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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

Measures you can take at home to relieve the pain of bursitis include:

  • Rest and immobilize the affected area
  • Apply ice to reduce swelling
  • Take an over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve, others), to relieve pain and reduce inflammation
  • Cushion your knees if you sleep on your side, by placing a small pillow between your legs
  • Avoid elbow pressure, by not leaning or placing your weight on your elbows to rise from a lying position
Prevention Treatments and drugs

  • See Also

    • Hand Scheduled
    Section Focus
  • Knee bursitis

    • Related Links
    Related Guides
    Children
    Parent
References
  1. Sheon RP. Bursitis: An overview of clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
  2. Schmidt MJ, et al. Tendinopathy and bursitis. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00204-8&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&uniqId=270872816-2. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
  3. Colburn KK. Bursitis, tendinitis, myofascial pain, and fibromyalgia. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2011. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..00022-3&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&uniqId=270872816-3. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
  4. Questions and answers about bursitis and tendonitis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bursitis/default.asp. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
  5. Clark BM. Tendonitis. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/tendonitis.pdf. Accessed Aug. 4, 2011.
DS00032 Sept. 24, 2011

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