Knee bursitis is a painful condition in which a fluid-filled sac that cushions the knee joint becomes inflamed or irritated, leading to pain and swelling. Inflammation of the knee bursa can limit your daily activities and tasks, such as running, climbing stairs, and playing football and volleyball, that you usually perform with your knees.
Redness, tenderness, stiffness, and warmth around the knee joint are the common symptoms of knee bursitis that may become severe when pressure is applied to your knees as you move or bend.
The good news is that knee bursitis can be treated. Let’s talk about some tips to treat knee bursitis and where you can go to seek knee bursitis treatment in North Dakota.
Tip#1 Try R.I.C.E Therapy
Generally, knee bursitis gets better on its own with rest, ice, compression, and elevation – known as R.I.C.E therapy.
Resting at home and applying ice to the inflamed knee joint for 20 minutes multiple times a day can make your knee bursitis better by decreasing pain and swelling of the joint. Do not apply ice directly to the knee; instead, wrap the ice in a towel before applying it to the affected area.
Compression bandages or elastic bandages can also relieve the symptoms of knee bursitis.
Elevation of the affected knee joint or leg above the level of the heart reduces blood flow to the joint and drains excess fluid from the knee joint, improving the swelling of the knee joint.
Tip#2 Take Pain Relievers
If your knee bursitis does not respond to the R.I.C.E method, take some over-the-counter painkillers, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These oral medications, like Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen), can greatly relieve pain and inflammation of your knee joint.
Tip #3 Try Cortisone Shots
Corticosteroids are a class of drugs with strong anti-inflammatory properties. So, if your knee bursitis does not improve with oral medications, give a shot to cortisone injections.
Your orthopedic doctor will inject corticosteroids directly into the inflamed joint, which can quickly relieve pain and swelling related to an inflamed knee bursa.
Tips#4 Check Whether Your Bursitis is Septic
Consider aspiration if your bursitis fails to respond to RICE therapy, medications, and injections. In aspiration, your orthopedic surgeon will remove excess fluid from the swollen bursa using a needle and syringe. This fluid is then tested in the lab to know whether the bursitis is septic or aseptic.
If your bursitis is due to an infection, also called septic bursitis, your orthopedic surgeon will prescribe you antibiotics, depending on the agent causing the infection.
Antibiotics may be administered either orally or intravenously depending on the severity of the knee bursitis.
Tip#5 See a Physical Therapist
Like with other musculoskeletal problems, a physical therapist can also help with knee bursitis.
Your physiotherapist will recommend some exercises and knee braces or compressive knee sleeves to relieve your symptoms and improve your mobility and normal joint function.
Tip#6 Ask About Surgery
Have severe chronic or recurrent bursitis? Talk to your orthopedic doctor about surgery.
In the surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will remove the inflamed bursa of your knee joint to treat your symptoms once and for all.
Bursitis Knee Treatment in Bismarck, ND
Have knee pain, swelling, and tenderness? Visit us at The Bone & Joint Center to get a lasting solution. Our board-certified orthopedic experts are committed to providing you with advanced and evidence-based solutions for a broad range of musculoskeletal problems, including knee bursitis.
To learn more about our services, call us today at (701) 946-7400 / (866) 900-8650. If you would like to schedule a consultation, fill out our online request form. Our experts are always here to treat your knee-related problems so that you can enjoy healthier knees.
