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Bursa Injection
Bursitis is a painful joint disorder that can sometimes be hard to resolve. If your bursitis isn’t improving with rest and physical therapy, pain management expert Munish Loomba, MD, of Advance Comprehensive Pain Care, Inc. in California, offers bursa injections that can help. The injections contain anti-inflammatory medication that relieves bursitis pain. Call your nearest office in Moreno Valley, Riverside, or Rancho Cucamonga to find out more or book an appointment online today.
Bursa Injection Q & A
What is a bursa injection?
A bursa injection is a treatment that eases the pain of bursitis. The bursae in your joints are like cushions that enable your muscles and bones to move without creating friction. They contain fluid that gives them their protective qualities.
Bursitis is inflammation that develops when a bursa becomes irritated. The most likely reasons for this irritation are joint overuse and injuries, which cause the fluid content of the bursa to increase.
Bursae swollen with fluid leave less space for your joints’ bones and connective tissues to move. The result is friction and chronic or recurring joint pain.
A bursa injection contains powerful steroids that reduce inflammation. They usually also include a local anesthetic, which gives you some relief from bursitis pain until the steroid starts working.
Why would I need a bursa injection?
You might need a bursa injection if you’ve had bursitis for a while and other treatments aren’t reducing your pain. You have 160 bursae in your body and can get bursitis in any of them, but the condition usually arises in joints you repeatedly use. Bursa injections can treat:
- Trochanteric bursitis in the hips
- Subacromial bursitis in the shoulders
- Prepatellar bursitis in the knees
- Olecranon bursitis in the elbows
- Ischial bursitis in the buttocks
- Pes anserine bursitis in the knees
When these conditions develop, treatments like physical therapy and medication can be helpful. Resting the area and avoiding activities that irritate the bursa is also important. Weight loss can help with hip and knee bursitis.
If you’ve been receiving treatment for several months and are still in pain, Dr. Loomba might recommend a bursa injection.
What happens when I have a bursa injection?
Having a bursa injection is a straightforward, in-office procedure. It usually takes Dr. Loomba no more than 10 minutes to complete the injection. You have a local anesthetic on your skin to numb the injection site. Dr. Loomba inserts a slender needle through your skin and into the bursa, then injects the steroid and anesthetic mixture.
To ensure the needle reaches the bursa without causing any damage, Dr. Loomba uses image guidance techniques such as ultrasound or fluoroscopy (moving X-ray). You might experience slight pressure or mild discomfort during the injection and some soreness or bruising for a day or so afterward.
The local anesthetic is likely to give you several hours of pain relief. Then, within a few days, the anti-inflammatory effect of the steroid should start to kick in. The results could last for months or even a year. Some people only need a single bursa injection to resolve their pain.
If you have bursitis that isn’t showing signs of improving, speak to Dr. Loomba about having a bursa injection. Call Advance Comprehensive Pain Care, Inc. today or book an appointment online.