Elbow Bursitis
(Subtendinous Olecranon Bursitis)
Elbow bursitis, also referred to as olecranon bursitis, dialysis elbow, student's elbow, water on the elbow, swellbow, dart thrower's elbow, lunger's elbow, or miner's elbow
The olecranon bursa (just below the skin) is exposed to trauma or injury during falls on the elbow and to infection from scraps or cuts on the skin covering the joint.
Repeated excessive pressure and/or friction, such as leaning on a table top at work, may cause this bursa to become inflamed producing excessive swelling and elbow pain in this area.
Subtendinous olecranon bursitis is much less common. This type of elbow bursitis results from excessive friction between the triceps tendon and olecranon. This may result, for example, from repeated flexion-extension of the forearm which occurs during certain assembly line jobs, and is one of many repetitive motion type injuries. The pain is most severe during the flexion of the forearm because of pressure exerted on the inflamed subtendinous olecranon bursa by the triceps tendon.
Treating Elbow Bursitis
Relieving the symptoms of bursitis initially focuses on keeping the pressure off the bursa. Surgery may be required if your bursa irritation is a result of a bone formation problem, such as a bone spur. If your bursitis is caused by an infection (septic bursitis), the doctor will drain the bursa sac with a needle and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. For non-infectious bursitis, the preliminary treatment starts with non-operative options such as ultrasound thereapy and cold therapy.
The most important factor in healing bursitis is resting your elbow and reducing the amount of pressure you put on your olecranon bursa throughout the day. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that stress your bursa until your pain and inflammation settle.
Treatments should focus on reducing swelling, relieving stress on your elbow, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction such as a bone spur, treating scar tissue, and then restoring strength and movement in your elbow joint. Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy™ (BFST®) is recommended once inflammation has been calmed to heal the bursa and surrounding tissue faster and reduce the chance of bursitis returning.
Freezie Wrap® Cold Therapy
To decrease inflammation and relieve the pain of olecranon bursitis doctor's recommend cold therapy.
Applying cold to your inflamed bursa will help decrease the swelling and redness in your elbow. Cold therapy will also help to numb the pain in your olecranon joint and help to control the inflammation. In addition, the deep cooling effect provided by the Elbow Freezie Wrap® reduces tissue damage.
The Elbow Freezie Wrap® uses a supercharged cooling gel pack, that chills in the fridge, not in the freezer like ice or other freezer packs, giving you deep cold therapy without the risk of 'cold burns' or cryoburn.
Cooling your inflamed olecranon bursa can be done as needed throughout the day. The Elbow Freezie Wrap® can be used to apply cold in a safe, convenient and effective way - and the gel pack is reusable. The gel pack sits gently over the inflamed bursa to reduce swelling and redness.
The wrap is soft and adjustable so it fits your body properly, without irritating the bursa, and allows you to adjust the compression. This is important when treating an inflamed bursa
because too much pressure can cause you further pain. You control how much pressure the bursa receives so you can benefit from the compression to hold the cold where you need it, without increasing your pain.
Applying cold to your tender bursa and elbow joint is the first step in treating your bursitis. Then begin ultrasound therapy to continue the healing process.
Click Here to learn more about Freezie Wrap® ColdCure Technology®
Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound has been used by physical therapists and chiropractors for years to treat bursitis. By applying ultrasound therapy to your sore olecranon bursa you can reduce the inflammation caused by the fluid that has built up.
In addition, ultrasound therapy will treat any other soft tissue conditions that you may be experiencing in your elbow such as radial nerve compression, epicondylitis, cubital tunnel syndrome, and more. By treating yourself with ultrasound everyday, you are able to rid yourself of bursitis pain; this is best accomplished with a personal, therapeutic ultrasound device.
Scar tissue develops with bursitis as your damaged tissue heals. This tough, inflexible tissue is naturally produced instead of forming brand new healthy tissue. Scar tissue adheres to your bursa sac, tendons, ligaments, and nerves causing pain and preventing them from moving properly (this limits your range of motion, flexibility and strength). However, ultrasound therapy can treat scar tissue, softening the tough tissue to improve elasticity for more complete healing results.
The treatment is easy, painless, and requires 10 minutes of your time. It is based on a form of deep thermal therapy which is generated through high frequency sound waves that reach into the cells of the tissue. These sound waves help to reduce the fluid build up in the bursa, heal any tissue damaged through trauma, and reduce inflammation and scar tissue
Enhance Your Ultrasound Treatments With Phonophoresis
When using an ultrasound unit, proper conductive ultrasound gel is required. Without it, the sound waves will not transfer into the tissue making the treatment ineffective. Although you will receive all the benefits of ultrasound therapy with standard ultrasound gel, medicated ultrasound gel can multiply the benefits without any extra time or effort. All you have to do is use medicated gel instead of standard ultrasound gel during your treatments.
 Our exclusive MendMeShop® Lavender Infusion Gel is specially formulated with Natural Bulgarian Lavender, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, and Menthol. These ingredients have been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and improve circulation to speed healing. Now they are available in this incredible ultrasound gel to give you 2 therapies in 1 treatment. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered straight to your bursa where it is most effective to reduce inflammation and pain. And that's not all - our Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel is free of the potentially harmful ingredients of paraben, DEA, or dyes.
 1 FREE bottle of MendMeShop® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes with every MendMeShop® Ultrasound Therapy Unit. If you have skin sensitivities or are sensitive to scents, you have the option of using our Non-Fragrant Ultrasound Gel with your MendMeShop® Ultrasound Therapy Unit. This gel is formulated without medicinal ingredients so there is no risk of irritation AND just like our Lavender Infusion Gel, it does not contain paraben, DEA, or dyes!
Click Here to learn more about Ultrasound Therapy
Inferno Wrap® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy™
Once the inflammation of your bursitis has been reduced with cold therapy and ultrasound treatments it is time to improve blood flow and improve the elasticity of your surrounding soft tissue. Your body needs a fresh supply of blood to improve the health of your tissue and get your olecranon bursa back to normal.
Unfortunately, when you are suffering from bursitis it can be painful to bend your arm or reach for something. When you limit movement in your elbow because of the pain the blood flow is reduced, starving your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients.
The trick is to find a way to increase blood flow without causing pain and/or further inflaming the bursae. This is where Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy™, or BFST®, becomes a powerful tool.
BFST® compliments your body's natural healing process by promoting blood flow while you give your elbow the rest it needs.
The Elbow Inferno Wrap® uses a patented process to generate the same energy that is part of the sun's spectrum of light, the same energy that is necessary to all living things for optimum health. The energy emitted from the Energy Web® stimulates blood flow to your elbow, more than your body would ever be able to generate on it's own. This gives your body the boost it needs to continue the reconditioning process. The healing energy reaches deep into your olecranon bursa to speed tissue repair, whisk away the toxins and dead cells, and rejuvenate the tissue in your elbow for improved elasticity.
Click Here to learn more about the Inferno Wrap® and BFST®
With these 3 easy therapies, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your elbow pain and range of motion.
Medications
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's), can be used if required to help manage your pain. However, these aren't recommended for long term use, as they can cause gastrointestinal difficulties and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Most of our customers find they no longer require NSAIDS once they begin using cold therapy, ultrasound and/or BFST® to treat their pain and heal their bursa.
Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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