtrauma, but this is somewhat less common. The elbow is injured due to constantly repetitive monotonous movements, therefore this disease is unofficially called the "professional" illness of all those people whose activities are associated with the support of the elbow on a hard surface. These can be students, engravers, chess players, draftsmen, etc. In such people, the subcutaneous ulnar bursa most often becomes inflamed, and, for example, in tennis players, the interosseous ulna. Such a difference is associated with the peculiarities of the distribution of the load on the elbow, and hence the place of occurrence of microtraumas.

Sometimes bursitis occurs some time after a mechanical injury to the elbow. In the event that a person hits or falls on this part of the body.

Bursitis can also occur as a result of ingestion of an infection. Especially often this happens when the skin tissue immediately next to the bursa has been damaged, and a certain microorganism or bacterium has got inside. Panaritium can also serve as an infectious cause of bursitis, when bones and soft tissues of the fingers are exposed to acute inflammation. Also, the infection can get into the synovial sac not from the outside, but “from the inside”, that is, it can be carried through the blood (hematogenous pathway) and through the lymph (lymphogenic pathway).

Extremely rarely, however, there is an idiopathic inflammation of the synovial bag, that is, one whose etiological causes remain unclear.

Even among the risk factors leading to the occurrence of inflammation in the elbow joint, some chronic diseases are considered, for example,. The cause of suppuration can also be a general weakening of the immune system, metabolic disorders, as well as taking steroid drugs.

As the main symptoms of bursitis of the elbow joint, it is customary to distinguish the following:

The occurrence of swelling in the corresponding area. Sometimes it can occur for no apparent reason, be completely painless and not interfere with the free movement of the hand.

If the swelling is left unattended, then over time it will become much more noticeable, increase significantly in volume and there will be a feeling of discomfort and pain.

Often there is reddening of the skin around the elbow and its sharp filling.