Bursitis is a painful condition that affects the small fluid-filled pads — called bursae — that act as cushions among your bones and the tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when a bursa becomes inflamed and the most common locations for bursitis are in the shoulders, elbows or hips. However you can also have bursitis in the knee, heel and the base of the big toe. Bursitis often occurs in joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.

Symptoms

1) Feeling achy or stiff
2) Pain when you move joint or press on it
3) Swelling and redness
4) Bruising or a rash in the affected area.

Causes

The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that irritate the bursae around a joint. Examples
include:

1) Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly
2) Leaning on your elbows for long periods of time
3) Extensive kneeling, for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors
4) Prolonged sitting, particularly on hard surfaces

Some bursae at the knee and elbow lie just below the skin, so they are at higher risk of puncture injuries that can become infected and cause septic bursitis.

Western medicine treatments

1) Resting and immobilizing the affected area
2) Applying ice to reduce swelling
3) Taking Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
3) Physical therapy or exercises to strengthen the muscles in the area.
4) Antibiotics; in case of infections
5) Surgery; to remove the affected bursa.

Adopted from Wei Laboratories, Inc.