Overview
Bursitis Is Inflammation Around a Joint, Not Necessarily Inside It
A bursa is a small, fluid filled sac that cushions surfaces where skin, tendon, ligament, muscle or bone move against one another.
NCLEX-RN
NCLEX-RN
A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions surfaces where skin, tendon, ligament, muscle or bone move against one another. Bursitis is painful inflammation and swelling of that sac. Repeated movement, sustained pressure, a direct blow and age-related tissue change can irritate a bursa. Arthritis, crystal deposition and infection are alternative causes that change management. Superficial bursae over the olecranon and patella are particularly exposed to pressure and breaks in the skin. Typical features are focal aching, tenderness, warmth, swelling and pain when the area is pressed or moved. Superficial bursitis can produce visible redness and a fluctuant swelling. Redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin, so compare warmth, swelling, tenderness and skin texture as well as colour. Shoulder and lateral-hip pain may involve a bursa together with nearby tendons or other structures; a pain location alone does not confirm bursitis. The important boundary is between an already assessed, uncomplicated local problem and a presentation that could be infection, septic arthritis, fracture, tendon injury, hemorrhage or referred pain. An old bursitis diagnosis does not establish...
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