A nagging ache in your elbow, hip, or shoulder flares every time you move, and now even resting hurts. You are probably wondering whether you should push through it or rest, and how long this is going to last. The reassuring news is that most bursitis settles down with simple care you can start at home, and only a minority of cases need anything more involved.
Bursitis is one of the most common and most treatable causes of joint-area pain. Here is what actually helps, what to skip, and when the pain is a signal to get checked.
What is bursitis, and why does it hurt?
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa, one of the small fluid-filled sacs that cushion your bones, tendons, and muscles near a joint. When a bursa gets irritated, it swells and the area becomes tender, warm, and painful to move.
The most common sites are the shoulder, elbow, and hip, with additional spots at the knee, heel, and base of the big toe. It is often triggered by repetitive motion or prolonged pressure on a joint, but it can also follow an injury or stem from inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or an infection.
Knowing the cause matters, because an infected (septic) bursa is treated very differently from a simple irritated one.
How is bursitis treated at home?
First-line treatment is conservative and something you can begin right away. The classic approach is often summarized as RICE, paired with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine to bring the swelling down.
The core steps are:
- Rest: ease off the activity that aggravated the joint and give the bursa time to settle.
- Ice: apply cold to the area, especially during the first 48 hours, to reduce swelling and pain.
- Compression and elevation: gentle wrapping and raising the joint can help limit swelling.
- OTC NSAIDs: anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium can relieve pain and inflammation. Use them as directed on the label, and check with a clinician or pharmacist first if you have stomach, kidney, or heart concerns.
- Protective padding: a cushion or pad over a pressure-prone joint, like the elbow or knee, helps prevent re-irritation.
How long does bursitis take to heal?
Most bursitis improves within a few weeks of consistent self-care. Timelines do vary by location and severity.
As a rough guide:
- Elbow (olecranon) bursitis typically resolves in about three to six weeks.
- Heel bursitis usually improves after two to three weeks of home treatment, though serious cases can take six to twelve months.
- If surgery is needed, recovery from a bursectomy is approximately six weeks, extending to about three months if a tendon is also repaired during the procedure.
When are injections, physical therapy, or surgery needed?
If pain persists despite rest and NSAIDs, a clinician may recommend additional options. Physical therapy is commonly used, especially for hip bursitis, with exercises to stretch the IT band and improve hip strength and flexibility. Assistive devices like a cane can also take pressure off the joint.
A corticosteroid injection can soothe stubborn inflammation and joint pain, and it is often effective for hip bursitis, though it can take a few days to work. Importantly, steroids are used selectively. Before any injection, a clinician should aspirate and analyze the bursal fluid (checking cell count, Gram stain, culture, glucose, and crystals) to rule out infection, because injecting steroids into a non-infected bursa has been linked to significantly higher rates of overall complications and skin atrophy.
Surgery to remove the bursa is rarely needed and is reserved for cases that do not respond to other care.
When should you see a doctor?
Simple bursitis can usually be managed at home, but some signs mean you should get checked promptly. The biggest concern is septic bursitis, an infection of the bursa, which most often affects superficial bursae at the elbow (olecranon) and kneecap (prepatellar) and needs antibiotics rather than ice and rest alone.
Contact a clinician if you notice any of the following:
- Redness, warmth, or the skin over the joint feeling hot.
- Fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell along with the joint pain.
- Severe swelling, bruising, or a rash over the area.
- Pain that is sharp, disabling, or not improving after a couple of weeks of self-care.
- Bursitis that keeps coming back in the same joint.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new skincare treatment, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant, or are taking medications.
