ÿþ<html> <title>Nutter's Bulk & Natural Foods - Article on Bursitis</title> <meta name="description" content="Bursitis is brought about either through an injury, an extended period of pressure, infection..."> <meta name="keywords" content="bursitis, bursa, bones, tendons, muscles, joints, callagen, proteins, synovial fluid"> <STYLE> A:visited {text-decoration:none} A:active {text-decoration:none} </head> <center> <table width=800 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0> <td width=800 valign=top> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=4 color="#E0E0E0"> <a href="index.php"><font color=white>Home</a> | <a href="stores.html"><font color=white>Locate A Store</a> | <a href="wellbeing.html"><font color=white>Wellbeing Information</a> | <a href="recipes.html"><font color=white>Recipes</a> </table> <table width=800 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0> <td width=800 valign=top> <a href="artsindex.html"><font face="Times New Roman" size=4" color=red> <br> A bursa is a soft, fluid-filled sac, much like bubble-wrap, that covers and cushions the movement between the bones, tendons and muscles near the joints. The fluid in the sacs, rich in collagen and proteins, is called <i>synovial fluid </i>because it is excreted by synovial cells inside the bursa. <br> There are hundreds of bursae throughout your body. A bursa's job is to reduce friction between moving parts of the body. Imagine filling a Ziploc bag with water, closing the top, and then rubbing the bag between your hands; the movement would be smooth and effortless. This is the function your bursae perform when your joints move. When a bursa becomes inflamed, it fills with excess fluid, thereby causing pressure to the surrounding tissues, joints, tendons and muscles, resulting in pain. <br> Unlike generalized inflammation which can be caused by a myriad of things, bursitis (<i>burs </i> bursa; <i>itis </i>- inflammation) is brought about either through an injury, an extended period of pressure or tension, infection (most commonly occurring in bursae close to the skin, called <i>septic bursitis</i>), crystal deposits (uric acid), or by the overuse of a joint. Age-related bursitis is common because as tendons age, they become less and less tolerant to stress, lose elasticity and become easier to tear. <br> <b>Where Does Bursitis Strike?</b><br> <img src="tennis.jpg" align=right hspace=12 vspace=12 border=1> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Deep heat therapy is also commonly used to relieve the pain and inflammation. It all depends on what the person can stand; some people prefer ice, some prefer heat. Each has its own merits; while ice reduces the swelling, heat promotes circulation. Protection of the site is important and includes padding, especially around the knees and ankles. If the bursitis does not respond to R.I.C.E., over-the-counter analgesics, ibuprofen and prescription medications, your health care provider may recommend surgical drainage of the fluid, injections of corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation, and in extreme and chronic cases, the bursa can be removed altogether. Most simple cases of bursitis respond to treatment in three to four days. <br> Physical therapy is another common option in treating bursitis, especially for a "frozen shoulder". In the case of bursitis in the shoulder, range-of-motion exercises are used. <br> <b>Preventing Bursitis</b><br> You can prevent bursitis from happening again if certain habits are changed. For instance, you may need to adjust the type of footwear you're wearing or cushion the heels, enlist kneepads when kneeling down (especially if your employment requires you to kneel; plumbers, roofers, carpet layers, tile setters, gardeners), don't kneel for extended lengths of time, extend your warm-ups for a longer period of time (especially before ice skating, bicycling and baseball), or simply readjust, and become more cognoscente of, your posture. Overall good muscle tone in your body can decrease the likelihood of bursitis returning, so look to strengthen any of your muscles that might be contributing to bursitis through their weakened state. <br> <b>FOODS THAT DON'T PROMOTE INFLAMMATION</b><br> Did you know that some foods can actually promote inflammation in your body? The following is a table of foods, and their recommended servings per day, which do not promote inflammation. <br> <center> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=5> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <center><b>RDA (min)<br> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=3> Vegetables (both raw & cooked, from all parts of the color spectrum, organic when possible)<br> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <br> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=3> Fruits (fresh in season or frozen, organic when possible)<br> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <br> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=3> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <center>3-5 per day <td width=500 valign=top> Pasta (al dente) <font face="Arial" size=3> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=3> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <center>1-2 per day <td width=500 valign=top> Healthy Fats (extra virgin olive oil, expeller-pressed canola oil, nuts, avocados, seeds) <font face="Arial" size=3> <center>5-7 per day<br> <td width=500 valign=top> Fish & Seafood <font face="Arial" size=3> </td></tr> <tr> <font face="Arial" size=3> </td> <td width=100 valign=top> <center>1-2 per day <td width=500 valign=top> Cooked Asian Mushrooms <font face="Arial" size=3> </td></tr> </center><br> <br> Tea  2 to 4 cups per day of white, green, oolong <br> <br> Turmeric and ginger are powerful, natural anti-inflammatory agents. <br> Cooked Asian Mushrooms  Shiitake, enokidake, maitake, oyster mushrooms<br> <br> Use purified water. Water is vital for overall functioning of the body. <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> Studies have found that horse chestnut seed extract is beneficial in treating chronic venous insufficiency and is as effective as wearing compression stockings.<br> <br> <br> <br><br> <br> http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/111/main.html <br> 2. Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid<br><br> <br> <br><br> <br> </td></tr> <tr> <img src="dancingbanner.jpg"> <td width=800 height=40 bgcolor="#c62a29"> <b>Nutter's Bulk & Natural Foods </b>107, 1601 Dunmore Road SE., Medicine Hat, AB T1A 1Z8 (403) 529-1664 <img src="transpacer.gif" height=20 width=20 ALIGN="absmiddle"> </td></tr> </html>