If you've had moderate to severe swelling, pain, and/or redness in your joints, you may have experienced the effects of bursitis. There's a sac inside all the body's joints that acts as a cushion between the bones and tendons. This sac is called a bursa and when this sac becomes inflamed or infected, you have bursitis.

You can get bursitis from a pre-existing condition like arthritis, tendonitis, or gout, as well as from an injury or from an infection. The major joints of the body--knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows--are the ones most commonly affected by bursitis. People who play tennis consistently often develop a condition called "tennis elbow." Tennis elbow is a euphemism for bursitis of the elbow. (After all, athlete's foot sounds much better than "nasty foot fungus.")

Attacking Bursitis Pain

Bursitis pain will rear its ugly head when you move the affected joint. Oftentimes your range of motion will be reduced because of bursitis pain. Conventionally, doctors have injected steroids directly into bursae sacs to combat this condition. They've also used various anti-inflammatory drugs, hot and cold packs, and splints to prevent movement in the affected area. Rest is probably the most important remedy for bursitis pain coupled with a progressive stretching routine.

In rare cases, surgery is required to rid the body of bursitis. Surgery and steroid injection should be reserved for severe cases that have not responded to other treatments. Nutritional supplements like emu oil have been known to alleviate symptoms connected to bursitis. This substance has naturally occurring pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory agents. It's also good for your skin and has no known side effects.