The small sacs that are filled with fluid and used to cushion your joints are called bursae. Generally speaking, they’re very durable and can stand a lot of wear and tear. They’re what keep your joints from grinding together and causing a ton of pain and damage. Though these sacs can still become inflamed, which can cause a lot of irritation and pain. This is a condition known as bursitis, and 1 in 10,000 people will develop this condition in their knees and elbows, and perhaps other joints. It’s usually caused by a bacterial infection but severe damage can also cause the bursae sacs to become inflamed. Here are some good treatment options that people with bursitis might want to try.
1. Cold Compress
Heat is great for relaxing muscles, but cold is what you want to use for joints that ache. The cold compress can really get in there and literally chill down the inflammation. You can’t really tell due to how your brain interprets the signals coming from the bursae sacs, but they’re triggering pain because they’re hot and swollen. The cold will cause some of that inflammation to die down. You can also take an ice bath if you really want the effects of the cold to help with the bursitis.