Olecranon Bursitis
This is usually triggered by repeated hyperextension of the elbow. But in some cases, olecranon bursitis can be an inflammatory condition due to an infection. Thus, there are two modalities of treatment depending on whether olecranon bursitis is septic (due to joint infections) or aseptic (triggered by overuse injuries and other mechanical causes).
- Treatment of septic olecranon bursitis: When an infection is causing olecranon bursitis, patients will have significant swelling of the articulation and may experience fever. In such cases, aspiration of the bursa liquid can help identify the microbe and guide the treatment. Depending on the severity of the condition, doctors could prescribe oral antibiotics or their intravenous counterparts. Besides antibiotics, patients are recommended a few activity modifications to reduce the inflammation of the olecranon bursa.
- Treatment of aseptic olecranon bursitis: When there are no infectious causes of the inflammation, the treatment is usually mechanic and includes compressive dressings, ice, and avoiding overhead work that aggravates the symptoms. In most cases, these measures are enough to improve the symptoms. If they continue, bursa aspiration is considered to reduce the swelling, and it is accompanied by compressive dressing for two weeks. Intrabursal corticosteroid injections can also be considered in these cases, but only a few doctors would use this measure and only in selected cases. A surgical bursectomy is recommended when the condition does not respond to any of these measures and elbow pain is maintained for three months.