Thanks for that.

Timely as a matter of fact - I can feel my Bursitis coming on in my left hip this morning. Besides my shoulder this is the most painful thing I endure - thankfully I only get a Bursitis attack once every couple months now. The last one had me barely being able to make it to the bathroom with a walker.......

After some discussion here and reading articles like you posted I now know there is a definite relationship between Bursitis and RA - it's just that I don't know which came first.....

Got to go get a couple things done this morning before I am chair bound......

Thanks for the article. I am, at this moment, having trouble with my hip bursitis. So - very timely.

My impression has always been that RA predisposes us to all kinds of inflammation in the tendons, muscles, bursa, etc. I sometimes have more pain with that inflammation than I do with my joints. Steroid injections help me considerably with my hips. I have them 1-2 times a year if necessary. Some years - nothing.

Thanks again for the article.
Linda

Thanks for the research on the other places we have Bursa RASally - didn't know all of them. It seems for me to just be the larger ones in my hips and shoulders that give me fits. But it is very possible that I am in fact affected in those other places but maybe not as painful as the larger ones?

One thing I do know for sure - when I get a Bursitis attack it is easily twice as bad as any RA flare I've had. I am guessing that I get both going on at the same time - the RA inflaming the joint lining while the Bursa is inflamed and pushing extra hard against the already inflamed lining. Whenever I get these I am literally chair bound for at least 2 days.

Coaltrain, I would guess that RA comes first, as, I never even knew about bursitits until about five years ago (seems it was brought on by walking long distances, taking very long strides). That set me back with serious pain for a good six months.

Sally, all of that other information is very interesting. I honestly had no clue that these bursae were in so many joints... and behind the breast in the chest wall? Wow. More places to hurt, I guess.

ugggh
my daughter is suffering from this periodically- I sure hope she doesn't have RA presenting in this manner.

My RA presents as bursitis a lot! or rather my RA causes bursitis a lot. And muscle weakness. My joints hurt but NOTHING compared to the constant muscle and bursa issues...maybe tendons too. It's so weird.

The best test for what is causing your bursitis is to withdraw fluid and look for proof of RA. They can do that! (but if you have it on both sides and you have RA - well, it's the RA causing it)

RASally - two choices on docs. Orthopedic doc who specializes in legs and neuromuscular doctor. Did your rheum think you could have dermamyositis? Related to RA

Sorry for bringing up an old topic, but this caught my eye since I have hip bursitis too. I think we engaged in a good thread about this some months ago...

Also sorry if you guys know this already, but, RA attacks the synovial membrane of joints. Other things are made of, and lined with, synovial membrane. You can guess what those are. Bursa. Tendons that cross over bone. Ligaments.

Why don't rheumys discuss that more? Mine says things like "oh that sounds like bursitis." Yes. Yes it does.

I'm going to drill my Rheumatologist next month about the Bursitis.

My nasty single joint flares have been reduced by 75% with the Humira (yeah!) but now I am trying to find the cause of my terribly aching legs. I know the pain is starting in either my knees and/or ankles and radiating through my bones. It actually feels like my bones aching.

Doing more research I pulled up a drawing of our knee joint and see lots of thin bursae throughout. I know there was another thread about just this a while back as confoosed says. I am now starting to be convinced that this bursae is what is causing my aching.

When I get a Bursitis attack in my shoulder or hip it's easy to tell because if I lean forward or back (when in my shoulder) I can actually feel the pressure in my shoulder joint against the front or back which is the bursae sack itself. But with my knees I have no inflammation or tenderness and don't get the same as with my shoulders or hips. I am guessing that is because there is no actual sack in the knee - just a thin lining of bursae.

But then again when I look at the knee drawing I see the synovial fluid that lines the end of both upper and lower bones. So that brings me back once again to this being another effect of the RA.

Oh well - it's just that I can deal with the pain much better if I know why it is happening. Trying to figure out this new pain is tough.

Just for the record here is the knee joint drawing I am looking at:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/GetImage.aspx?ImageId=125682

It was a real paradigm shift in understanding this disease for me to realize that bursa are made of synovial membrane, and that some tendons are sheathed in it.

I get a lot of relief from naproxen. I can tell when I forget to take it.

aleve and it's stronger parent naprosyn work somewhat for me too. i can also tell when I do not take it.

the hip bursas hate me this spring

depot

Guess where else they (bursa) are you guys?

Between your toes.

I only just realized this since I have been studying diagrams of my current foot issue.

I was also diagnosed with hip bursitis. sounds like I was lucky to get a diagnosis. I went to physical therapy for months. it started to get better. Thanks for the article. It is a reminder that this is real and I need to keep doing physical therapy. it hurts so I know it is real. sometimes it is scary. its comforting to know what it is.

I've had trochanteric bursitis (symmetrical, which to me IS the reason I knew RA was involved) and it was a BEAR!

i have found that there is not much they can do for it nor is it a big discussion buster. i have the PT script at home to start in a week or two. I tend to love PT so we'll see if PT for this feels like going to the gym with my own personal trainer or it it really affects my sleep, walking, sitting and standing and driving....

swimming is OK as long as I am in the pool permanently. i have had the guided anethesia fancy injections as well as the injections just in the office by the psyiatrist. it interferes in a huge way and there is nothing it seems that can be done for it in a huge way on my body. the biologic doesn't matter nor the methotrexate. it is constant as the sun. something I can depend on! sometimes if I overdose on nsaids to the point of liver and kidney failure I feel better and if I ice the areas until they are numb.

depot