Bursitis is painful inflammation of a bursa - a flat sac containing joint (synovial) fluid that reduces friction in areas where skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments rub over bones). A bursa normally contains very little fluid. If injured or overused, however, the bursa may become inflamed and fill with fluid. These small, fluid-filled sacs lubricate and cushion pressure points between your bones and the tendons and muscles near your joints. They help your joints move with ease. Bursitis occurs when one of the bursae becomes inflamed. When inflammation occurs, movement or pressure is painful.

Bursitis often affects the areas around the joints in your shoulders, elbows or hips. But you can also have bursitis by your knee, heel and even in the base of your big toe. Bursitis pain usually goes away within a week or so with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups are common and can be frustrating.

Causes

Common causes of bursitis are overuse, stress or direct trauma to a joint, such as with repeated bumping or prolonged pressure from kneeling. Bursitis may also result from an infection, arthritis or gout. Many times, the cause is unknown.

• gout

The cause of other forms of bursitis is repetitive motion related to certain activities. These forms, which may be named after the profession or trade associated with certain motions of the joints, include:

• Weaver's bottom. This type of bursitis describes an inflamed bursa over the bone in your buttocks. It may result from sitting on a hard surface and swaying back and forth, such as sitting at a loom. The pressure from standing for a prolonged time may lead to bursitis of the hip.

• Housemaid's knee. In this form, a soft, egg-shaped bump occurs on the front of your knee, the result of kneeling while installing tiles, scrubbing a floor, gardening or doing other activities that place pressure on your knees.

• Miners' elbow. This form results from swinging a pick. You may get a similar inflammation by pushing a vacuum cleaner back and forth. Throwing a baseball and swinging a tennis racket or a golf club are other examples of repeated physical activities that may lead to bursitis or tendinitis of the elbow or shoulder. Simple repeated leaning on your elbows could lead to bursitis over the tip of your elbow.

You may not be able to pinpoint a specific incident or activity that led to your bursitis. In fact, in some cases the inflammation may stem from a staphylococcal infection or, rarely, tuberculosis.

• Tuberculosis

If you work in a profession or have a hobby that requires repetitive motion, you're at an increased risk of developing bursitis. The occurrence of bursitis also increases with age. In addition, certain diseases and conditions increase your risk of developing bursitis, such as:

• Arthritis

• Gout

• Staphylococcal infection

• Tuberculosis, although rarely

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