Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Who gets bursitis from their RA? Has anyone had an infected one? How big do they get?
I have slowly growing RA damage and over the years a few nodules. About a month ago a golf ball sized bursa came up on my left elbow.
I didnt worry as due at rheumy for steroid shoulder injection and thought he would deal to it. He didnt and was quite dismissive. "It will probably just go away" he pronounced.
Do they?
Anyway, last weekend this horrible unsightly lump started to grow and by Wednesday was quite swollen - larger than tennis ball. I wrapped it up overnight thinking 'RA flare stuff' but by Friday noticed an angry red infection proceeding down arm to hand from bandaged area and went into my GP's nurse. Anti biotics. They told me these bursa often need intravenous anti biotics when infected so I got off some of the hassle.
I have been taking life fairly quietly these past few weeks as have flu- cough virus so know this "just happened" - no knocks or other provocation.
Does anyone know how often these bursa can become infected? Would like to hear others' stories.
I have slowly growing RA damage and over the years a few nodules. About a month ago a golf ball sized bursa came up on my left elbow.
I didnt worry as due at rheumy for steroid shoulder injection and thought he would deal to it. He didnt and was quite dismissive. "It will probably just go away" he pronounced.
Do they?
Anyway, last weekend this horrible unsightly lump started to grow and by Wednesday was quite swollen - larger than tennis ball. I wrapped it up overnight thinking 'RA flare stuff' but by Friday noticed an angry red infection proceeding down arm to hand from bandaged area and went into my GP's nurse. Anti biotics. They told me these bursa often need intravenous anti biotics when infected so I got off some of the hassle.
I have been taking life fairly quietly these past few weeks as have flu- cough virus so know this "just happened" - no knocks or other provocation.
Does anyone know how often these bursa can become infected? Would like to hear others' stories.
http://www.aidmybursa.com/?REF=GBursa
I have quite a big nodule on the other elbow - in residence at least two years - but this was different so now I know the difference between a bursa and a nodule.
here is "something" in my knee. Little brat deliberately put foot out today in the public library to make me trip and I felt it then.... The knee one feels like something between a bursa and hard nodule so maybe that is defined as a cyst. Have seen them referred to on here.
Thanks dear cyber sisters for your input.
I've never had an infection in one though. Perhaps it became infected by the same virus that was attacking the rest of your body? I'm kind of curious how it happened too because I haven't come across that in my research so far.
Oh, and that thing on your knee...I had something like that in high school. I don't know if it's the same thing, but it turned out to be a Baker's Cyst. They just gave me Naproxen (still perscription then), and it did finally go away.
I hate all the lumps and bumps that seem to come along with RA. I hope that you and your doc get it all sorted out and treated properly.