The Hindu Business Line : Living with bursitis

Radha suddenly felt an acute pain in her shoulder joint. Since it subsided with painkillers, she didn’t give it much thought. But, it became a recurring phenomenon over the months, and she would lie all day in her bed and cry. Finally, when she consulted a doctor, it was diagnosed as bursitis.

What is it?

Bursae are little fluid-cushions artfully placed to avoid friction around the joints in the shoulders, knees, etc. When there is repeated strenuous pull and push on a particular joint, the bursa inflames, swells up and emits a continuous painful throb in that region.

Anything can set off bursitis — frequent kneeling, poor slumping posture or injury, and can be diagnosed through a physical examination. The most common drug prescribed is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory tablet like aspirin. Essentially, the inflammation is caused by the chemical prostaglandins produced by the body; aspirin blocks it and tackles the swelling and pain.

Bursitis is not taken as seriously by doctors as arthritis, but is extremely painful and distressing. It is important not to allow yourself to fall into what is called the ‘sad passivity’ reaction. This makes you sleep, eat, cry almost all through the day. It is wiser to charge yourself and move into an ‘active creative’ mode.

When you determinedly do positive things for yourself, people and life become cooperative. When you don’t add the emotional pain of feeling hopeless to the already existing physical pain, you help your own healing process.

Here are some active creative things you can do for yourself:

Relax completely. Not passively ‘rest; but creatively ‘relax’. Lie comfortably on your back with your arms at your sides. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Feel your stomach rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. Carry on till you feel relaxation in the back of your neck, head and stomach. Next, relax each area of your body — starting with feet and moving up to your head. Pause at each spot and feel that it is lighting up. Pause longest on the afflicted joint and relax it totally. As you become more familiar with the process, that spot will grow heavy and warm or light and easeful. Either feeling is good. Do this everyday regardless of whether you are in pain or not.

Ice it or heat it. If the joint feels hot, apply an ice-pack until you feel relief. Never apply a hot-water bag when the joint is hot. And when you instinctively feel it needs warmth, alternate cold and hot treatment — ice followed by heat followed by ice. This treatment must be done immediately on the onset of pain as you have a good chance of nipping it in the bud.

Swing the joint. Don’t immobilise it by not moving it. If your shoulder or elbow joint hurts, bend forward, support yourself with your healthy arm on a chair. Drop the hurting arm and swing it to and fro, side to side until you feel relief. Similarly, if the pain is in the hip or knee joint, stand on the good leg and swing the hurting leg until you feel relief.

Stretch for normalcy. Stretching exercises are an absolute must to restore and maintain the full movement of the joint. Stand facing a wall and walk your fingers up as high as you can, raising yourself on your toes. Then, walk them sideways and around.

Stretch your arms elbows straight in front of you. Then move them away from each other and stretch them for your hands to meet behind your back.

Lie on the floor. Bring both legs to chest by folding your knees. Embrace your knees with your arms and press them to your chest until you feel a stretch in your hip joints.

Be ‘on guard’. If the pain makes you dysfunctional, wear an elasticised skin-coloured elbow, shoulder or knee-guard available at sports’ shops.

Be hardy, not foolhardy. Don’t overdo anything that brings on pain. Care for your wellbeing and for others. Caring is a beautiful shield against pain and despair. Build up an unshakeable faith that soon you will be a healthier person. It will happen.

The writer is co-author of the book ‘Fitness for Life’.

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