Bursitis: What It Feels Like and How to Get Relief

Ever had a joint that felt swollen, sore, and just plain stubborn? That could be bursitis — inflammation of the small, fluid-filled sacs (bursa) that cushion your joints. It’s common in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle. The pain often shows up after repetitive activity, a sudden injury, or when arthritis is also present.

Bursitis usually makes the area feel tender, warm, and stiff. You might notice pain when moving the joint or pressing on it. If your joint looks red, hot, or you have a fever, that could be an infection (septic bursitis) — a faster trip to the doctor is needed.

What Causes Bursitis?

Repeated motions or pressure are the usual suspects. Think painting a ceiling, leaning on your elbows at a desk, or running on hard surfaces. Age matters too — the bursa thins and becomes more vulnerable over time. Less common causes include direct blows, gout, or bacterial infection.

Jobs and hobbies that repeat the same movement raise your risk. So do poor posture and muscle weakness around the joint. If you’ve had a joint injury before, bursitis can be the lingering outcome.

Simple Tests and When to See a Doctor

A doctor will examine the joint, ask about recent activities and may order imaging like an ultrasound or X-ray to rule out other problems. If infection is suspected, they might draw fluid from the bursa to test for bacteria. Don’t ignore increasing pain, spreading redness, fever, or loss of joint movement — those need prompt care.

Most bursitis is treated without surgery. Start with rest and avoid the motion that caused the pain. Ice the area for 15–20 minutes every few hours for the first 48–72 hours. Later, heat can relax tight muscles. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen often reduce pain and swelling. If those don’t help, a doctor may suggest a corticosteroid injection into the bursa for faster relief.

Physical therapy helps by strengthening muscles and fixing movement patterns that stress the joint. For suspected septic bursitis, antibiotics and sometimes drainage are needed. Surgery is rare but used if bursitis keeps coming back or doesn’t respond to other treatments.

Prevention is practical: change how you do repetitive tasks, take short breaks, pad areas that take pressure (knees, elbows), and build strength around vulnerable joints. Stretch before activity and maintain a healthy weight to reduce joint strain.

Got questions about your specific joint pain? A primary care doctor or physiotherapist can guide testing and a treatment plan. Quick fixes help, but addressing the movement or habit that caused bursitis keeps it from coming back.